Latest news with #KimberlyFields
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NFL Preps First-Down Tech for 2025, Chain Gang Sidelined
The NFL expects to adopt automated measurement of potential first-down calls in 2025, league officials told reporters on Wednesday, but fans will still have plenty of chances to get irrationally upset with human refs. While cameras will replace the chain gang in determining whether the first down line-to-gain was reached—a major tech development for the league—live game officials will continue to spot the football between plays. The physical chains will remain on NFL sidelines in 2025, both as a backup in case of tech failure and as a persistent aid for players and coaches. According to CBS Sports, competition committee sign-off is required for the new policy to go into effect. More from NFLPA Report Cards: Josh Harris' Commanders Leap From Last to 11th Fanatics 'Hype Drop' Strategy Is Scoring First-Time Customers City of Cleveland Asks for Dismissal of Browns Stadium Lawsuit The NFL tested Sony Hawk-Eye technology during the 2024 preseason, though some complained about the time required for certain checks. According to NFL data, the automated process takes an average of 30 seconds, compared to 75 seconds for the existing manual process. The league said an average of 12 old-school measurements were made during each week of the regular season. 'Our general philosophy around any innovation is it really has to improve upon the process that we currently have,' NFL SVP of football business and innovation strategy Kimberly Fields said in an interview in August. '[Otherwise], we're not going to roll it out or test it.' Replay technicians in the NFL's review center will train with the system during the upcoming UFL season, while broadcasters and stadium presenters will have the NFL preseason to adjust to the new flow. Hawk-Eye technology is already used by others, including major tennis tournaments and the NBA. In tennis, Hawk-Eye boasts an average accuracy within a couple millimeters, though that hasn't totally prevented controversy. The tool is currently being tested for use in MLB strike zone reviews. The NFL system relies on six cameras with 8k resolution installed in each stadium. NFL play still presents myriad challenges to a potentially fully automated ball-spotting system. While NFL game balls include position-tracking microchips, identifying the correct spot requires a combination of recognizing when a player is down, the orientation of the prolate spheroid at that point, and so on. 'There are a combination of factors there, but I do think that technology will exist sometime in the future,' NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said during his annual pre-Super Bowl press conference, when asked about automated first-down calls. 'We're continuing a lot with our partners. It's how to advance that as quickly as possible so we can get to that place.' Best of MLS Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From LAFC to CF Montréal Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025? Who Is Josh Harris, the Washington Commanders' Owner?
NBC Sports
26-02-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
NFL plans to use state-of-the-art technology for measurements in 2025
The NFL will use technology for virtual line-to-gain measurements next season, but officials will continue to spot the ball. 'The goal is for it to come online in 2025,' Kimberly Fields, the NFL's senior vice president of football operations, said Wednesday. The chain gang will remain as a backup. The league tested Sony's Hawk-Eye tracking services in the 2024 preseason and in the background during the 2024 regular season. The optimal tracking system notifies officials instantly if a first down was reached. The technology does not track the ball, with officials still needing to spot it, but replay assist will confirm accuracy of that placement. Since the technology requires additional cameras in every stadium, there will be more — and better — replay angles of forward progress. Six cameras will be used for the virtual line-to-gain technology, along with 12 boundary-line cameras and 14 Hawk-Eye's SkeleTRACK cameras that monitor more than two-dozen skeletal points on a player's body. All 30 NFL stadiums, and the international stadiums where the league plays, will be equipped with a total of 32 cameras. This spring, the league will continue to test and train during UFL games played in Detroit's Ford Field. 'We used this in the background last season,' Fields said. 'The goal for 2025 is to continue to train our techs, who are the ones who will be utilizing the technology, finalizing all of our officiating processes and procedures around virtual measurements and testing the graphics for the broadcast and in-stadium, so fans in the stadium and fans watching on television can see what we're doing. The chain crew will see be there as backup.' The league saw a reduction in the time it took for a measurement from the average 75 seconds it takes for a chain measurement to 30 seconds in the virtual line-to-gain technology testing. The technology may or may not have overturned Josh Allen's fourth-down quarterback sneak that was ruled short of the line to gain in the fourth quarter of the Bills' 32-29 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Under the new system, officials still will spot the ball, but the additional high-tech cameras might have provided evidence that Allen reached the line to gain, if he indeed did.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ATI Inc (ATI) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue Growth and Strategic Advancements
