Sideline Viewing System
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Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 is coming to the NFL sidelines
With NFL teams set to kick off their pre-season next week, Microsoft today announced that the Surface Pro 2 won't be used during games anymore. Instead, the upcoming 2015-2016 season will see its Sideline Viewing System, which lets players and coaches review game photos instantly, be powered by Surface Pro 3s for the first time. But that's not the only change being made. Microsoft and the NFL are also going to start testing video as part of the Sideline Viewing System, including replays of questionable calls that referees can watch via the custom-made device. Even though this is only going to be a test run (over 20 pre-season games), it will be a significant move if it ends up being implemented in the regular season. Microsoft's laptop/tablet hybrid has already replaced the traditional paper method for most teams, and it could do the same with monitors on the field -- the current way of watching replays by officials.
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson on Surface Pro, how he was once an Apple guy
No, those bright blue, ruggedized devices being used on NFL sidelines aren't iPads. They're Surface Pro 2s. And while they may look like Apple's renowned tablet from afar, at least to some NFL commentators, Microsoft's been trying to help players and coaches get more familiar with the Sideline Viewing System since the league implemented it earlier this year. Naturally, this includes Russell Wilson, the starting QB of the Seattle Seahawks. Last week, during his day off, he took the time to talk to us at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, the team's practice facility -- located in Renton, Washington, around a 30-minute drive from downtown Seattle.
On the sidelines: how the NFL is making use of the Surface Pro 2
Now that we've talked about the design process behind the NFL's Surface Pro 2s, it's time to show you how these things are actually being used throughout the league. It's worth noting that at least for now, the functionality of the Sideline Viewing System is limited to players and coaches annotating, drawing and looking at images from plays. Still, this is a notable first step in the NFL bringing technology into the game, and Microsoft wants to play a big role in that development. Sure, it doesn't hurt that the tech titan is said to have paid a huge sum of money to the NFL for the alleged five-year partnership, but it's safe to say that it's equally beneficial regardless. Microsoft's laptop/hybrid device began appearing on NFL sidelines earlier this year, at the start of the preseason, and the company tells us that the adoption rate of the Sideline Viewing System by players and coaches has been "great" up to now -- though a spokesperson wasn't willing to discuss specific numbers. That said, it's one thing to see these in action during games from afar, on TV, so when the opportunity to spend time with the Seattle Seahawks arose, to learn their game day workflow with the Surface Pro 2, we couldn't say no.
How Microsoft redesigned the Surface Pro for the NFL
Earlier this year, Microsoft revealed its plans to take over NFL sidelines. How so? With a partnership with the National Football League, a collaboration reportedly valued at $400 million -- though neither party ever confirmed this. Powered by the Surface Pro 2, the Sideline Viewing System lets NFL players and coaches use Microsoft's laptop/tablet hybrid device to review images from plays almost instantaneously, as opposed to using the paper-based, black-and-white method that's been in place for decades. Not only is it faster, but it's also more efficient, since it allows team members on the sidelines and those in the booths above to view any markups in near real time, something that's made possible by digital pen input. But, as expected, before getting approval from the NFL on the final version, Microsoft went through many design iterations of the casing that protects the Surface Pro 2 during games. It needed to find a solution that would meet the requirements of the league; it had to be rugged enough to handle various weather extremes, from 100-degree temperatures in Arizona to sub-freezing conditions in Wisconsin. At the same time, though, the technology giant wanted to strike a balance in the aesthetics, keeping it fully functional, protected and easy for any player to hold.
Here's how Microsoft plans to take over NFL sidelines
Are you ready for some football? Because Microsoft most certainly is. To go along with the introduction of a new NFL app for Xbox One and Windows 8, the software giant has also revealed how it plans to help professional coaches and players during games. As part of an ongoing partnership with the National Football League, which began last year and was reportedly worth $400 million over five years, Microsoft created what it calls a Sideline Viewing System. Naturally, the company's own hardware is a key component to this; the new system is powered by Surface Pro 2 tablets, and it allows NFL teams to review photos of plays instantly on the sidelines and up in the booths. For instance, say the quarterback goes back to the bench, the Surface can then be used to see the opposing team's defensive formation during the most recent drive -- and the same goes for the coaching staff that keeps an eye on the game from higher ground. Players are also able to draw on these images, making it easier for other members of the team to see something which stands out and needs to be checked.
