But the real draw is the play-calling. On offense, fans can choose between a few play options, with the results transmitted to the head coach, then to players on the field. Fans don’t even need to be in the stadium to vote—though because of the need for snap decisions, defensive plays are called traditionally.
As Slate’s Seth Stevenson runs down in depth, the Screaming Eagles’ experiment opens up a spectacular array of both options and questions. Football, perhaps more than other sports, thrives on fan debate over strategy (there’s a reason it’s called “armchair quarterbacking” and not “armchair point guarding”). Now fans will have the chance not just to vote, but to drum up fellow fans’ support for their own tactics, creating a complex game-behind-the-game.
Teams could, Stevenson speculates, capitalize on that by letting fans pay fees for their votes to count more, or even to call particular plays solo.
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