Interesting WSJ article on the All-22 Camera View (and why the NFL won't let you see it)

[wiegie]

The Wall Street Journal

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

 

The Footage the NFL Won't Show You

 

Despite Its TV Ubiquity, the League Won't Share "All-22" Footage; Second-Guessing the Coach.

By REED ALBERGOTTI

 

Every play during an NFL game is filmed from multiple angles in high definition. There are cameras hovering over the field, cameras lashed to the goalposts and cameras pointed at the coaches, who have to cover their mouths to call plays.

 

But for all the footage available, and despite the $4 billion or so the NFL makes every year by selling its broadcast rights, there's some footage the league keeps hidden.

 

Every play during an NFL game is filmed from multiple angles in high definition. But there's some footage the league keeps hidden as Reed Albergotti explains on Lunch Break.

 

If you ask the league to see the footage that was taken from on high to show the entire field and what all 22 players did on every play, the response will be emphatic. "NO ONE gets that," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy wrote in an email. This footage, added fellow league spokesman Greg Aiello, "is regarded at this point as proprietary NFL coaching information."

 

For decades, NFL TV broadcasts have relied most heavily on one view: the shot from a sideline camera that follows the progress of the ball. Anyone who wants to analyze the game, however, prefers to see the pulled-back camera angle known as the "All 22."

 

While this shot makes the players look like stick figures, it allows students of the game to see things that are invisible to TV watchers: like what routes the receivers ran, how the defense aligned itself and who made blocks past the line of scrimmage.

 

By distributing this footage only to NFL teams, and rationing it out carefully to its TV partners and on its web site, the NFL has created a paradox. The most-watched sport in the U.S. is also arguably the least understood. "I don't think you can get a full understanding without watching the entirety of the game," says former head coach Bill Parcells. The zoomed-in footage on TV broadcasts, he says, only shows a "fragment" of what happens on the field.

 

For much of the NFL's history, seeing only part of the field wasn't a big problem. Passing wasn't as common, or complex, as it is today.

 

Without watching the All22, analyzing football is impossible, says Bill Parcells

 

The NFL's creative geniuses were focused on the ground game and the lively run-blocking schemes that came with it. But as NFL offenses began passing more and sending more players into passing routes, they began stretching out the area in which plays are executed—making the All-22 footage more valuable. By the 1980s, when San Francisco's Bill Walsh began to perfect his pass-intensive West Coast offense, a scheme that involved moving the ball with quick, methodical throws, more of the game began to disappear beyond the edge of the television screen. Today's offenses, which routinely use four or even the maximum five receivers, have all but outgrown the traditional zoomed-in view.

 

Without the expanded frame, fans often have no idea why many plays turn out the way they do, or if the TV analysts are giving them correct information. On a recent Sunday, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith threw a deep pass to tight end Delanie Walker for a 26-yard touchdown. Daryl Johnston, the Fox color man working the game, said Smith's throw was "placed perfectly" and that Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Corey Lynch was "a little bit late getting there."

 

Greg Cosell, producer of the ESPN program "NFL Matchup," who is one of the few people with access to All-22 footage, said the 49ers had purposely overloaded the right side of the field so each receiver would only be covered by one defender. Lynch, the safety, wasn't late getting there, Cosell says. He was doing his job and covering somebody else. Johnston could not be reached for comment.

 

Frank Hawkins, a former NFL executive during the 1990s who is now a Scalar Media Partners consultant, says he remembers the NFL considering releasing the All 22. The biggest objection, he said, came from the football people.

 

Charley Casserly, a former general manager who was a member of the NFL's competition committee, says he voted against releasing All-22 footage because he worried that if fans had access, it would open players and teams up to a level of criticism far beyond the current hum of talk radio. Casserly believed fans would jump to conclusions after watching one or two games in the All 22, without knowing the full story.

 

"I was concerned about misinformation being spread about players and coaches and their ability to do their job," he said. "It becomes a distraction that you have to deal with." Now an analyst for CBS, Casserly takes an hour-and-a-half train once a week to NFL Films headquarters in Mt. Laurel, N.J. just to watch the All-22 film.

 

Lonnie Marts, a former linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars, says there are thousands of former NFL players who could easily pick apart play-calling and player performance if they had access to this film. "If you knew the game, you'd know that sometimes there's a lot of bonehead plays and bonehead coaching going on out there," he says.

