The weather at Super Bowl XLVIII might be a larger story than the game itself. Odds are good that this year's game will be cold and windy. FOX has elected to focus on the second part of that equation, introducing FOX WEATHER TRAX to highlight the swirling winds inside of MetLife Stadium.
FOX brought in a company called Autodesk to demonstrate how the wind might influence plays during the Super Bowl. Autodesk's simulation technology can be adjusted throughout the game to show what conditions are like down on the field even if the wind changes directions.
Here's how it looks:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Myz_Eh154ws?rel=0
Lots of swirly orange and yellow things. Normally we'd have to rely on the flags around the stadium to tell us what the wind is like, but now we'll be able to watch orange and yellow blobs dart around.
Despite the fact the video looks like a cartoon is taking over the stadium, Fox is pretty excited.
Zac Fields, Vice President, Graphics & Technology, FOX Sports:
"Wind is obviously an invisible factor that can directly affect the outcome of a game. Since the wind has a notorious reputation in the New Jersey Meadowlands, and given the magnitude of the game, we looked for and found a great tool to depict this phenomenon in excellent detail which should help the more than 100 million viewers actually 'see the wind."
What do you think? Is this a feature you're actually interested in seeing during the broadcast or do you think it doesn't really serve a purpose? We think it's a pretty cool idea, but we're betting it'll be a failed experiment after FOX crams footage of the "wind" in at every possible stoppage.
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