How could this button-sized chip change the world of Sports?

Earlier this week, technology company Intel held its keynote speech. They brought in BMX riders, skateboarders, and free-runners alongside its CEO Brian Krzanich and talked about the button-sized chip they were showcasing. The chip is called Curie, and it can be attached to a sports device or an athlete to transmit data about said athlete’s performance.

“With Curie, we believe we created what’s going to change the world of sports,” Krzanich said. “It’s the start of a dramatic revolution in sports.”

Snowboarders, for example, can take this chip and attach it to their snowboards. They can see data about their speed, jump level, jump distance, and the number of spins they do, all in real time. TV broadcasters would be able to display that data on TV for the whole world to see.

ESPN has already partnered with Intel for the upcoming Winter X-Games. The data collected from the runs done there will be displayed for the viewers to see. “We believe we’re on the cusp of a breakthrough in live sports,” Krzanich said.

Imagine if the NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL partner with Intel to use this device on their athletes. Not only could it help players and coaches, but it could also help general managers who are trying to build a team.

Let’s use the NHL for example. Let’s say the NHL puts this device on the player’s stick. This could allow us to know how hard a shot is, how fast the stick moves during a wind-up of a shot, etc etc. If you put it on the top of the skate, you may be able to know how fast he’s going, how sharp his turns are, etc etc. This would allow GMs to know more about the player’s they are acquiring, coaches would know how to adjust their lines to conform to a player’s certain style (hard shooter, fast skater, hard hitter, etc etc), and players could use this data to help them through struggles.

That doesn’t just go for the NHL. Have you ever wondered how hard J.J Watt sacks a quarterback? Or how fast your favorite running back ran? How fast does a base stealer run from first to second on a steal attempt? All of these questions could be answered and more. That’s my take, what’s yours?