Football season is getting close. As we close out the summer, the smell of the field and tailgate barbecues will soon begin dominating college campuses across the U.S.
Most years, football season starts out just like the last season – the players practice in preparation, the fans gather, and while there are a few upsets year to year, most games turn out just as expected.
But 2014 will be different – this will be the first year where select competitive footballs from Big Game USA will be implanted with a “smart chip”
Developed in partnership with Prova Group, Inc., the gametag’ smart chip represents football’s biggest technological innovation since instant replay.
Big Game inserts the chips near the laces and assigns each a unique identification number. gametag’ equipped footballs will also include a special logo.
![Big Game_gametag[1]](/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Big-Game_gametag1.jpg)
The gametag’ chip will track different bits of information, including:
- Football’s manufacture date and location
- Specifications of the football
- Was the football used in a collegiate game, or in practice?
- Date/time and location of any games
- Important highlights from the game (touchdowns, field goals, record pass/run, etc.)
Information on the chip is accessible through the free gametag’ app. The app for Android-based phones will be available this fall with the Apple version to follow.
For example, if a record breaking field goal splits the uprights, a gametag’ representative will immediately scan the ball with the smartphone app and upload the data to Prova’s secure cloud-based storage system.
Prova’s patented process combines the smartphone app and a secure cloud database to help ensure the authenticity of each gametag’ equipped football. Authenticating a football took time before, and was often riddled with mistakes. gametag’ revolutionizes this authentication process by cataloging data instantly.
After the team is finished using the football, it may become available for purchase as a commemorative ball at BigGameUSA.com.
We invite you to learn more about this revolutionary technology by visiting our main site, and be sure to watch Navy vs. Ohio State on August 30th to see a gametag’ equipped football in play.
Other teams using gametag’ enabled footballs in the 2014 season include:
- Texas A&M : August 28th vs South Carolina
- Nebraska : August 30th vs Florida Atlantic
- Mississippi State : August 30th vs Southern Miss
