Apple has signed a multi-year deal with Major League Baseball to put iPad Pros in the dugouts of every MLB team starting this season. Managers and coaches will be issued the 12.9-inch version of the device, along with a rugged case. Each iPad will be loaded with stats for the players on the team to which it is assigned, and the data will be proprietary to each team.
The agreement as seen the creation of the custom MLB Dugout app, which is exclusive to the devices for each team. MLB Dugout was created by the organization's Advanced Media division with assistance from Apple. Here's what Apple had to say about the deal:
"iPad is our vision for the future of personal computing, and we are so excited to be working with Major League Baseball to put this incredible technology into all of their dugouts and bullpens this season," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "With iPad Pro and the new MLB Dugout app, managers, coaches, and players will have unprecedented access to statistics, data, and scouting videos right at the touch of their fingers and when it matters most, during the game."
The MLB Dugout app will have data pre-loaded before each game, though the hope is to have real-time data appear in the app in the future. Neither Apple nor MLB have commented on the specifics terms of the deal.
This arrangement is similar to one between the National Football League and Microsoft, which provides racks of its Surface tablets to every NFL team for use during games.
Press release:
MLB and Apple introduce latest collaboration to deliver powerful on-field technology with iPad Pro and a custom advance scouting and video analysis app
Multi-Year Initiative Marks Historic On-Field Technology Integration
Major League Baseball (MLB) today announced its latest technology collaboration with Apple to integrate powerful new on-field capabilities through the approved use of iPad Pro and a newly developed advance scouting, analytics and video app - MLB Dugout - during MLB games. The announcement, made by Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., brings iPad Pro into all 30 Major League dugouts and bullpens and marks the first-ever on-field integration of next generation technology, putting advance scouting video and customizable reports at the fingertips of all managers, coaches and players.
Entering the 2016 MLB season, each iPad Pro has been customized for each Club and loaded with the MLB Dugout app, allowing every team's manager, coaches and players to utilize their own proprietary and strategic statistical reports, data visualizations and advance scouting videos during every MLB game from dugouts and bullpens giving them easy access to valuable, actionable baseball insights. Clubs also will have the ability to include any of their own reports with data generated from last year's first full season of Statcast™ tracking technology, bringing new stats for pitch tracking, hitting, baserunning and fielding, right on iPad Pro.
Commissioner Manfred said: "Our collaboration with Apple on the use of iPad Pro in dugouts and bullpens is part of our ongoing effort to introduce extraordinary technology into our game. We are pleased that Apple's groundbreaking products, which have already improved the access that fans have to our sport, will now inform the decisions that make our games interesting and exciting throughout the year."
"iPad is our vision for the future of personal computing, and we are so excited to be working with Major League Baseball to put this incredible technology into all of their dugouts and bullpens this season," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "With iPad Pro and the new MLB Dugout app, managers, coaches, and players will have unprecedented access to statistics, data, and scouting videos right at the touch of their fingers and when it matters most, during the game."
During the initial on-field integration, Clubs will have secure access to pre-load all pertinent analytical reports and video onto iPad Pro from a private network infrastructure installed this offseason in both the visiting and home clubhouses at each of the 30 MLB ballparks. Per League rules, when in use in the dugout and bullpen the devices will not be connected to the Internet or stream live video.
As part of a pilot program late during the 2015 regular season and Postseason, Clubs were offered the opportunity to utilize iPad Air 2 and an early version of MLB Dugout. The 2016 Opening Day version of MLB Dugout is based exclusively on Club feedback from the pilot program and has been expanded and enhanced for iPad Pro with a valuable set of shared tools that offer customizable capabilities and content based on each Club's specific needs. Dugout was developed by MLB in collaboration with Apple to leverage MLB's app development and video expertise and Apple's legendary consumer experience, hardware and software integration and developer platform.
MLB and Apple will continue to collaborate on regular updates of MLB Dugout and the overall iPad Pro experience, including adding new features such as support for Apple Pencil and video annotation functionality.
