How the NFL's magic yellow line works
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2016
- The clever engineering behind the virtual yellow first-down line you seen on TV for NFL games.
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Since the late 1990s, the virtual yellow line has been quietly enhancing football broadcasts by giving viewers a live, intuitive guide to the state of play. The graphic is engineered to appear painted on the field, rather than simply plopped on top of the players, so it doesn't distract from the game at all.
The line debuted during a September 27, 1998, game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals. It was developed by a company called Sportvision Inc. and operated by six people in a 48-foot semi-truck parked outside the stadium.
ESPN was the only network that immediately agreed to pay the steep price of $25,000 per game. Before long, other companies began offering the yellow line to the other networks, and now you won't see a football game without it.
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when I was a kid I thought they painted it on every time
haha
Sierra Alice sam3
Sierra Alice I still thought that till today
Sierra Alice same
1998nic0lopez were*
I feel Smarter.
Every
Hello , Destin :)
+SmarterEveryDay k
+SmarterEveryDay I was actually looking through your channel because I thought it was something you made. I got mixed up.
+SmarterEveryDay FYI: two of the guys from Sportvision built a physics-challenging land yacht called "Blackbird" in 2010 that was able to go directly downwind, faster than the wind.
who ever finds a way to adblock live tv that would be amazing
I hope this was just a joke, if so ha ha. But if this was a real request, please think. That's what the amazing dvr was created for. I usually let a show play for 15 mins then watch and happily skip all commercials while being a mere 15 mins behind. But what you request can not happen because shows are tailored around commercials. You'd be looking at nothing happening as during the time your commercial is playing nothing on set or during a game is happening. Even if they let the cameras roll continually, it would be as boring as a commercial break. lol
Trina M.B it was a joke... but i was saying adds and banners during sport events not breaks all in all no commercials would be boring
Trina M.B you are a babe btw lol
I figured you were joking :). I agree that's why I like going to games more rather than watching them on t.v. During commercial breaks the stadium does a lot to keep the goers entertained. At basketball games it's the kiss cam, at football games it's trivia question people could play via Twitter for prizes etc.
Going to a game is amazing those little mini games they have during breaks are great like at baseball games, baseball on TV is BORING going to a baseball game is a lot of fun
Wait, they're using this technology to place ads?
FUCK, THE ADS REALLY ARE EVOLVING!!
+Boogster Su South Park was on point on that one.
+Boogster Su They've been doing that for years, man. Especially in baseball.
+Boogster Su Yep, next time you are watching a baseball game, look behind the batter. On the standard camera view you see of the pitcher/batter/catcher/umpire during the throw and swing (camera is mounted between center and left feild, looking at home plate), you see the ad.
But after the swing, when they are showing different angles, you might cathc a glimpse of the same ad board but it's a big sheet of bright green, and the ad is gone. The software/system was only hooked up to that one camera mounted out between center and left field. But then again, since it's cheaper now to do that, they might have all cameras hooked up to the system now, not just that 1.
+Boogster Su I swear the ads are just painted on the field...
+James Allen
I am sure it is just a matter of time until these ads are customized to individual demographics in real time. Meaning one person may see one ad, while another viewer see's a totally different ad at the same time.
It is mildly terrifying just how good that line is. Just imagine what they could do with it in the future. Like maybe they could put in some CGI mascots, dancing around the field for no reason. Or they could have Big Head Mode, where all the players' heads are magnified. Or explosions whenever someone gets tackled.
Come to think of it, they've really only scratched the surface of this technology's potential.
OOH! Nice tackle by Ronalo--- *explodes*
@@gabrielegenota1480 Michael Bay would LOVE that!
Petition to make Big Head Mode a real thing
@@remyfagerstrom6780 Hahahahahahahaha! That slaps me on the knee.
Bobble head mode
Lol for all you bears fans, that yellow line means a first down. I know you've never seen it moved before
Cullen Anderson we usually see about 2 first downs a game. Change Bears to browns and that would be more accurate
Cullen Anderson LMAO
Da Bears... Looking good in 2018!
Wow. Had to comment on the savagery from back then compared to how well the Bears are doing now, lmao.