 

After he retired, Marts says he wanted to talk about the Jaguars on a radio show, so he contacted the video guy from the Jaguars—who was a friend—and asked for a couple of game tapes. Marts says he never heard from the guy again.

 

The NFL makes a handful of plays from the All 22 available on its web site for a fee, but they're often so blurry the players' numbers aren't visible. Earlier this month, the league quietly asked fans, through a survey site, whether they would pay up to $100 to watch an online feed of the All 22.

 

News of the survey made its way to NFL message boards and fan sites, where the response among football obsessives was wildly positive. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" said one message-board post. Another said, "The All-22 tape would be amazing. We'd actually be able to see what the safeties are doing."

 

On a Buffalo Bills fan site called "The Buffalo Range," one message-board member said "I've been dying for them to release it for years. Please help me stuff the ballot box."

 

The NFL says the league wasn't actually serious about releasing the footage. The survey was meant only to gauge fan interest, Aiello says. "There's not a product in development," he says. "This is a long way from becoming a reality, if ever."

[keggerz]

The following in your story isn't correct...each team is given their information but that is it...and if memory serves me correct they issue the passwords to just one club personnel...

 

If you ask the league to see the footage that was taken from on high to show the entire field and what all 22 players did on every play, the response will be emphatic. "NO ONE gets that," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy wrote in an email. This footage, added fellow league spokesman Greg Aiello, "is regarded at this point as proprietary NFL coaching information."

 

 

I have been trying to get my hands on player participation stats for like 4-5 years now...this is some of what I found out a while ago ...sucks they have stuff they won't share

 

The following is from the NFLs Game Statistics and Information Systems site:

 

GSIS Player Participation

 

Overview

 

The GSIS Player Participation application consists of two digital still cameras positioned in a high location in each end zone. These cameras will be manned by operators who will take several digital photographs before the start of each play. These digital photographs will be used to identify the players on the field for each play and record them into the GSIS Player Participation application. After all of the information has been recorded for a game, the information will be uploaded to the League office where, for competitive reasons, it will remain highly secure from other clubs. Reports will be provided for each club to see its own participation information for each game.

Introduction

This guide describes the procedures that you will need to successfully set up, test, and run the GSIS Player Participation cameras and software.

Audience

This guide is intended for use by the stadium technicians and the Player Participation operators.

Typographical Conventions

This guide uses the following typographical conventions.

Keystrokes Keys that you press are set in bold type and enclosed in angle (<>) brackets. For example: Press <Enter>.

Chapter and Section References Chapter and section names are set in italic type. For example: Please refer to Setting the IP Address in Chapter 3, Initial System Configuration.

Menus, Menu Commands, and Command Buttons Menus, menu commands, and command buttons are set in bold type. For example: Click Next. Select Login User… from the File menu.

Notes Information that further clarifies a procedure or concept is preceded by the  symbol, and set in italic type. For example:  This prompt will not appear on the laptops set up as PRHome and PRVisit.

What’s New for this Season?

Any changes to this document that are new for this season are highlighted in yellow.

About this Guide What You Should Know

GSIS Player Participation Guide ix

Rev. 7/27/2007

Organization

This guide contains the following chapters: Chapter 1: Game Day Equipment Chapter 1 includes a list of all the equipment required for game day operation of the player participation system. Chapter 2: Game Day Procedures of Camera Operator Chapter 2 includes the procedures that need to be performed by the end zone camera operators during game day. Chapter 3: Game Day Procedures of Coordinator Chapter 2 includes the procedures that need to be performed by the coordinator during game day. Chapter 4: Troubleshooting Chapter 4 includes all troubleshooting procedures. Appendix A: Camera Settings – Canon EOS Digital Rebel and Rebel XT Appendix A contains configuration settings for the Canon EOS Digital Rebel and Rebel XT still cameras. Appendix B: Gameday Forms Appendix B contains a gameday checklist, football field charting tool, and the Jersey fonts of all 32 NFL teams.

Terms Used in this Guide

Distribution Center (DC)

The DC maintains a database of all game information. All stats generated during a game are sent to the DC in real time. There are two DCs in use for GSIS. The main DC is located at the NFL League office in New York City. The backup DC is located at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.

