Is bodycam technology the next big thing in football?

Social media – Twitter to be more specific, was seized by fans lusting over FC Koln’s freshly introduced camera angle. In a friendly with AC Milan, players of the German club wore bodycams in-game, providing a player’s view of events.

The bodycam is no new technology, as it is frequented by the police and investigative journalists as well, but never has it occurred to anyone that professional players could deploy the technology and do it so efficiently.

However, MindFly – a company that offers pro sports fans a whole new way to experience sporting events were ahead of the curve – attaching their AI-powered body cams to FC Koln’s players for their preseason friendly.

The result? Sensational, as released footage showcases never-seen-before angles of goals and certain live events. It’s obvious fans want more of the refreshing footage, as scores on social media have called for the technology to be thrown into Europe’s biggest leagues.

But before this, there have been lots of live-broadcast advancements to provide non-stadium spectators with a more holistic viewing of football games.

What are the experts saying?

Owuraku Ampofo, a sports data journalist with JoySports has a fair idea of how far the game’s broadcasting has come.

“User experience is one aspect of football that has constantly evolved from the different types of camera angles we used to have – the wide telecast [and] it moved beyond that, because of course users wanted to experience the game in different ways.

“So you now have cameras inside the goal posts where after goals are scored you can see from the perspectives of keepers and the angles at which the balls enter the net. We’ve also had the bird’s eye view camera angle which gives an elevated look at the pitch – helping with tactical analysis.

“There’s also been the experience with coach cams where you could see exactly the reactions of coaches at different points.”

Technology is relentless and as time goes by, technology improves upon itself so we were definitely going to get to a point where camera angles and shots of live games improved.

The bodycam is a little unorthodox though, but sometimes the less traditional approaches could have the best of outcomes, couldn’t they?

“I’d say it’s something I wouldn’t mind at all seeing again if the opportunity presents itself because it makes us the fans feel much closer to the players in the moment, and that is something we have never had the chance to experience till the body cam footage was created,” Jeron Provencal, a football fan in Ghana said.

His perspective cuts across the world but exactly how feasible is it? In pictures released by FC Koln, a small hole was cut in the jerseys of players to make room for the bodycams.

So can there be a large-scale production of jerseys and body cams?

The sportswear industry is doubtful

Leo Asmah of Icarus – a sportswear manufacturing company – believes the idea is more theoretical: “I’m actually not sure on this, to be honest, [but] I think theoretically yes though.”

“It will be difficult, honestly,” was his response when asked if there is potential for large-scale production of jerseys with bodycams.

For individuals who were whetting their appetites with the idea, this becomes a rather disappointing end, and no matter how anticlimax his comments seem, Asmah could actually be right as the body cams were attached to the jerseys of only two Koln players; Timo Hubers and Tim Limperle, although the referees also had them attached.

What does the bodycam mean to professionals?

But on a brighter note; defender, Hubers, indicated that his movement was not impeded by the bodycam, meaning European football leagues and FIFA could be open to the idea of bodycam integration in football.

“It took me a little to get used to the bodycam because it was quite warm underneath. You could tell you are wearing it, but it didn’t limit me,” Hubers said.

FIFA has taken a huge leap towards modernization; with the implementation of VAR and the introduction of the semi-automated offside technology to be used at the 2022 Qatar World Cup – all indications that the football governing body is open to embracing technology more and more, but what edge do bodycams add?

“What we’ve not really had is to be able to experience the game from the perspective of players. This obviously is a tough one because there’s a lot of movement with players and all that, but I think what a player cam will do is it would elevate how users, viewers, and analysts interpret the game and experience it a lot better,” Owuraku Ampofo explained.

So far, there’s lots and lots of collated optimism meaning, football could be steering closer to another technological revolution, but the unitary thinking sounds too good to be true – there’s the party of conservatives which is led by FC Koln manager, Steffen Baumgart.

“I’m more of a traditionalist and don’t like everything that happens there,” the 50-year-old boss said before the game. But even for him, he managed to notice the advantages bodycams could contribute.

“The referee’s camera was interesting because you see the game from the referee’s point of view.”

Maybe for players, bodycams may be too much of a reach but perhaps, they could contribute to improving the standard of officiating – something FIFA seems to have pledged themselves to with VAR and the new semi-automated offside technology.

Maybe then, it will not be so bad an idea to add one final jigsaw piece? The referee’s bodycam, will it?

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