How sports broadcasting's worst idea led to its best

There's tech history hiding under every game you watch on TV.
By Emmett Smith  on 
Football player holding a football on the touchdown line
Watch Next

The world around us changes quickly. Sometimes you need to stop, look around, and think, how did we get here? This series examines the history leading up to the major tech innovations we take for granted and the things we may have missed along the way.


Decades of tech history are hidden in plain sight every time you watch a sporting event on TV.

In this installment of How Did We Get Here, we'll walk you through the many ways sports have driven technological developments over the years.


More from How Did We Get Here?

What a century of fighting the flu tells us about the future of COVID-19
By John D'Amico
archival photo of a nurse during the 1918 flu pandemic

The rise of Big Tech monopolies from Microsoft to Google
By PCMag
archival photo of bill gates

Latest Videos

'Smurfs' trailer: Rihanna enters 'her blue era' as Smurfette
Smurfette dances among the Smurfs in the animated movie.




Google Earth's updated satellite images of Gaza show a fractured reality
A split screen shows a two satellite images of Gaza - one from afar, where you can see the Strip's border with Israel (left), and one on the right, zoomed in on an area full of destroyed buildings (right)

Netflix's 'Toxic Town' trailer traces one of the UK's biggest poisoning scandals
Jodie Whittaker stands in a scene from "Toxic Town" as a mother with her son talking to a reporter.

'Jurassic World Rebirth' trailer seeks the dinosaurs 'too dangerous for the original park'
Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johannsson in "Jurassic World Rebirth."


Stephen Colbert says Elon Musk is 'blowing up' the White House 'like a Tesla in Self Driving Mode'
Stephen Colbert speaking.

How 'Dark Match' blends wrestling, horror, and satanic cults
Dark Match Film
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!