NFL placing trackers in pads

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Hoping to keep up with the fans' insatiable appetite for player statistics, the NFL will install real-time location systems in 17 of its stadiums this year.

Receivers, placed in the players' shoulder pads, will work in tandem with radio frequency identification transmitters to turn player movement into meaningful measurements.

The league, in its announcement Thursday, said that it hopes being able to track distance and speed will not only enhance the fan experience but allow the teams to learn more about their players from a competitive standpoint.

rest - http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/11290290/nfl-installing-trackers-players-pads-enhance-statistics

[NightTrainLayne]

I was hearing on the local sports radio here yesterday, that Florida State uses some type of tracker in practice etc., in order to predict fatigue and/or injuries.

They were crediting it with really reducing their injuries the past two seasons.

I wonder why the NFL isn't utilizing something like this, if a college team is having documented success with it.

Fl
orida State's run to a national championship last year hinged greatly on an unusually low number of injury casualties, which Fisher hardly chalks up to luck. With information gleaned from the GPS devices, Florida State virtually eliminated soft-tissue injuries -- muscle pulls and strains -- and Fisher adjusted the team's practice schedules to reduce midweek workload and ensure his team peaked on Saturdays. The more FSU's coaches learned about the data delivered by the GPS systems, the more the team's conditioning and practices could be tailored to the specific needs of each player.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11121315/florida-state-seminoles-coach-jimbo-fisher-use-gps-technology-win-national-championship