Revenue (Q4 2024): $1.2 billion, up 12% sequentially. Full Year Revenue (2024): Nearly $4.4 billion, up 5% year-over-year. Adjusted EBITDA (Q4 2024): $210 million, above the guided range of $181 million to $191 million. Adjusted EBITDA (Full Year 2024): $729 million. EBITDA Margins (2024): Almost 17%. Free Cash Flow (2024): $248 million, up more than 50% over last year. Defense Revenue (2024): Up 22% to $490 million. Aerospace and Defense Revenue (Q4 2024): Exceeded 65% of total revenue. Jet Engine Revenue (2024): Up 9% year-over-year. Capital Investment (2024): $239 million. Share Repurchases (2024): $260 million, representing 105% of 2024 free cash flow. Net Debt Ratio (Q4 2024): Improved from 2.2 to 1.6 times. 2025 Adjusted EBITDA Guidance: $800 million to $840 million. 2025 Free Cash Flow Guidance: $240 million to $360 million. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Sign with ATI. Release Date: February 04, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. ATI Inc (NYSE:ATI) reported a 12% sequential increase in revenue for Q4 2024, reaching $1.2 billion. Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 was $210 million, surpassing the guided range of $181 million to $191 million. Free cash flow for 2024 was $248 million, marking a more than 50% increase over the previous year. The aerospace and defense segments contributed over 65% of Q4 revenue, indicating strong performance in these growing markets. ATI Inc (NYSE:ATI) announced $4 billion in new sales commitments, primarily tied to differentiated nickel products, indicating strong future demand. Q4 revenue mix was weaker than anticipated due to short-term shifts in customer requirements. HPMC segment margins declined by 230 basis points sequentially due to charges related to customer negotiations and adjustments to incentive compensation. The company faced operational challenges in Q3, including issues with nickel-zinc melt and hurricane impacts, affecting production and shipments. There is potential risk from tariffs on materials sourced from Canada and China, which could impact costs and supply chain dynamics. The guidance for 2025 assumes no work stoppages, but ongoing union contract negotiations could pose a risk if not resolved amicably. Q: Can you discuss the progression of EBITDA throughout 2025, given the guidance for Q1? A: Don Newman, Executive Vice President and CFO, explained that Q1 reflects seasonal factors and non-repeating items. He expects Q2 EBITDA to be in the low $200 million range, with Q3 and Q4 seeing recovery, reaching $210 million to $220 million-plus, driven by improvements in various areas. Q: How are potential tariffs with Canada affecting ATI, especially regarding nickel supply? A: Kimberly Fields, President and CEO, stated that ATI is well-positioned with diversified nickel sources, with less than 25% coming from Canada. They have mechanisms in place to pass through any cost increases due to tariffs. Q: What are the expectations for growth in the engine segment, particularly in HPMC, and how will it affect margins? A: Fields noted that engine growth is expected to continue, driven by materials and forgings, especially in MRO. Newman added that HPMC margins are expected to increase from 20%-21% in Q1 to over 23% by year-end, with a long-term target of over 25%. Q: Can you provide context around customer concessions and whether they indicate pricing pressure? A: Newman clarified that these are not concessions but part of ongoing contract negotiations. The adjustments are intended to improve ATI's long-term position, and such charges are not expected to recur. Q: How are union contract negotiations progressing, and is there a risk of work stoppage? A: Fields reported that negotiations are constructive and ongoing, with no anticipated work stoppage. The aim is to reach an agreement that rewards employees while maintaining competitiveness. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
Boston Globe
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
NFL officials spotting the football isn't going away despite several technological advances
The key word is after. This technology replaces the chain measurement. The NFL has long used two bright orange sticks and a chain — the chain gang — to measure for first downs. That method would remain in a backup capacity. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'What this technology cannot do is take the place of the human element in determining where forward progress ends,' NFL executive Kimberly Fields told The Associated Press on Friday. 'There will always be a human official spotting the ball. Once the ball is spotted, then the line-to-gain technology actually does the measurement itself. So I think it's probably been a point of confusion around what the technology can and can't do. There will always be a human element because of the forward progress conversation.' Advertisement Fields said an average of 12 measurements took place each week during the regular season. The new technology would've dropped the time spent to measure from 75 seconds to 35 seconds. NFL executive Kimberly Fields said there were an average of 12 measurements for a first down each week during the regular season. Greg M. Cooper/Associated Press NFL balls have been equipped with Zebra microchips since 2017, powering the NFL's Next Gen Stats data product. The league also began using boundary line cameras in Week 5 to assist with replay reviews. The cameras were installed in each of the 30 stadiums along the end line, goal line and sideline. Usage was limited to scores, plays with under two minutes remaining, and turnovers. Advertisement Boundary cameras have assisted replay reviews since Week 5. Adrian Kraus/Associated Press Discussion for expanding its use to coaches' challenges and replay assist is ongoing and would have to be approved by the Competition Committee. Fields said the league also experimented with providing back judges smart watches to assist with objective information so they can make decisions faster, specifically as it relates to the play clock. 'We want to make the game efficient and more accurate,' Fields said. 'The things that we do around technology, if it's not going to make the process better, if it's not going to assist our officials, then we shouldn't be doing it. Everything that we do is going through a rigorous testing process to make sure we are making things easier and more efficient.'
