The Technology Behind the NBA Finals

BobB-nw brings us NetworkWorld's behind-the-scenes look at the technology supporting the NBA Finals. They primarily use Lenovo ThinkPads which run an automated statistic-gathering system. The NBA eschews Wi-Fi due to security concerns, and it abandoned attempts to use touch-screen technology because of durability and ease-of-use issues. Whether or not basketball is your sport of choice, it's an interesting view of how modern sports presentations come together. "Other courtside systems with proprietary software synch up with compact belt packs worn by the referees, who automate clock stoppages by blowing their whistles. Hellmuth noted that he oversaw an effort to ensure that clock stoppages could be seen from any angle in the arena by having lights on the backboard and elsewhere all flash at once."

Comments

Two blasts from the past: "NBA" and "NetworkWorld"

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

Wow - leave it to a slow news day on Slashdot to give us TWO blasts from the past. The NBA: Remember when Jordan was still in the league (and there was a reason to at least tune in to a couple of playoff games)? "NetworkWorld" Magazine: I thought all the old timers who still read on this rag had early-retiremented their way out of the industry. Nice to see they have a website now - I wonder if they'll make a play for relevance in this decade.