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NFL Players To Use Tablet Computers During Games

An anonymous reader writes A $400 million partnership between the NFL and Microsoft that replaces the old method of studying opponents from the sidelines using printed black-and-white photos with tablet computers is just one of the hi-tech upgrades to the NFL this year. From the article: "The referees are also going wireless so they can talk with each other without huddling, and coaches will sport new Bose headsets. But the appearance of Microsoft Surface tablets marks the first time players and coaches can legally use such electronic devices on the field during the game. The tablets will come into play for the first time Sunday night, when the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills play in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio."

71 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. How long before ... by vlad30 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    they are hacked/cracked and the outcome of the game is changed

    --
    Your'e all thinking it, I just said it for you
    1. Re:How long before ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      At the New England Patriots opening game would be my guess.

    2. Re: How long before ... by jrumney · · Score: 2

      It would just be another sponsorship opportunity for them. McAfee "sport" wireless security on Microsoft Surface tablets while you converse on your Bose headsets. IT is the new tobacco.

    3. Re:How long before ... by i+kan+reed · · Score: 1

      Ha, the trick is that they're not changing anything important. These are placement ads.

    4. Re: How long before ... by jmac_the_man · · Score: 1

      The headsets have been a Motorola sponsorship for a while

    5. Re:How long before ... by acoustix · · Score: 1

      How long before fans start jamming the wireless spectrum needed for the tablets to work? Previously it was hard wired.

      And yes, it will probably be at a Patriots game.

      --
      "A plan fiendishly clever in its intricacies"- Homer Simpson
    6. Re:How long before ... by rubycodez · · Score: 1

      Fortunately, in the NFS, as proof against such efforts the outcome of the game is decided long in advance, and implemented using the best referees money can buy

  2. Brandon Marshall by MouseTheLuckyDog · · Score: 1

    Already uses an ipad to keeep videos iof various other wide receivers.
    A local news show reported on it.

    1. Re:Brandon Marshall by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      up until now, however, use of such electronics or computers was not allowed at games.. with the exception of the headsets for communications between sidelines and coaches booth, and actual real photographs taken 'upstairs' then delivered to sidelines.

    2. Re:Brandon Marshall by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      That reminds me. Did you see those mysterious craters in Siberia?

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  3. Re:American football by jonwil · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I will never understand that game, here in Australia sports players dont wear padding and helmets and dont need the coach (or electronic gizmos) to tell them how to play or where to move.

  4. Push vs pull by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Pull: NFL wants something, shops around, buys a product
    Push: Microsoft wants to promote something, shops around, finds someone to 'buy' it (in the sense its called a partnership and the balance of money transfers will result in Microsoft paying out).

    So this $400 million partnership is unlikely to be $400 million, given its a few sideline cameras and a couple of dozen surface tablets. More likely it's a $40 million sponsorship deal for the NFL to promote Microsoft Surface Tablets.

    1. Re:Push vs pull by ruir · · Score: 2

      I wonder how many of them will be using iPads secretly, kinda like in corporations where they have their Windows issued crap-mobile, and the iPhone on the side.

    2. Re:Push vs pull by hibiki_r · · Score: 2

      Many, if not all NFL teams, already issue ipads to players to hold the playbook and film clips: Before you had to hand players tapes every week, and update the playbook, which used to be a big binder where you had to switch pages in and out.

      What they are talking about replaces the binders with pictures of previous plays that you can see quarterbacks check on any TV broadcast. I guess that now that it's digitized, instead of stills, they'll get a video feed from the all-22 camera, and some way for the offensive coordinator, up above, to send bookmarks to the players on the side of the field.

    3. Re:Push vs pull by benjymouse · · Score: 1

      I guess that now that it's digitized, instead of stills, they'll get a video feed from the all-22 camera, and some way for the offensive coordinator, up above, to send bookmarks to the players on the side of the field.

      It was a specific requirement from NFL that the tablets will *only* display stills. The tablets can be used instead of the present fax/photos. They actually have fax machines printing black/white images.

