Sony announced today a landmark partnership with the National Football League (NFL), naming Sony as an official technology partner of the NFL and the new official headphones provider. This collaboration aims to transform the future of football through innovative technology.
Sony and the NFL will work closely with coaches, players, teams, and leadership to develop on-field and sideline technologies, including a new coach’s sideline headset set to debut in the 2025 season. This headset will support coach-to-coach communication, powered by Verizon Business’ Managed Private Wireless Solution on Verizon’s 5G network.
Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations will enhance officiating accuracy with game-critical items like line-to-gain measurements. Additionally, Sony’s Beyond Sports expertise in real-time visualization will help engage the next generation of NFL fans.
“Building upon a long-established relationship, the NFL looks forward to embracing Sony as an official technology partner,” said Gary Brantley, chief information officer at the NFL. “This partnership will elevate various dimensions of our sport and bring fans closer to game-day action. From broadening Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology within the game to deploying new coaches’ headsets in 2025, the NFL will harness Sony’s expertise to drive innovation.”
Neal Manowitz, president and COO of Sony Electronics North America, expressed excitement about the partnership, saying, “We are committed to creating the future of sports with technology, constantly driving innovation to positively impact athletics for players, coaches, and fans. This partnership stems from years of integration into the NFL, and we are excited to officially join forces with one of the largest sports organizations in the world.”
Sony’s technology solutions, including professional photography and broadcast capture, bring fans the excitement and unpredictability of the NFL with world-class precision. Hawk-Eye’s technology has supported the NFL Officiating Department in reviewing and making critical rulings on plays. The partnership will see further development of next-generation officiating technology to achieve the highest level of integrity for the game.
The collaboration also includes leveraging player tracking data from the NFL’s Next Gen Stats powered by AWS and Sony’s Beyond Sports’ visualization technology for real-time content creation. This technology was notably used in the NFL’s Emmy-award winning “Toy Story Funday Football” alternate game presentation, attracting a younger and more global audience.
Since 2020, Sony has been the exclusive imaging products and support provider for The Associated Press, producing many iconic images of the NFL’s defining moments. Sony cameras are also extensively used by NFL broadcast partners, including CBS Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports, and NBC Sports, for major events like the Super Bowl.
With this new partnership, the NFL and Sony will continue to explore new opportunities within football through technology, enhancing engagement and enjoyment for fans, coaches, and players alike. For more information, please visit the NFL and Sony websites.
