Los Angeles Rams Continue Partnership with Zebra Technologies for On-Field Player Tracking

RFID tracking system installed in new SoFi Stadium and Rams’ practice facility captures data to help team evaluate player performance and operate more efficiently

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. – Sept. 17, 2020Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, today announced it is capturing essential data for the Los Angeles Rams to help provide the team with a competitive advantage. Zebra is using its best-in-class RFID technology to track player and ball information for each of the Rams’ practice sessions and games this season, allowing the team to develop better game plans and more strategically evaluate on-field performance.

Zebra’s technology is installed at LA’s new home field, SoFi Stadium, a $5 billion project expected to be an architectural and technological model for the sports and entertainment venues of the future. The Rams will also utilize Zebra’s enterprise technology at SoFi for ticket scanning and managing food and merchandise product inventories.

The Rams are widely recognized across sports as one of the most forward-thinking, data-driven organizations in the NFL, so strategically aligning with Zebra furthers that investment and allows the team to arm its coaches and players with the best available player and ball tracking technology on the market.

“As an organization, we have put an emphasis on having the best analytics minds and tools available, and Zebra Technologies’ tracking system is a vital part of that portfolio of resources,” said Reggie Scott, LA Rams’ Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance. “We look forward to once again putting it into action this season.”

Zebra’s tracking system uses RFID chips – which are embedded inside footballs, applied to players’ shoulder pads and sewn into their practice shirts and compression gear for non-padded practices – to transmit real-time location system (RTLS) data to system receivers positioned around stadiums and at teams’ practice facilities.

The Zebra MotionWorks™ Sport tracking system captures metrics such as player participation, speed including acceleration and deceleration, per play and aggregate distance traveled, orientation and proximity to the ball as well as all other players on the field. The information captured by the Zebra system is then utilized by the Rams to calculate and analyze vast amounts of information about every player for every repetition in practice and every play of a game throughout the course of a season.  

“We are thrilled to continue our work with the Los Angeles Rams as one of our partner teams,” said John Pollard, Vice President of Zebra Sports Business Development, Zebra Technologies. “For us, the Rams are an exciting organization to be working with given its unique emphasis on advanced analytics and innovative use of our tracking technology. We are excited to provide the Rams organization with our services and information to help the team gain a performance edge on the field.”

In this unique time, it will be imperative for LA to manage and oversee contact between staff members, players and equipment during practices and games. Zebra’s RFID-based system provides for less touchpoints as it requires zero direct contact with devices to operate. RFID tracking chips are installed in players’ game and practice equipment at the beginning of the season and then can be left untouched for the rest of the season. The chips can easily be turned on and off with a simple wave of a wand, and the chips installed in players’ jerseys and other practice uniforms are designed to be washed and dried, again minimizing the amount of physical contact with equipment which will help to keep team staff members and players protected over the course of the year.

Last year, Zebra extended its NFL partnership as the Official On-Field Player Tracking Provider. Zebra has worked with the NFL to implement a best-in-class player and ball tracking system and helped launch a new era of football data and analytics known as Next Gen Stats, allowing fans, media and teams to understand the game in a whole new way.

Beyond football, Zebra provides real-time location insights to leading companies in other industries such as retail, healthcare, manufacturing and transportation and logistics to help them improve their operational efficiencies and real-time decision making.

ABOUT ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) empowers the front line in retail/ecommerce, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, healthcare, public sector and other industries to achieve a performance edge. With more than 10,000 partners across 100 countries, Zebra delivers industry-tailored, end-to-end solutions to enable every asset and worker to be visible, connected and fully optimized. The company’s market-leading solutions elevate the shopping experience, track and manage inventory as well as improve supply chain efficiency and patient care. In 2020, Zebra made Forbes Global 2000 list for the second consecutive year and was listed among Fast Company’s Best Companies for Innovators. For more information, visit www.zebra.com or sign up for news alerts. Participate in Zebra’s Your Edge blog, follow the company on LinkedInTwitter and Facebook, and check out our Story Hub: Zebra Perspectives.

Media Contact:

Therese Van Ryne
Zebra Technologies
+1-847-370-2317
therese.vanryne@zebra.com

Industry Analyst Contact:

Kasia Fahmy 
Zebra Technologies 
+1-224-306-8654 
k.fahmy@zebra.com

ZEBRA and the stylized Zebra head are trademarks of Zebra Technologies Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2020 Zebra Technologies Corporation and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.