      The NFL prohibits use of open tablets and other forms of technological gadgets at the sideline. The reason they give is that the team with the best *players* and team dynamics should win the game, not the team with the best *technology* (the reason why we don't like doping either: We want the best athlete to win, not the athlete with the best doctor).

      Today the sideline photos are the only images the coaches and players are allowed to use during the match. The new tablets streamlines the delivery of those photos, nothing more.

      The Surface tablets will be locked down with no 3rd party apps, no Internet connection and can only be used to view the same images as is already distributed using the fax devices. Specifically *no video* as that would create an unfair advantage for a team adopting the new tablets over a team which chooses to continue using the fax distribution.

      --
      Reading slashdot one-liner: (irm http://rss.slashdot.org/Slashdot/slashdot).rdf.item | fl title,desc*
  5. Re:American football by jonwil · · Score: 1

    True on the padding, just look at the kind of injuries various Rugby League players are suffering and the pressure to change the rules to prevent such collisions.

  6. NFL and Microsoft, lol? by danknight48 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Next year in NFL:
    - Start is removed. The game starts when a player can run through 20 squares of pointlessness to find the same option.
    - Ball is replaced with a square cube. Showing adverts from Microsoft
    - NFL fans are now forced to upgrade their TV's to support StupidX 12.0. They cant watch it otherwise.

    Oh i so could go on for a long time, but, dinners ready, and, i really couldnt give a shit about either company :)

  7. Re:American football by martin-boundary · · Score: 1

    Let me tell you something, Mate. We Aussies don't do sportsing anymore, we do sporties. 'Cause in Oz, it's all about rooting for your favourite team.

  8. And in Baseball News by tquasar · · Score: 1

    Players now will use the new iGlove and the third base coach will b a Netgear R6250.... Play ball ! Sort of.

  9. Re:American football by pinzvidz · · Score: 3, Funny

    You'll confuse the fuck out of 'em mate, it's "favorite". ;)

  10. Re:American football by DiamondGeezer · · Score: 1

    'Cause in Oz, it's all about rooting for your favourite team

    Most Aussies root because they can and they must.

    --
    Tubby or not tubby. Fat is the question
  11. THIS is the news here...almost by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

    "a reported $400 million, five-year deal. That includes interactive content to help sell Xbox home video game consoles."

    Yes, that's where the money comes into play. 25 tablets over 32 teams does not a $400M deal make, but throw in broadcasting rights and it starts to make sense. Except that it's not really an Xbox thing - you have to buy ST in order to stream through the Xbox. Kind of like HBO Go, except that the only place you can buy ST is DirecTV, so you're still stuck with the satco payment (unless you're in a select market that allows the direct purchase). And, like HBO Go, you can use a whole range of devices - not just Xbox - to stream.

    Unless they're wrong in the article http://www.theverge.com/2014/8... and the deal means a la carte no-sat-req'd subscriptions.

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  12. Re:NFL team near you seeks "techie" by swb · · Score: 1

    I think the major sports leagues are already more sophisticated than you think.

    I read someplace that major league baseball has some kind of video database where you can call up any player and see them hit, field, etc. They're so obsessive about coding the video that they enter fan signs the cameras focus on.

  13. Re:American football by Imsdal · · Score: 2, Funny

    American football combines the worst aspects of American society: committee meetings and violence.

  14. Bury the lede by jamesl · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's really about Xbox. From the linked article ...

    Microsoft is getting some free TV advertising by outfitting the tablets with sky-blue cases clearly labeled "Surface." But Microsoft's main motivation is what the Redmond, Wash., company receives from its partnership with the NFL: a reported $400 million, five-year deal. That includes interactive content to help sell Xbox home video game consoles.

    [ ... ]

    When the regular season starts, Microsoft's Xbox Live network will offer services that include video feeds of game highlights and fantasy football data. Xbox owners will also gain access to NFL Sunday Ticket, the league's package of out-of-market game telecasts that was previously available only to DirecTV satellite service subscribers.

    http://www.sfgate.com/technolo...

    1. Re:Bury the lede by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 1

      Sunday Ticket on Xbox is a big deal. I wonder what they will charge for it.

