Everything today has the term smart in front of it nowadays. Smart phones, smart watches, smart cars, smart appliances and the list goes on and on and on. But there has been one thing that has managed to avoid going from dumb to smart and most people have been happy about that. It is the clothing that you wear. That is changing and sports fans may be the biggest beneficiaries as a new smart jersey has been designed.
A Smart Jersey?
During the recent NBA All Star Break League Commissioner Adam Silver hosted the NBA All-Star Technology Summit. Among the new technology that was in the works were facial recognition technology to allow fans easier entry into games, more personalized game experiences and holographic mascots (is this really necessary?). All of that would have been sufficient but another piece of technology sparked interest, a smart jersey.
Many sports fans over the years have dealt with the heartbreak of their favorite player leaving to go to another team either via trade or free agency. Some fans stick with their team, others follow their favorite player to their new team. For many of those fans they choose to support their team or that player by buying a jersey of their favorite team or player and when major change happens those fans are stuck holding a jersey that is no longer accurate.
Could a Smart Jersey Save Fans Money?
Now some fans don’t care about what team a player plays on. These jerseys can be expensive and if they plunked down their hard earned money they are going to wear that jersey until it falls apart. Others will act differently, putting the jersey well into the back of their closet or even something more extreme (see James, LeBron). Now, thanks to the smart jersey, that will not be a problem!
The Smart Jersey Will Not Be Available For Some Time
The smart jersey unveiled was able to change the number and name of the player only. It is not inconceivable that future innovations will allow for a change of color scheme, team name, advertising patches and special jersey patches like for a championship series. Of course with this easily customizable any name can be substituted, even the fan’s!
When the smart jersey is made available sports fans will never need to buy another cloth jersey again. Now they can just program it to their favorite player or team and walk into the arena. They can probably even change it midgame if their player is not playing or is struggling. Lukewarm or fair weather fans can also fit in at any event now as well just as long as they are not asked about the player.
Why Would Someone Want a Smart Jersey?
The benefits for a sports fan can be numerous, from not having to buy a new jersey when your favorite player leaves your team or being able to have any player from any team available to show off your sports fandom. Want to show that you know really your team? Pick out that unsung hero on the team and program your smart jersey. On the road and taking in a game for the heck of it? Fit in with the hometown fans. Tired of buying jerseys for your kids as their favorites inevitably change? Never buy another one again.
For teams they would be able to update a smart jersey with new advertising so new sponsors will be able to have their advertisements available to more people. The NBA was the first major sports league here in the US to do so but that practice has been prevalent around the world in other major sports leagues. It would not be surprising to see MLB, the NFL or the NHL introduce something like this as well with updates made available on the Internet to update advertiser patches. It would also not be inconceivable that a person could download an alternate jersey for special nights as well since many teams feature throwback or special jersey nights (for a small fee of course).
Of course with this it will be only a matter of time until one of them is hacked. Considering the fan wearing the smart jersey will not be able to read it, it is more than probable that much hilarity will ensue and for that fan’s sake they had better not get caught on the jumbotron for the entire arena to get a good laugh in. But rest assured a smart phone will record it so it can be shared with the world. When that happens that fan may think that a good ol’ cloth jersey was still the best option!