While the football teams winning the Super Bowl tend to change year to year, technology always scores big as improvements in electronics and software continue to improve the viewer experience, whether at the stadium or in your living room.

The 2023 Super Bowl is rapidly approaching, and at 6:30 pm Eastern time Sunday evening all eyes will become glued to video devices worldwide to watch the highly anticipated game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.

This year’s wager line is a narrow one, so it is anyone’s guess at this point which team comes out on top. But one winner is certain, not only this year but every year: technology will play an even bigger role in the viewer experience, whether one is live at the game or watching from home, sports bar, or even the TV section at Best Buy.

Advances in electronics over the years have given viewers new ways to experience the Super Bowl, ranging from hundreds of cameras on the playing field to examine every possible angle of a play, to elaborate electronics keyboards that show replays to the delight (or irritant) of fans, to elaborate multimedia half-time shows with flashing lights, pyrotechnics, and surround sound, to apps that enable viewers to get up-to-date scores and bet on games. These are a far cry from the first Super Bowl back in 1967, which pretty much just happened to be the final game of a long season.

Over the years, technology has also made the Super Bowl, as well as the NFL season, a better, safer experience for the players participating in it as well. There have been myriad improvements in uniforms, footwear, and most importantly, the helmet technology as players need to deal with potential concussions from multiple, often violent collisions. Also, medical technology has improved by leaps and bounds, making it possible to handle minor injuries and diagnose potentially more major ones on site. It was the quick onsite deployment of a defibrillator that potentially saved the life of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin during an NFL game on January 2.

The Super Bowl is a huge revenue maker. Host cities spend huge sums of money preparing to host the event. This year is no exception. Super Bowl 57 is being held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, which is home to the Arizona Cardinals. Millions of dollars have been spent on updating the facility.

Because the Super Bowl is considered the ultimate fan experience, the gallery lists some of the technology updates at this year’s Super Bowl, as well as the other key technologies that make the Super Bowl an annual high-tech spectator sports experience.