Minnesota Vikings Partner with Zebra to Gain Real-Time Insights on Player Performance

2023-09-06 20:27

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 6, 2023--

Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, today announced a new partnership with the Minnesota Vikings. Zebra is applying its best-in-class RFID tracking technology to capture player and ball data for each of the Vikings’ practice sessions this season, uncovering insights that inform game plans, evaluate player performance, and contextualize player health and safety.

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Minnesota Vikings Choose Zebra Technologies to Gain Real-Time Insights on Player Performance (Graphic: Business Wire)

“We’re always looking for new, innovative tools that prepare our players to be their best on game day,” said Tyler Williams, Vice President, Player Health & Performance, Minnesota Vikings. “Zebra’s tracking solution provides us with the information we need to make educated decisions about on-field performance, player workloads and return-to-play decisions. I’m confident this technology will have a positive impact on our team this year.”

The Zebra MotionWorks™ Sport system uses RFID tags – which are embedded inside footballs, applied to shoulder pads and sewn into practice shirts and compression gear – to transmit real-time location system (RTLS) data to receivers positioned around stadiums and practice facilities. As a result, the Vikings now receive live outputs during practice to track player progress and workloads in real time.

Zebra’s tracking technology captures metrics such as player speed, including acceleration and deceleration; distance traveled per play and aggregate; ball orientation; player proximity to the ball; and formations among other data points. This information is utilized by the Vikings to calculate and analyze vast amounts of information about every player for every repetition in practice throughout the season.

“We are excited to expand our roster of team clients with such an impressive organization like the Minnesota Vikings,” said Joe White, Chief Product & Solutions Officer, Zebra Technologies. “Zebra’s tracking solution will allow the team to analyze practice data in a whole new way. We look forward to seeing this technology translate into on-field success in the upcoming season.”

Zebra is currently in its 10 th year as the Official Real Time Location Solutions Provider for the NFL, fueling the league’s Next Gen Stats platform which allows fans, media and teams to understand the game in a whole new way. The company tracks every NFL game – both domestically and internationally – along with the NFL Combine and International Combine. Since 2014, Zebra has tracked more than 13,000 players across 450,000+ plays.

Beyond football, Zebra provides real-time location insights to leading companies in other industries such as retail, healthcare, manufacturing and transportation and logistics to help them improve their operational efficiencies and real-time decision-making as well as implement new ways of working.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Minnesota Vikings have selected the Zebra MotionWorks™ Sport system to capture player and ball data during practice sessions this season.
This is 10 th season Zebra has worked with the NFL to provide data which fuels Next Gen Stats, transforming the way fans, teams and networks watch, coach, play and analyze the game.
Earlier this year, Zebra announced the extension of its partnership with the NFL through the 2025 football season.
To learn more about Zebra’s work with the NFL, watch this video.

ABOUT ZEBRATECHNOLOGIES

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) helps organizations monitor, anticipate, and accelerate workflows by empowering their frontline and ensuring that everyone and everything is visible, connected and fully optimized. Our award-winning portfolio spans software to innovations in robotics, machine vision, automation and digital decisioning, all backed by a +50-year legacy in scanning, track-and-trace and mobile computing solutions. With an ecosystem of 10,000 partners across more than 100 countries, Zebra’s customers include over 80% of the Fortune 500. Newsweek recently recognized Zebra as one of America’s Most Loved Workplaces and Greatest Workplaces for Diversity, and we are on Fast Company’s list of the Best Workplaces for Innovators. Learn more at www.zebra.com or sign up for news alerts. Follow Zebra’s Your Edge blog, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, and check out our Story Hub: Zebra Perspectives.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230906451144/en/

CONTACT: Media Contact:

Therese Van Ryne

Zebra Technologies

+1-847-370-2317

therese.vanryne@zebra.comIndustry Analyst Contact:

Kasia Fahmy

Zebra Technologies

+1-224-306-8654

k.fahmy@zebra.com

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA ILLINOIS MINNESOTA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SPORTS DATA ANALYTICS FOOTBALL TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE LICENSING (SPORTS)