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A Super Bowl Koan: Does The NFL Wish It Were A Tech Company? (siliconvalley.com)

Are tech companies cashing in on the popularity of Super Bowl -- or is the Super Bowl trying to get into the world of tech? An anonymous reader writes: The NFL hosted a startup pitch competition before the game. And they also ran tech-themed "future of football" ads during the game which showcased the robot tackling dummies that provide moving targets for training players. Lady Gaga's halftime show is even expected to feature hundreds of drones.

But Microsoft was also hovering around outside the stadium, pushing the concept of "social autographs" (digital signatures drawn onto images) with their Surface tablets. Intel ran ads during the game touting their 360-degree replay technology. Besides the usual game-day ads for beer, there were also several for videogames -- Arnold Schwarzenegger endorsed Mobile Strike, and a reality TV show parody suddenly turned into an ad for World of Tanks. So is technology subtly changing the culture of the Super Bowl -- or is the Super Bowl turning into a massive pageant of technology?

Are any Slashdot readers even watching the Super Bowl? All I know is the Bay Area Newsgroup reported that a Silicon Valley engineer ultimately earns more over their lifetime than the average NFL football player.

3 of 126 comments (clear)

  1. smoke and mirrors by TWX · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The teams and the league are there to make money. As such they'll apply whatever trappings they think will bring more fans and thus more money to the sport.

    Right now tech is hot, tech is popular. It doesn't matter why it's hot or popular, if they can find a way to cobble it in for greater profit then they will do so. The game itself has not changed significantly for a very long time, the only tech required has been safety equipment to attempt to reduce injuries.

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  2. Lifetime Earnings comparison by Guppy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    All I know is the Bay Area Newsgroup reported that a Silicon Valley engineer ultimately earns more over their lifetime than the average NFL football player.

    Reminds me of an article comparing a doctor's lifetime earnings vs a UPS driver. In the analysis, the doctor doesn't pull ahead until about 18 years after high school, due to the long period of schooling and residency, plus debt load.

    http://www.er-doctor.com/docto...

  3. Re: Hobby Lobby by Cmdln+Daco · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Trump is President.

    President Trump. Say it out loud. What do we have to complain about?

    Are there really any nazis in the US? There are a few thousand KKK idiots, but in 2017 that's like wanting to be an Astronaut when you grow up.

    The worst thing anybody can do is take idiots who say they are nazis or kkk members seriously. That gives them credibility.