Ear-piercing screams coming bellowing down from the top of the nosebleed section.Premier League fans are trying to convince the coach who cannot hear them to substitute a player in with their team down 1-0 in the final minute. You are within whispering distance from their pleas, but you found a solution to make your ears stop ringing. It is not ear plugs … it is your smartphone.
An English Premier League club is developing an app which would give supporters the ability to cast votes for the player they would like to see substituted into the match, according to an unnamed data analyst during Doha’s football conference.
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The app would relay real-time performance data for every player on the pitch through wearable technology. High-tech armbands would be worn by players measuring their performance, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure. The app also could give inside information viewed by the club coach and relay it back to a user’s tablet.
The unnamed club hopes that the app will increase attendance at Under-21 matches by allowing fans an interactive and unique in-game ability. EMC’s chief technology officer, Mark Sear, sees the possibility of growth. “They are asking for permission to free up data for the crowd. They get small crowds for Under-21 games but they think they can get up to 10,000 fans for such games.”
As of now, the wearable tech is only being used during training. Usage in competitive matches is restricted according to Sear. If the club’s proposal is accepted by the English Football Association, the technology could be on the pitch as early as next season.
Prior to this proposal, the Premier League had been pushing other devices. At the beginning of the current season, Premier League clubs were allowed to use “EPTS (Electronic Performance Tracking Systems) devices” if permitted by the League.
The difference between the app and the EPTS is the ability to affect the match directly. The app takes the collected performance information and gives the supporter’s “voice” a chance to be heard, but there is a catch.
Users might be able to vote, but the coach can still ignore their requests and substitute whoever. Sear sees that the app acts like a familiar computer game. “It actually makes it very similar to Championship Manager (football management computer game) because you judge people off their numbers,” he said. “It makes it a fascinating experience.”
Fascinating indeed. Also frustrating. Giving the fans the option to send in their votes on substitution changes is monumental in importance, especially in soccer. A substitution can completely alter the course of a match, particularly in crunch time, say, the 90th minute. Giving coaches the option to ignore substitution requests could ignite a supporter’s temper if the club loses and their vote is set aside for the substitution of another player.
Supporters want to be able to interact with the match just as much as watch it. Sear notes that at least, “70 percent of fans use their smartphone while in a stadium watching a game.” The app gives them the ability to voice their strategic thoughts.
Supporters would even be able to see the heart rate of a player about to attempt a penalty shot. Imagine the pressure of thousands of fans not only staring at you, but every passing beat of your heart.