ESPN is planning to use Pylon Cameras for the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic where No. 3 Michigan State will be playing No. 2 Alabama and at the Capital One Orange Bowl where No. 4 Oklahoma will play No. 1 Clemson on the last day of 2015. With 16 Pylon Cameras looking down at the goal line and sidelines, the area on the field where the most critical close calls can happen will be thoroughly covered for both games.
The recent use of pylon cameras has seen success in the NFL by providing angles on scoring plays and on the sidelines that otherwise would not be available with traditional cameras. Referees can use the cameras to review a play near the goal line to determine whether or not a runner’s knee is down before the ball broke the plane. The NFL started using the technology in hopes that they would improve officiating and it’s good to see ESPN following this lead.
These cameras cannot take responsibility for every play on the field though and refs are still trying to keep up with an ever accelerating game where inches and fractions of a second make or break a season.
This example from a recent Monday Night Football game with Odell Beckham Jr. showed us just why this kind of tech is critical to have in all games.
During their broadcast ESPN plans to use the Pylon as much as needed and as often as any other replay source.