    2. Re:Bury the lede by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I wonder what they will charge for it.

      Well, I've answered my own question... $200 to $300 bucks, and not only available on XBOX but other games and devices as well. But only to those who "qualify".

  15. Bury the lede by JohnConnor · · Score: 1

    That's funny. I had not read the linked story and up to this point I had assumed that it was Microsoft that was paying $400M. What kind of a deal is that? Microsoft is getting a lot of publicity, telecast rights and video game content with a lot more money that a few thousand tablets should cost. Not to mention that their "market share" will seem to go up with this deal, which I'm sure they're desperate for at the moment.

  16. So people can use technology by rebelwarlock · · Score: 1

    I'm shocked, really. Tablets and wireless communication aren't exactly the pinnacle of human achievement right now. Get back to me when they do something innovative.

    1. Re:So people can use technology by necro81 · · Score: 1

      Tablets and wireless communication aren't exactly the pinnacle of human achievement right now

      You're tellin' me - I still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea.

  17. bad idea by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2, Funny

    NFL Players To Use Tablet Computers During Games

    Won't they get broken with all the shoving and tackling? They better get some good screen protectors.

    But you know who won't be using tablet computers during games? Hockey players. Because hockey players are the goddamn honey badgers of sport. Last year, a hockey player died on the friggin' bench, and they revived him and he went back into the game. Some player for Boston, the big Serb, I think, hooked a guy with his stick, on purpose, from behind right in the nuts and no penalty was called. Hockey players are some no-fuck-giving tough guys, and they won't be using tablet computers any time soon, except maybe to grab one out of a fan's hands to crack it over an opposing player's nose.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:bad idea by Dragonslicer · · Score: 1

      Minor correction: Rich Peverley hasn't played since his heart failure during the game in March. Rumor has it, though, that when he woke up in the hospital, he asked how much time was left in the period and wanted to get back on the ice.

    2. Re:bad idea by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      I also heard he cross-checked a nurse.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  18. Re:But what about open source? by stephanruby · · Score: 3, Funny

    I mean, can Linux do this?

    Pay 400 million dollars for the exposure? I doubt it. It was hard enough to pay for a single ad in the Wall Street Journal.

  19. Re:American football by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    I wonder who will be the first football players caught watching porn.

    Or maybe youtube videos of his teammates beating up their girlfriends.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  20. Wow. by grub · · Score: 3, Funny


    Neat idea, but shouldn't they be concentrating on the game and not playing "Learning my ABCs with Mickey"?

    --
    Trolling is a art,
  21. Re:American football by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    I'm curious, am I supposed to pronounce the superfluous vowels that Australians put in words like "favourite" or "colour"?

    I've tried it and it's kind of fun, but people tend to look at me strange.

    I think I've decided that I don't really believe in silent letters, so from now on, I'm pronouncing everything.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  22. Re:American football by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

    Really, you're pronouncing everything? How does the two "L" in really and the two "T" in letters sound like?

  23. Tabloids will go nuts by ArcadeMan · · Score: 2

    A $400 million partnership between the NFL and Microsoft... coaches will sport new Bose headsets...

    News flash! News flash!

    Microsoft expected to buy Bose in order to counter the Apple-Beats deal!

  24. NHL has used them for years by mwn3d · · Score: 1

    You'll see coaches drawing up plays on them, players watching replays on them, even when they're not using them you can see them tucked away in a pocket on the bench showing the live broadcast. Not sure why the NFL has to be stuck with still pictures. I'm also not sure why the NFL has to use tablets to show those pictures when they could just print the HD color pictures. And doesn't $400M seem like a bit much? Ramble ramble ramble ramble....

    1. Re:NHL has used them for years by s122604 · · Score: 1

      400M is a bit much, but then again it's the NFL which is the most well run sport (in the business sense, ethically notsomuch) in the US and possibly the world.. They have more money than they know what to do with...

  25. Re:NFL team near you seeks "techie" by rmdingler · · Score: 1
    Aw crap!

    The NFL will be laying off the 32 folks like my mom who run the aerial photographs down to the field.

