Kavitha A. Davidson, Columnist

NFL's Technology Innovations Follow the Money

A token few ideas would improve the stadium experience, but the real goal is to bring the stadium experience home.

February 3, 2016 at 9:16 PM UTC

By Kavitha A. Davidson

Kavitha A. Davidson is a former Bloomberg View columnist.

TV worked out so well, the NFL wants to be on your headset next.
Photographer: Bryan Thomas/Getty Images

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On Tuesday, the NFL and Microsoft unveiled some "innovative" ideas for how technology could "shape the future of football." Notably, these included fan-submitted suggestions for apps that would bring the in-home viewing experience to those sitting in the stands.

And yet, it was one product developed by Microsoft, called HoloLens, that stood out -- not just because of its ambition, and not just because attempted holograms have already traumatized us by grotesquely commodifying dead artists (RIP Tupac, Michael, Whitney). Then again, the NFL has perfected the art of commodifying the past, with countless DVD releases by NFL Films containing highlights of previous seasons, and the recent re-airing of Super Bowl I.