*Browns
The nfl doesn't need to put ads on the field because everything else is advertised
Joe Zidron unless ShitSoccer AKA Shoccer.
iProdigy huh?
Joe Zidron agreed!
the entire stadium would be covered in computer-generated glasses of beer.
Seriously 1 hour game 2 hours of commercials.
The ad at 3.27 is not computer generated. Its just placed on the ground using forced perspective to give the 3d effect
I was about to say the same thing. I guess not in all cases?
+Aaron Zhu (Jerry) It's like a flat banner on the ground that they print at an angle so it looks like it is standing up from the camera. You can see them when the camera changes when the players are celebrating
Yh I was bout to mention this. It's well known in football or as Americans say 'soccer'. This is found on almost all live TV coverage of it.
3:26
remos100 true
Brilliant. Have always wondered how it appeared under players.
Thom Gibson same
I always just figured "computers do it, duh" but it's neat to get some actual technical details too
when i went to my fist football game i asked my dad where the yellow line was
Lol
Bruh moment
I did the exact same thing when I went to my very first football game ever
Those lines looked so real
Black puck, white ice. Yeah, definitely need to make it glow blue.
Golf on the other hand could use this technology.
Golf needs more explosions. this is literally the one and only time I wish Michael Bay would work on something
+TheResidentSkeptic I don't think you grew up in the 90s. Or if you did you must've had an extremely rich family who could afford one of the giant early HD TVs. I doubt the rich parents are the case, so I'm going to assume you didn't grow up in the 90s. Now I know this will be hard to believe but back in the day TVs looked like shit compared to today's TVs. They were pretty pixelated, especially noticeable when watching a sport. The cameras they used were not as advanced as they are today, and there is a very noticeable change in the picture quality over the years. Watch the video from 40-45 seconds, that will give you half of an example of what sports looked like in the 90s. Except you're probably watching this on an HD monitor, so picture that 5 second clip even more degraded in quality and there you have sports in the 90s. When the camera zooms in you could somewhat see the puck, however most of the time the camera is in an overhead view, so the puck looked like a tiny small pixel that you could barely make out. Chances are you were not watching the TV right in front of it, you were probably on a couch or a chair. So imagine sitting a little away from the TV, staring at a pixelated mess trying to make out what the puck was. Also keep in mind, hockey is an extremely fast paced sport, so chances of you noticing the puck being shot at 50+ MPH was slim to none.
Golf on the other hand can go die. Watching golf is the equivalent of watching flies fuck, and takes up entirely too much room. There are over 17,000 golf courses in America. They average over 150 acres apiece, which combined is over 3 million plus acres, 4,820 square miles; you could literally build 2 Rhode Islands and a Delaware. Golf is a completely boring and mindless game. Think of the intellect it must take to draw pleasure from this game. Hitting a ball (that is 1.68 inches in diameter over a field that is 150 acres long) with a crooked stick, and then walking after it. And then, hitting it again. I say pick it up asshole you're lucky you found the fuckin thing - pick it up and put it in your pocket and take it home, you're a winner.
+rawrtunaisgod I was born in '86, and what I was quoting was what I thought was a George Carlin joke. I can't find it anymore so it may not have been him, but it's a joke I heard somewhere. That's all.
Rich? Yeah, I wish. I watched hockey on CBC on an old 24" Toshiba CRT in the 90s. Never had a problem seeing the puck.
Edit: Randy Hahn said it. "Black puck, white ice - What's the problem?"
Golf *has* been using this technology
Hockey was still in the SD era. And most American fans at the time were new-ish fans, and a lot of new hockey fans tend to follow the puck instead of the play. And it's a toss-up for viewers on whether or not they can see the puck well on SDTV, some fans have no issue with it while some fans have a lot of issues with it.
So I can see how the Glow Puck seems like a good idea.
I grew up with this line and when I went to my first game I was shocked that the yellow line wasn’t on the field
Why the fuck am I not sleeping
Agreed.
...
Haha A+ commentary
+Ezekiel Bey Same
+Ezekiel Bey just think, if you're still not sleeping, you'd be dead
I think the glow puck thing is amazing. No idea why they didn't keep it, it's fucking impossible to ever see a puck on the screen, ESPECIALLY in the 90s with the shitty SD qualities. People would rather watch blurs then know whats happening because its slightly cheesy.