Primary

The laptop that is assigned the role of Primary is the laptop that contains all of the photographs and the database that stores the game information.

Secondary

Secondary laptops include all laptops other than the Primary laptop. These laptops cannot work without a primary being assigned in the stadium.

 

2004 was when they first started charting player participation

 

TO: Presidents and General Managers

CC: Video Directors, IT Directors

FROM: Management Council

DATE: June 30, 2005

SUBJECT: Player Participation (Playtime) Pilot Project

Last year, twenty-one Clubs participated in a highly successful pilot of the new Player Participation system.

This pilot effort enabled us to refine software, equipment and procedures to provide an effective and proven

method for 100% accurate participation data.

We are extending the pilot operation to provide a second season of parallel processing for the playtime data

transmitted to Management Council and used to value Player Contracts and accurately calculate

Performance Based Pay. This year’s pilot will include the Clubs that used the system last year plus any Club

not in last year’s pilot that is ready to join in the development of the new playtime process.

This project will provide a wide range of benefits to the NFL and the Clubs, including:

• More efficient, less time-consuming mechanism to produce and transmit playtime reports

• Consistent methodology to calculate playtime across all thirty-two Clubs

• Participation reports available for each Club by 6 AM following each game (Reports will contain player

participation data only for players on the Club’s roster for that game)

• Access to a secure website to review photographs of the games in which your Club played

Information regarding the program was presented at the Labor Seminar in December, to the Public Relations

Directors at the Business Summit, at the Video Directors’ Conference in February and the Advisory

Committee on Technology in May. Another year of review is necessary to determine its cost/benefit

relationship and opportunities in other areas of the workplace.

How does the Player Participation process work?

The Player Participation process uses digital still photography to acquire high resolution images of all

players on-field. A digital still camera and tripod is placed in a high location in each end zone and manned by

an operator. An indoor workspace located in close proximity to the stats booth is needed for two people

during the game and four people after the game. This workspace location does not require a view of the field.

This program will identify each player in each play and provide an archive of player participation.

What additional information will be provided by the Player Participation project?

Currently, the information supplied weekly by the clubs only includes the number of plays in which a player

participates, not which players are in any particular play. The player participation program however,

accurately identifies all 22 players in every play of a game. The expanded information collected in the Player

Participation program will be used by the Management Council to accurately value contracts and performance

based pay. Information regarding player participation is not shared among Clubs. Each Club will have access

to participation information for players on their roster at the time of each game. Only Management Council

has access to the full complement of participation data as they do for the existing playtime process.

What security measures are taken by the NFL to protect Player Participation information?

NFLMC Page 2 7/27/2005

All player participation information is fully encrypted using an industry-standard 128 - bit encryption process

that cannot be breached. Participation information on the recording equipment (laptop computers) at each

stadium is encrypted as the data is captured. The encrypted data is transmitted to the League office where it

remains inaccessible. To receive your Club’s player participation information or to access photographs of

your games you must supply a security code and possess a unique digital certificate that is authenticated by

the security system at the League office. Only one person at each Club has the security code, and each

security code is different.

What is required at each club to assist in the new Player Participation process?

If your Club did not participate in the pilot last season then we ask your assistance in identifying an individual

at your club who will be responsible for hiring and overseeing four local game day operators, safely storing

the equipment, identifying camera and working locations, and working with the League Office to administer

this project. We suggest this person be from your Football Operations, Public Relations, Video Directors or

Information Technology department.

What are the Player Participation project operators at the club responsible for?

A document with the job description of the operators is attached. It would be helpful if the contact person is

assigned by July 10th. Further instructions and project details will then be provided. All Player Participation

project operators report directly to the Club representative identified as responsible for the Player Participation

project.

Who will pay for this project?

The League office will be responsible for paying the operators and supplying the equipment.

When will the Player Participation project actually start?

For the 2005 season, this program will continue to run in parallel with the existing system. All Clubs in last

season’s pilot may begin operations during the pre season. A refresher training schedule will be established

with you shortly. For new teams coming into the pilot, we plan to deploy the system in a phased approach by

adding approximately 2 clubs each week over the course of the regular season. NFL employees will visit your

stadium to provide training and support the first time your club uses the new system.

We expect the program to be fully operational for the 2006 season, thereby eliminating the need for clubs to

record player playtime beyond this year.

