The NFL's return to instant replay could give an obscure Canadian company plenty of exposure after the league selected Leitch Technology Corp.'s newfangled computer system to guard against bad calls.
From 1986 to 1991, the NFL relied on videotape recorders to review controversial plays, but the system proved unreliable and cumbersome, causing the league to abandon instant replay.
Now, the league has adopted a revised plan that allows teams to use two "challenges" per game in all but the final two minutes of each half.
To ensure accuracy and improve speed, the league asked dozens of companies to submit proposals and eventually chose Toronto-based Leitch for a system that uses high speed digital recording to instantly record every play and television network replay.
"Returning to instant replay demanded a system that lets us retrieve each play and all network replays instantaneously and in random order without waiting for videotapes to rewind," said Dennis Lewin, NFL senior vice president of broadcasting.
The league has bought 31 Leitch systems for use at all NFL stadiums, and all plays will be reviewed just in case there is a coach's challenge. "Every official, both on the field and in the booth, will be involved in every minute of the game," said Jerry Seeman, NFL senior director of officiating.
Last year, there were 35,000 plays run during the season, resulting in 33 calls that could have been overturned, Seeman said. But that wasn't good enough for the NFL officials who went looking for new technologies.
"We designed this system specifically to allow sports officials to review plays — even before the play is completed — with speed and ease that only Leitch's shared stored servers can provide," said Leitch program manager Charlie Bernstein.
Neither the NFL or Leitch would disclose how much the league paid for the 31 systems. Leitch is planning to make the most of its NFL deal by posting its logo on the monitors whenever the network cameras turn to the replay booth or to the sideline monitors for a replay challenge.
