Atlanta, GA – January 8, 2018 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium: Jalen Hurts (2) and Coach Nick Saban of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship game
(Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)
The college football season ended in style with Alabama’s thrilling win against Georgia in the College Football Playoff championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and there to capture it all were cameras that ESPN placed inside the first-down markers.
ESPN had its first-and-10 marker cams make their debut earlier in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl that saw Alabama win to advance to the championship game, providing viewers a unique vantage point. The technology — with the battery, transmitter, antennas and cabling stuffed inside the markers — was previously tested last month at the Celebration Bowl.
“We were able to install cameras in each of the four markers, and really in particular between the 25 yard lines where the team areas are to have the marker cam that works right in that area, we get to see things that we don’t normally see there,” said Ed Placey, ESPN’s senior coordinating producer.
An Inside look at ESPN cameras/technology used for CFP National Championship from ESPNFrontRow on Vimeo.
And for the championship game, ESPN also had a member of the chain gang using those first-down markers to wear a hat camera to provide yet another angle for viewers.