I didn't have a newer tv until 2008 and I was surprised at how much more entertaining hockey was now that I could actually see the puck. With newer technology ai think glow puck could still look cool today.
Back then I'd agree, but with HD we have now, and if you know how a play would be made, it's not hard to follow. Although most aren't hockey fans, it would be cool to see it come back in highlights and instant replays. But I'd be annoyed seeing it every game
i loved being able to see where the puck was when it was behind the boards
Bring back glow puck!
Anyone?
Hoora
d...dicks out?
Hmmm, I don't know - it kinda makes it look like an EA Sports Big hockey game that was never made.
GLOW PUCK
yeah
The glow puck would work so good nowadays😂
The glow puck was a terrific idea. 20 years later I’m sure they could implement it in a way that is more acceptable.
Nejx Someone else made a point that if you just watch the sport more you'd be able to know where the puck is I'd be interested though to see how it would look
I loved glow puck, because it made the puck easy to see on old TVs. But with HD, it's not necessary.
Yeah I think people wouldn't mind it so much these days, they're used to digital guides in sports now. I don't think it matters as much with HD these days but they could definitely make it easier to follow in some way.
@@SeekerLancer nah it would be silly
We have HD
shes great, more of her please
i noticed those graphics when watching a college football game on tv for the first time. i think it's impressive. and that ice skating shot? the tech make it look cool af
Great respect for the couple of engineers who set up a company and keeping it with big success. The technology is rather simple but seems to be very crucial.
Also your animations are so beautiful they make me cry.
Awesome end scene also! Love the change of you speaking to the camera directly.
Joss is awesome. I want as much Joss as possible - her videos' subjects are interesting, her narration is great and gives of a casual feeling for the video.
I've literally wondered this ever since I've seen my first football game on TV. THANKYOU.
I had always wondered about this and assumed they just used the field as some kind of green screen. Glad to see I was at aleast somewhat correct but it's a bit more complicated haha. Very interesting, thanks vox!
I'm not a huge football fan but when I first saw the graphics on the field I started obsessing over how they made that engineering miracle happen. Not surprisingly, I became far more intrigued with the graphics than whatever game happened to be on at the time. So glad Vox did a piece on this!
I was fascinated when I saw the line for the first time. Sure enhances the game for me along with the other additions.
Man, so much money and effort put into this meaningless crappy game.
Why do you hate sports
Oh god, are you one of those soccer guys who hates American football? ...Oh excuse me, Handegg?
+timiralnguy American Football is probably the most complex and intellectually challenging major sport in the world.
+timiralnguy How much money do you put into your meaningless and crappy life?
+timiralnguy By your logic everything is meaningless and pointless, why even comment?
Imagine the end zone being a McDonalds ad.
If it really happened
“Hey, why are these burger so bad looking?”
“Well, a bunch of football players stomped over them”
Happens in rugby
I love you, Vox. More engineering & science videos, please! This was great!
Gotta love when literally the first graphic shows the line of scrimmage and the first down line 3 lines apart, yet it still says 10 yards. great vid 11/10 would recommend
I thought that they placed sensors on the field or something, but apparently it's a bit more complicated than that. Always confused me as kid, so thanks for this video explaining a mystery I've forgotten all about.
Wow I did not realize how much work was put into making that line.
This was so good, i loved the extra at the end, all the markers make it seem it took a long effort in research.
I was always impressed just how well it works. That line helps sooo much. I would only be half as likely to watch without. Awesome technology
The first down line revolutionized the way we watch the NFL
I can't believe no one has commented on this post... 4 years .
@@89tin I can't believe no one has replied to this comment
I might actually watch hockey if they used the glow puck
I always was curious about the lines on the field. Thank you for making this. It's very insightful.
That was really interesting! I remember when those lines showed up and thought how much of an improvement they were. It's interesting to hear about all the detail that went into dynamically rendering the graphics.
Please tell me I wasn’t the only one who paused it 5 seconds in and was mad they said 15 yards was 10 yards based on their scale
David Bishop lol I thought that too, I was thinking “wait isn’t that 15 yards” but I was too lazy to skip back and check
Maybe there was a penalty that both lost the offense 5 yards and made them replay the down.