    Gotta run. I can tell by the tone of her footsteps on the stairs she's gonna be on one of those "Get a job" rants.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

  26. Re:American football by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Umm, the mailman?

  27. Re:American football by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    How does the two "L" in really and the two "T" in letters sound like?

    Just like you think it would. It sounds like I have a neurological disorder.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  28. Re:American football by parkinglot777 · · Score: 1

    it's "favorite"

    I guess. If you are an American, the word is spelled that way (or for British English, it would be 'spelt'). If you are talking about British English, he spelled (or spelt) it correctly -- favourite.

  29. Finally!!! by Trailer+Trash · · Score: 2

    Microsoft has sold more than one Surface tablet! This will show up in the annual report next year: "Somebody bought Surface tablets!"

  30. Re:American football by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

    Well, at least I'm an orange.

  31. One more reason to not watch NFL by DaveM753 · · Score: 2

    Could this be the year for Surface on the tablet??

    This is so putrid. During every game this year, viewers are going to see a few scripted moments where a bunch of players/coaches will be standing around with their tablets and the TV commentators will discuss how marvelous/innovative the Surface tablets are. But during the rest of the game, watch closely: along the sidelines you will very rarely see anyone using their tablets

    At some point during the season, a referee will make a controversial ruling after reviewing a replay using a Surface tablet (again, scripted moment).

    But that's okay. I'll be watching not-the-NFL.

    1. Re:One more reason to not watch NFL by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      But during the rest of the game, watch closely: along the sidelines you will very rarely see anyone using their tablets

      Of course you won't, because right now you rarely see images of everyone looking at the photos anyway. But that's what these will be used for. If you are actually at a game, look at the sidelines and you will see an assistant coach by the bench holding a thick 3-ring binder. These binders hold photos taken from the coaches booth near the press box and show the other team in different alignments. With tablets allowed on the sidelines, instead of having someone run off a bunch of photos they can just be pushed to tablets on the sidelines. Depending on NFL rules they may even be able to push recordings as well. Players already spend hours each day watching film, if they could I am sure they would study film during the game as well. Since teams always tweak their game plan depending on the characteristics of their opponent, previous gamefilm can only tell so much.

      And have you ever watched/attended a game and seen a large dry erase board on the sidelines? These are used to draw up or adjust plays on the fly. Generally the offensive or defensive coordinator will call down to an assistant and have them draw up the new play for the players to see. Using tablets the coordinator could draw up the new play himself and simply send it to the tablets the players have on the sideline. This could also allow for animated playback, showing the players how the coordinator wants the play to develop without having to draw more lines than John Madden having a stroke.

      Then there is also the fact that for challenges the referees already use a hooded screen. They aren't going to be standing around in the middle of the field holding a tablet.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    2. Re:One more reason to not watch NFL by mythosaz · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure what games you watch, but I see receives, ends and backs holding a dozen or so faxes stapled into a book after nearly every change of possession.

      Maybe the camera crews on the B-game just like the sidelines more, or maybe you're just watching RedZone, I dunno - but skill players holding those packets of faxes is damned common.

    3. Re:One more reason to not watch NFL by 31415926535897 · · Score: 2

      They will get used a lot. I worked on the sidelines of the Bears one season and was amazed that they could only look at still photos (though if you flip through them, it practically looks like video).

      This is a very natural progression to the game, and something that should have been done long ago. The whole MS/Surface/blah stuff is obviously marketing added on (why not if the nfl can make a buck or get a discount on the devices?). But I guarantee you that players will be glued to these things. Getting real-time film feedback is going to be huge, no matter who provides the technology.

  32. Teams will still use paper by tjhayes · · Score: 2

    Remember that the NFL only permits teams to look at still images, they do not allow video. So even when using the tablet, they can only browse still images on it. The old paper print outs are still available and will be used 99%+ of the time anyway, because you can't see the tablet screen in bright sunlight.

  33. The AFTER market ... by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

    ... is going to be those clipboards the coaches use to obstruct the view of their lips when they talk.

