Microsoft paid a huge sum of money to the NFL this season to get sideline coaches and players using its Surface tablet rather than the old black and white photos to analyze plays. As it turns out, Microsoft has had to do some coaching of its own to remind sportscasters that the device is not an iPad.
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Business Insider reported earlier this year that NFL announcers were having trouble mentioning the Surface by name, referring to it as an iPad and an "iPad-like tool"--not what Microsoft wants to hear after spending $400 million on the deal. Recently, BI spoke to a Microsoft spokesperson who confirmed that the company has educated broadcasters on the product.
"It's true, we have coached up a select few," a Microsoft spokesperson told Business Insider. "That coaching will continue to ensure our partners are well equipped to discuss Surface when the camera pans to players using the device during games."
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As the Vine below demonstrates, the announcers seem to have caught on better than before. Players--particularly the QB--and coaches have traditionally looked through Polaroids taken before and after the snap and run to the sideline to analyze formations and plays. The Surfaces are quicker, can be drawn on, and the photos come in color--but as the video shows, not everyone wants to abandon the old-school method. The tablets are provided on every sidelines regardless of whether or not the teams intend to use them.
