The Southeastern Conference announced that the ABS Challenge system will be deployed at the 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament, marking a milestone in collegiate officiating.
A New Layer of Strategic Play
The system, developed by Hawk-Eye Innovations — a subsidiary of Sony — uses a network of high‑resolution cameras to capture the exact trajectory of every pitch and the nuanced motion of bats and players.
Beyond pitch location, the technology records bat speed, attack angle and full biomechanical profiles for both pitchers and hitters, feeding the data into the SEC’s existing replay infrastructure.
Teams will be allotted three challenges at the start of each game; a successful challenge lets them keep the same attempt, while an unsuccessful one costs a challenge.
Synchronized camera angles give officials additional context when reviewing close plays, enhancing the accuracy of decisions on the field.
George Baines, head of baseball at Hawk-Eye Innovations, said the tracking data is “unprecedented in its precision and breadth,” offering coaches and analysts a deeper view of performance.
The rollout builds on a long‑standing partnership between the SEC and Hawk-Eye, which has previously collaborated on video‑review solutions across multiple sports.