After decades spent to make video games feel and look and sound like real football Amazon has gone and brought things full circle. When we say like a video game we are not exaggerating. When the camera is on a wide angle/aerial view the players in the huddle all have graphics that identify each of the offensive players on the field. And when they spring into action all eligible receivers are surrounded by glowing circles and their routs are tracked as though the play is being drawn out in front of you.
On top of the in-game graphics enhancements, the stats that appear along with the game add a great deal to the commentary. Key player stats like yardage leaders or individual stats like target/catches, yards from scrimmage and other wonky numbers and terminology pop up on screen on the bottom and right side of the screen giving viewers more insight as to what is happening on the field.
You would think that it would be a distraction, and for some people, it might be, but for a generation that has learned to watch games with a phone in their hand or a laptop in front of them, the option feels like a solid hybrid approach that allows one to be present in the moment as well as connected to the information that would otherwise take their attention away from what was happening right in front of them. There is even a curated Twitter feed.
The overall effect feels like watching the game not just with enhanced stats but with enhanced intelligence. The viewer can watch and see the kind of info a broadcaster has at their fingertips, see plays develop how a coach does and still listen to a fantastic game call by two of the best in the business.
