Deal with tech startup changes way Baltimore Ravens prepare off the field

The Baltimore Ravens have partnered with a tech startup to use next level technology to gain a competitive advantage off of the football field.

We’ve seen how much technology has developed over the years and it has made an immediate impact on sports. From how we watch games at home, to the experience at the stadium and to the equipment players wear on the field. Technology is widely immersed into the sporting world.

The Baltimore Ravens are trying to use that technology to their advantage this season.

Jeff Barker of the Baltimore Sun reported on a really cool deal the Ravens just made. They have signed a one-year deal with tech startup Mixed River.

They have developed a ‘mixed reality’ program that can depict holographic images of NFL players and teams. This allows Ravens coaches and players to get a POV standpoint of their opponents without having to be on the field.

Here is a little more about what the program entails:

"Rather than use practice or game film, Mixed River provides simulations. Players wearing Microsoft HoloLens headsets can not only observe formations but move and respond to their holographic counterparts, such as Roethlisberger, on a real-life practice field or gymnasium, at game speed."

It really is next level technology that could give a team like the Ravens an upper-hand during the season.

While we usually pay attention to what happens on the field, it’s really interesting to see how technology allows teams to gain a competitive advantage off of it. As Barker reported, it is completely legal for the Ravens to use this kind of program. All NFL teams have the ability to do so if they choose.

The Impact

This technology could have a major impact on players, especially those who are recovering from injury. Because these injured players can’t see the field, there’s really no way for them to get back to speed other than by watching game film. The mixed reality program allows these players to study film like they are on the field with the rest of the team.

Does it mean these players will return up to game speed when they get back? No, but it definitely is an advantage over what they’ve been able to do in the past.

This is really just the start of how technology can benefit the preparation for sports teams off the field. It doesn’t take anything away from the integrity of the game and allows for players and coaches to have a different perspective on how they see their opponents.

This technology is especially helpful for quarterbacks like Joe Flacco who have to read the field on every play. Having that first-person view could make a huge difference.

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And if you are the Baltimore Ravens, why not take advantage of this kind of technology? They can use all the help they can get this season as they try to avoid missing the playoffs for a 3rd straight season.