Last week, the club signed a five-year kit deal with
American sports clothing manufacturer Under Armour, and the company
has confirmed that it is planning to include its “E39” technology
in the shirts.
It is comprised of sensors that send second-by-second updates on
everything from a player’s heart rate to core body temperature,
breathing rate and acceleration.
Smartphones and laptops receive the data so that coaching staff
can monitor players’ fitness and performance during training and
matches.
The Baltimore-based company, which is understood to have signed
a deal with Tottenham Hotspur
worth £10 million a season, also wants to share the information
with broadcasters. That would give fans unprecedented access to
players’ athletic performance and even state of mind during key
moments in a match.
Mark Dowley, Under Armour’s executive vice president, said: “We
can metrically tell you what is happening to the body of somebody
kicking a penalty in front of 60,000 people.
“You can watch his heart rate as he waits to take the kick. For
the first time you can see inside an athlete as they perform. It
adds to the drama.”
He added: “You could also tell who the best conditioned athlete
is on the pitch and over the season, and when to pull a player out
because he’s worn out.”
Dowley said he believed that more Premier League teams will be
interested in the technology once they see Tottenham employing
it.
However, the Premier League would be unlikely to allow the
technology to be shared with broadcasters unless it was available
to all 20 clubs in the division — something that would probably
depend on Under Armour reaching a commercial agreement with the
league itself.
The kit would also require regulatory clearance from Fifa, which
could mean it is initially limited to training applications at
Tottenham.
The technology was developed by Under Armour in partnership with
American data software company Zephyr, which produces similar
applications for the US military.
Under Armour launched the E39 shirt in Indianapolis at the NFL
Scouting Combine last month, a week-long televised showcase of the
best emerging American football talent, which saw it successfully
share player data with broadcasters.
The company believes E39 could be used successfully in almost
any televised sport. It is planning to sell a retail version of the
kit.