Next Steps

In the next few days, members of the NFL Information Technology staff will personally contact each Club in

preparation for preseason operation and deployment to new Clubs joining the pilot. They will work with you to

schedule onsite system training. NFL IT will also release the 2005 Preseason Player Participation Newsletter

outlining the latest developments in the system and best practices for operation of this year’s pilot.

Final Note

All Playtime information will continue to be held by the Management Council until the end of the playing

season. At that time, playtime will be released to the Clubs in the usual way.

Please contact Peter Ruocco or Joe Manto at the League Office if you have any questions.

Thank you for your assistance as we implement this new project.

 

Player Participation Sensitivity of Data

The NFL Competition Committee has expressed concerns regarding the sensitive nature of the Player Participation information and does not want Participation information of any club shared with any other club.

The NFL has taken many measures to protect this information from being retrieved and used by any club other than the club in which the data represents. To that end, the following safeguards have been put in place:

1. Stadium Database - The Player Participation application that is used to capture the player information on game day has been secured. The database that contains the information is encrypted in such a way that would make it virtually impossible for anyone to gain access.

2. Reports - All reports within the Player Participation application have been designed to never report all participation information about any player. For example, the “Data Verification Report” shows only those players whose play count in Offense, Defense or Special teams is 3 or less. Play counts greater than 3 are never shown. This ensures that any reports printed in the press box are incomplete and do not provide useful information to anyone.

3. Upload - As the data is uploaded to the NFL only strongly encrypted data is sent over the wire and stored on disk.

4. Club Download - When clubs retrieve their own Player Participation data from the Management Council website, the data will be downloaded in a strongly encrypted file with a separate encryption key value assigned to each club. This encryption key will be given to one person at each club.

5. Decryption - A program will be made available to decrypt the file. Only the person holding the encryption key for the club will be able to decrypt the data contained in the file.

6. Data - The data contained in the file will only contain Participation information for the club.

Rev: 9/14/2004

Edited November 5, 2011 by keggerz

[tazinib1]

Great read. I had often wondered why we didn't see more of the All-22 view. With the advent of cell phone technology, its amazing that more nose bleed footage isn't available.

 

Good read

[Clubfoothead]

Interesting.

[stevegrab]

I was watching the NFC Playbook program on NFLN earlier today and it looked like they were using footage like that, a 3/4 overhead view that showed a larger portion of the field and all 22 players. I wonder if that was the All-22 view, and if they have better access to the footage as an arm of the NFL (more so than say ESPN, or other TV partners).

 

Good read.

[bpwallace49]

Which is also why I continue to shell out cash to see a lot of games in person every year. Full field can't be matched by the tv angles

[Brentastic]

Which is also why I continue to shell out cash to see a lot of games in person every year. Full field can't be matched by the tv angles

I've probably been to 10 or so Bear games and have sat virtually everywhere you can imagine. I still maintain my favorite seat is behind the end zone at the 2nd level. Perfect coach cam seat at soldier. Off top of my head I wanna say section 221.

[Chavez]

Interesting that they WON'T do this because they want people to NOT be criticized.

 

 

Personally, I think anyone willing to fork over a c-note for this probably can tell the difference between a late coverage and a blown coverage. Jim Mora's quote of "you don't know, and you never will" hits here, and the thing is without this sort of stuff, no, we never will know.

[buddahj]

Good read.

[keggerz]

I was watching the NFC Playbook program on NFLN earlier today and it looked like they were using footage like that, a 3/4 overhead view that showed a larger portion of the field and all 22 players. I wonder if that was the All-22 view, and if they have better access to the footage as an arm of the NFL (more so than say ESPN, or other TV partners).

 

Good read.

I really like the AFC and NFC Playbook program that NFLN runs...been watching it since they started it..the coaches tape/All-22 view or whatever you want to call it is what makes the show, not the hosts

 

We need more of this: Film Room: Matt Forte

Edited November 5, 2011 by keggerz

[lawofmurphy]

Would absolutely love the All22 view. I think it's silly to use the argument "criticism would increase." It doesn't seem to me that criticism can get much more vitriolic. If anything, as the Walker TD example illustrates, it would LESSEN the criticism. Or maybe the problem is that it would change WHO gets criticized. Like...maybe ownership would rather have players criticized than coaches.

 

I think that Casserly guy is a dick, though.

 

Oh well, good stuff.