3:07 Oohh, Queen Yuna!
I love the new additions to the NFL games. It’s super futuristic looking. I think a football fan transported from the 70s seeing a modern televised game would be totally mindblown.
Vox: One of best channels on youtube, ever.
I'm. Not a football fan, but boy do I love the line for its technological innovation. I also really enjoy Vox's coverage of such things! Go Vox Go! :-)
I love Vox 98% of the time and this is one of those times!
Is it still 98%? Cant be
Please make a video explaining the burmuda triangle! Love the videos. The quality is outstanding
Love the research and graphics Vox puts into their videos :)
The company's works at Americas Cup was impressive.
+Mustavo Gaia The America's Cup stuff is a different company - NZ-based Virtual Eye (formerly Animation Research Limited) who've been doing live sailing graphics since 1992.
my wrong then. the quick google-check i've made returned positive results. thanks for the information
This is a great conversation starter at a bar...
“Hey, you know how they get that yellow line to change everytime?”
Sounds awful. I'd hate to go to that bar.
I never really thought about it. I mean I always thought it was cool but man that is sweet! I remember as a kid watching and remember the bulky not so fancy yellow line and now it looks almost painted on the ground. Crazy. Thanks for this awesome video. I didn't think it would blow my mind like it did.
I love interesting videos like these. Props to the editors.
Interesting, thanks for the info.
FYI, the animation at 0:07 says "10 yards" for a first down, but the yellow line is 15 yards away from scrimmage :)
The yellow line is the first down marker. If the offense lost yardage by a play or penalty, they still have to reach that original line for a first down. That being achieved, the first down marker is moved ten yards from where the previous play ended.
I noticed that too. When explaining the system, you should start with the most likely scenario. That being 1st down 10 yards to go for another 1st down. And not assuming 15 yards for any penalties or lost yards etc.
Glow puck was actually nice, and the line is the best thing in football besides the game.
Glow pick was fireeee it should still be there
Wow thats pretty nuts. I did an ad for behind the plate at Wrigley Field. I had no idea so much time and effort went into getting it to appear behind home plate.
Great video! I had no idea just how far, more importantly, subtle the use of this tech has gotten to.
that 2013 lions/eagles game was classic
the lions 2008 season was classic as well
Indeed
who is her name?
This is the type of video that makes Vox great.
ive always wondered how this was done! had no idea it was so complex! so cool!!
I really wish the NFL would allow them to use this technology to put ads on the field or around it so we don't have to cut to so many damn commercials. Seriously, I can see why it's so hard for Non-Americans to get into it. It stops for way too long and way too often.
You bring up a good point. I would take ads plastered all over the sidelines or endzones or barriers or whatever as long as it reduces commercial break time by like 50%
Exactly. It's really not distracting at all. They have the technology to do it, may as well catch up with everyone else.
I would agree but then there wouldn't be a tradition for super bowl ads. Which I like almost just as much as the football game
Triggered I know right.
No, I'm against this! During commercials is when I get to go to the microwave and make my tostino rolls.
The soccer one isn't computer generated, it's a 3D painted banner on the ground made to look like a sign from the cameras perspective.
Thank you so much for this! I've wondered this for years! Thank you!!!
Incredible how so much effort has gone into something that you take for granted.
@3:26 football (or soccer...), this is a banner on the field so it has nothing to do with this technology!
waynesagich haha thought the same thing 😂 americans thinking that is a highly technological advertisement, while it's just a plastic tarpaulin lying on the ground - but it's a quite good optical illusion ;)
I don't know a single thing about American Football why am I watching this
+Momo I'm watching it because of soccer
Well now you know one thing about American football.
Because your city is England, Arkansas.
Because the technology is kind of cool to learn about.
Thanks for making this Vox, any good Football fan didn’t learn anything
I always thought it was SO much simpler than that. Nice video. Tanks for the info.
0:08 it says 10 yards when it should be 15.
Edit: Never mind, someone already pointed it out 2 years ago.
"Scientists at Fox Sports Laboratory" has got to be the most ridiculous sequence of words in the history of human language.
my dad works at fox sports laboratory....
