ARLINGTON, TX – February 13, 2023 – The XFL today announced Bolt6, an innovative sports software developer, as its Official Instant Replay Partner. Bolt6’s industry-leading technology will capture all the game-day angles and make them centrally available thanks to its new collaborative and infinitely scalable replay platform, making the XFL the first American football league to utilize a fully cloud-based replay system.
Bolt6 will be used by departments across the League – including football operations, officiating, health and safety, and broadcasting – to leverage its real-time video capture to make key decisions on the sidelines and in the booth. Video feeds from all broadcast and specialist cameras are encoded and sent into Bolt6’s cloud-based platform, which is then aggregated and disseminated to on-field officials, coaches on the sidelines and the XFL Command Center, virtually capturing a 360° video for instant play review. Bolt6’s technology will enable collaboration across the League and allow the XFL to better support its athletes’ training and development through easily accessible and readily available video playback.
“With Bolt6, we are completely revolutionizing how we store, view, and utilize video content and replay, unlocking a new chapter of innovation for not only our League but for the entire sport,” said Russ Brandon, XFL President. “Having universal access to instantly replay footage opens new opportunities to educate our organization for key decision-making and elevate gameplay while bringing unique content to our fans. Beyond the impressive technology, Bolt6 shares our dedication to enhancing the game of football. This is an extremely important partnership for the League as it reinforces our ongoing commitment to embracing innovation to advance the future of football.”
Bolt6 is an integral component of the XFL Command Center, allowing Dean Blandino, Vice President of Officiating and Rules Innovation, to be fully integrated into gameday broadcasts and offer fans a glimpse into how key officiating decisions are made. All video streams from Disney/ESPN’s broadcast will be directly and automatically uploaded to the cloud-based system. Additionally, Bolt6 eliminates the need for in-market servers and expansive infrastructure, making the XFL’s technology stack even more efficient.
Scott Harniman, Senior Vice President, Technology for the XFL, added, “Bolt6 is a key innovation that has streamlined how the XFL transmits and distributes camera feeds from our venues. It allows Dean to act as head official for every game and take fans directly into the replay decision-making process. Medical teams can now work in real-time and collaboratively for injury spotting by sharing and tagging video clips, while our coaching staffs can view real-time video on sidelines and in the booth for quicker in-game adjustments. This is technology that can help advance the game of football and bring fans closer to the action.”
James Japhet, Bolt6’s CCO added, “We are thrilled to be playing a part in the XFL’s innovative approach, both in the way the game is officiated and by giving the tools to better support the medical teams and coaching staff. The Bolt6 platform will open up new possibilities for all of the XFL’s stakeholders, and we are excited to continue pushing the boundaries within sport, particularly football.”
[to come] Bolt6 is a technology company founded in 2021. It is building truly groundbreaking video and data generation platforms to elevate the way sport is played and enjoyed.
