NFL players and coaches starting to use the iPad to prepare for game day

By chrisoldroyd
last updated

NFL players and coaches are starting to embrace the iPad to assist in game day preparations. The Denver Broncos appear to be the first team to reveal that they use it as a digital playbook rather than just an entertainment device according to TNW.

While detailed information is sparse, I was able to piece together some of the app’s features from different reports, including one by FOX Sports. According to FOX, the app has three main features: game film, playbook and notifications.The company behind the app, PlayerLync, pushes automatic updates to players, letting coaches add video to the system, and no matter where the players are, they get the updates. It sounds pretty awesome to me. Additionally, push notifications are sent to the devices to remind players and coaches of meetings and practices, giving everyone one less excuse for being late.

We can see the iPad rolling out across the world as the future for communicating sporting tactics to team players and coaches; it just makes so much sense. Firstly there is the environmental impact, no paper is a good thing as it cuts down on the destruction of trees and forests. Paper is always very easy to lose and render unreadable after heavy use. As with any sort of confidential printed material, if it gets in the wrong hands, it could be a major problem. Thankfully the iPad can add an additional security layer over this problem too. A remote wipe could be initialized if the iPad somehow made its way into the wrong hands.

In my opinion it is only a matter of time before we see a much more widespread adoption of iPad's in mainstream sports. It makes so much sense to equip players and coaches with constantly updating information on a small easy to carry tablet. Maybe it will start to roll out in the World's Soccer leagues too, it could be extremely useful not only for tactics but for other things too. FIFA has finally approved the use of goal line video technology this week to provide proof if a ball has crossed the line or not. Maybe the iPad could be the solution to accessing this type of data on the fly; we will have to wait and see. Have you noticed any of your favorite sports teams using the iPad? Let us know if you have!

Source: TNW

chrisoldroyd
chrisoldroyd

UK editor at iMore, mobile technology lover and air conditioning design engineer.

4 Comments
  • this is not really a new thing. they've been using tablets on the nfl sidelines as long as the ipad has existed. you can often see them when they look at formations where as before they had to print out paper copies. now it goes to a tablet for some teams. i once remember a coach getting mad and dropping his on the ground. he was so mad he was in his own world. i kept watching his feet as he screamed at the ref to see if he stepped on the tablet. but aquick assitant coach reached in and grabbed it before he could step on it.
  • The NFL doesn't allow teams to use tablets on the sidelines during games. Roger Goodell has said this one more than one occasion. 
  • Actually the Baltimore Ravens were the first team to replace their playbooks with iPads. They started using iPad 2s last year. They also use them to watch game film. 
  • Not too surprising, and, as otherse have pointed out, this is not the first example, either.  Tablets are ideally suited for practice and learning, and have some real uses on game days, too.  There are really only about three things paper (or dry erase clipboards) will likely always do better than tablets: Immediate sketching -- drawing up an improvised play during a timeout that everybody can see. Stand up to a coach or player tantrum. Handle outdoor conditions. Paper is easier to read in direct sunlight, does not overheat on hot summer fields, become unusuable in cold weather fields (like Denver in January), or need to be sheltered from the rain just about everywhere. Other than that, tablets seem a perfect fit for so many uses big time sports teams have.