Falcy Chead cffssaz
No
That's the 90s lol
My uncle works for Sportvision and he gets to travel to all the games to setup the lines and other animations. I, also, was able to do a job shadowing with him and the technology that goes into this is insane.
FYI; Stan Honey who developed the tech is also a great sailing navigator, who helped Comanche break a transatlantic record. He's really helped sailing become more TV-friendly in some aspects.
Poor Okafor. He made the thumbnail.
This is the same technology FOM uses to insert 'Live' ads into F1 races and I hate it.
Well done Vox!
Love these informative videos, keep it up Joss.
Wait so, it's not a team of minions that paints it on the field between plays?! Well damn
(I know nothing about American football) What is the line for?
When a player goes down while holding the ball, the next play (push towards the end zone) begins at the line.
The blue line is the "Line of Scrimmage", or where the play has to start. The yellow line is a "first down" marker. The team with possession has to cross that yellow line to be able to hold onto the ball and keep advancing down the field.
Thanks guys :)
michaelpohl j
This is actually amazing!
Great video. Sharing with all my football friends!
[Begins video showing 15 yards in a down]
That 75 yr old is probably dead by now
Juan Garcia that is really upsetting when you think about it
Juan Garcia wow. Didn't think of that
He'd be less than 100
HAHAHA, you had me at the intro, but the end credits bit is what has kept me subscribed.
great piece of journalism
And my teacher said that dont learn anything from RUclips
Gotta love this american soccer
+I'm watching you sleep Not even close to soccer.
***** I don't own the NFL.
+Omar Hassan American Football is the only real football lol. You do know that the British called european football "soccer" till the 1990s?
***** They also carry the BALL, and use their FEET to RUN, JUKE, AVOID, SPIN. They also KICK the BALL to make a field goal. Soccer or European Football should be called KICKball not FOOTball. If you wanna get sarcastically literal about everything.
gotta love butt hurt Europeans.
i never liked football but was always interested whenever I saw those graphics and thought how amazing they looked
Being serious. This was very well produced and narrated. Good job, well done.
Erm. In real football they place an advert flat on the floor at an angle to make it look like that. No tech.
too bad footballs gonna be dead in a decade.
I'm 21 years old and I don't understand how you guys ever enjoyed this sport without that line
My dad and I always wondered why they dis this. Thank you.
Football is so much better than American Football
+Kinglet That is your opinion.Some people will say that lacrose is better than soccer ,that badmitton is better than tennis
+wsmokr wow, thanks so much for letting me know what an opinion is! I had no idea.
Soccer is boring football is great.
+bulldogsbob FR atleast we dont have to wait 60 minutes for something to happen.
+Shaun Alexander Except during boring 0-0 slogs, then you have to wait 90 minutes for something to happen and leave disappointed.
Disclaimer: I enjoy both Football and Soccer.
always wondered never new, thanks vox
Yep I remember when I first started watching football, we didn't have all the digital enhancements. It's a great improvement. Thanks geniuses behind the yellow line!
This was great! Always Wondered about it, but had no idea how it was done
Thank you, Joss & Vox!
Very well done! Thanks for sharing.
thanks for doing something useful vox.
This is the type of Vox video I subscribed to.
Wow glow puck looked dope
This is such a convoluted technology for such a trivial thing to the point where I'd consider it almost impractical to attempt engineering/implementing. I am thoroughly impressed by the dedication into this technology.
VMMMCXV you won't believe how much r&d goes into the seemingly trivial things on the machine allowing you to watch this video...
Eddie Russell yeah, but I'd argue that Internet and computing has infinitely more application, versatility, and potential to be useful than drawing a line on a football field. It makes sense that there is a lot of R&D into computing because computers are literally used everywhere by everything.
Developing cameras that Map out a field on a 3D model, analyze colors, plot out surfaces, and implementing it with programs and broadcasting this analysis on TV seems like a hassle to do, to draw a yellow line in a football field. That's why I'm impressed by the dedication. So much R&D into something that's not really practical to out all that effort into.
I can't imagine a world without the line, the line is love, the line is life.
This is such a weird, obscure thing to wonder about but I really had been curious about this. Thanks for the video!