A. F. Associates Scores with Contract to Design and Build 1st and Ten Systems for Sportvision
1st and Ten was developed by Sportvision to use innovative technology to electronically display a first-down line onto the televised image of the field. The line is designed specifically as a viewer's guide, not an officiating tool, and is accurately positioned to one tenth of a yard. AFA is designing the systems to meet Sportvision's custom software and hardware requirements.
AFA engineers worked with Sportvision to evaluate and select various equipment for 1st and Ten and reduce the size of the system to fit into a five rack FlyPack configuration. The system initially required a 40-foot mobile unit to transport it.
Sportvision is clearly the leader in developing innovative technology for sports broadcastings said Tom Canavan, president of AFA. We are proud that Sportvision has chosen AFA's expertise to reach the next level of proficiency for this extraordinary product.
1st and Ten won an Emmy nomination for Innovative Technical Achievement in it's premiere season. The system launched on that network in September 1998 to an enthusiastic reception. A recent Harris Interactive Poll showed that 83% of Sunday Night Football viewers liked the yellow first down line, and nine out of ten would like to see the line on all telecasts.
The location of the first down line is entered into the system computer by the broadcaster's statistics staff. The system then gathers data on the camera's pan, tilt, zoom and focus functions. With this information, the system knows where in each frame of video the line should appear. The computer then analyzes the line thirty times per second and, using a very sophisticated process, determines whether the images in the frame of video are the field, a player, the ball, referees, or something else.
A. F. Associates, Inc. is a Video Services Corporation company. AFA is an industry leader in the design, engineering and fabrication of fixed and mobile television facilities. Services include design, engineering, consulting, detailed design, documentation, prewiring, installation, and commissioning for broadcast, cable, satellite, production/post production and corporate video markets.
Sportvision was launched in January 1998 by Jerry Gepner; chief operating officer, Stan Honey; chief technology officer, and Bill Squadron; chief executive officer. The company develops enhancements for the Internet, new media platforms and sports television based on new technology. The Company also provides broadcast technology consulting services to broadcasters, sports leagues and teams including the National Football League, the National Hockey League, NBA and the New York Mets. Sportvision's headquarters are in New York and its development facility is in Mountain View, CA.