Alexa's new skill will offer player and coach audio, key stats and audio from historical playsGETTY IMAGES
Thursday's launch of the "A Rookie’s Guide to the NFL” voice skill for Amazon's Alexa is "only the first phase" of the the league’s larger voice strategy with the e-commerce giant, according to Sarah Perez of TECH CRUNCH. The league's "first standalone voice-enabled app" is "designed to serve as a companion that guides fans through" the postseason. Fans who "enable the skill will have access to more than 1,000 football and NFL-related terms, across areas like the rules, positions, formations, equipment, players and key personnel." This aspect of the skill is "aimed more at getting newcomers up to speed with football jargon." The skill is "able to recall Super Bowl history," and also includes a "five-minute podcast called 'Game Plan' that preps fans for each round of the playoffs and the Super Bowl." The audio program is hosted by former NFLer Osi Umenyiora and "other NFL talent." The game previews will "offer player and coach audio, key stats and audio from a great historical play, among other things." The podcast will "add new episodes every Monday during the postseason through the Super Bowl." The skill itself was "built in-house over the past several months by the NFL’s Digital Lab" (TECHCRUNCH.com, 1/3).
MORE DETAILS: ENGADGET's A.J. Dellinger notes this offering is "more in line with the NFL's previous Alexa offering, NFL in :60, that provides a flash briefing of all the top headlines around the league in 60 seconds." Alexa has also had the "ability to provide scores to NFL games without the need of an additional skill" (ENGADGET.com, 1/4). USA TODAY's Edward Baig noted the "Rookie's Guide" skill "doesn’t go too deep into league stats, records or NFL trivia, though more of that content will likely come." There is "not yet a comparable NFL skill for the Google Assistant, though that could come down the road as well." NFL Media VP/Engineering Dan Hogan called "Rookie's Guide" the league's "most ambitious" skill yet, but acknowledged it is a "bit of a test pilot." The league is also "launching the app overseas to help attract foreign football fans" (USATODAY.com, 1/3).