    We don't want people with binoculars zooming in on the tablets, right?

    --
    It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  34. Re:American football by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Whoush.

  35. Football? Do you mean Head-Brick? by Scottingham · · Score: 3, Funny

    I haven't heard of this 'football' sport. I think they're referring to Head-Brick: http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id...

  36. Re: American football by tomhath · · Score: 1

    They should wear helmets.

  37. Re:American football by s122604 · · Score: 1

    Because austrialian rules football isn't anywhere nearly as complicated..., and the start/stop, line of scrimage concept in American football renders it much more dangerous, things like padding and helmets were added because a not so insignificant number of people were dying playing the game (as opposed to just slowly turning their brains to mush, which is apparently more acceptable).
    but other than that, yah you totally have a point

  38. Gloves? by erp_consultant · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Most of the NFL players wear gloves these days (aside from quarterbacks - but some of them use gloves too). Did anyone test if the tablets work when you are wearing gloves? Gloves that might have mud on them? Just sayin'

  39. Re:... and Failure by DaveM753 · · Score: 1

    There's got to be a joke about Palin/Alaska/Freezing/Microsoft in here somewhere...

  40. Re:American football by mythosaz · · Score: 1

    The other side of the argument is that if you put pads and helmets on people, they can hit each other harder.

    The number of superficial injuries drop, but the debilitating injuries rise.

  41. Re:NFL team near you seeks "techie" by mythosaz · · Score: 1

    Your mom is a fax machine? ...because that's how they send down the photos.

  42. Re:American football by Qzukk · · Score: 1

    Just like honey, I assume.

    --
    If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
  43. Outcome; by kaatochacha · · Score: 1

    Many broken surface tablets from frustration.
    Sitting at home, comfortable, I've come perilously close to destroying my windows 8 tablet a few times. The annoyance factor is huge.
    Unless it's an ap with a big "push me for more info" button

  44. someone asked about a shoulder holster for a devic by Trax3001BBS · · Score: 1

    Be it a cell phone or Camera, at first I and others found humor in the question, but the more I think bout it the more sense it makes.

    Case in point, your not going to wear in on your waist during a football game. -My new phone I even asked for a shoulder holster for my new phone as it's large and prone to gravity thefts. Yes they found humor in it as well but I'll be looking for a nice comfortable one in the mean time.

  45. protesting downmods by globaljustin · · Score: 1

    how in the world could someone mod my comment a "troll"???

    this has to be personal but i cant imagine someone taking the time...

    honestly, my above comment may be, in your opinion, stupid...but it's just a genuine comment...I'm stoked for us to get good jobs

    --
    Thank you Dave Raggett
  46. wouldn't these have to be weatherproofed? by pkinetics · · Score: 1

    I'm just pondering a waterproof case and or something to keep them warm in the cold snowy climate games

  47. Re:American football by myth24601 · · Score: 1

    In American Football, you can't tackle anyone, there are rules but generally, you can only tackle the guy who has the ball but blocking is allowed so that leads to lots of hits.

    --
    No matter where you go, there you are.
  48. Re:American football by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

    Uh, no, that's baseball.

  49. Temperature? by jbmartin6 · · Score: 1

    The devices will be locked in a temperature-controlled cart between games to prevent any team from manipulating the information.

    Huh? How is temperature control going to prevent manipulation?

    --
    This posting is provided 'AS IS' without warranty of any kind, implied or otherwise.
  50. Re:NFL team near you seeks "techie" by rmdingler · · Score: 1

    I will concede she occasionally sounds like R2D2 through the cellar door, but that could just be the Red Bull talking.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

  51. Really? by MoarSauce123 · · Score: 1

    First, football is not a sport and the goons on the sidelines with their fat headsets are already looking ridiculous. Now they add tablets to the mix? From what I read the coaches found that the Surface tablets are not working and are useless. My suggestion is to ditch all that tech gear, take the helmet and padding off the players, and then play a real team sport...which would be rugby. Rugby is also much less prone to major injuries and that should allow playing more than the 16 games a season.