Back in 2013, Microsoft entered into a five-year deal with the NFL to enhance the experience of the coaching staff and referees in terms of video reviews, statistics and related content using Surface devices. Just as the deal was nearing its end, the NFL has extended it by another year for the 2018/19 season.
The Surface was first used in the 2014 season of the NFL and was part of a controversy involving New England Patriots coach, Bill Belichik last year. Despite the minor row, the tablets will once again make an appearance for the next season as per the extended agreement. Speaking to SportsPro, Microsoft"s Corporate Vice President, Yusuf Mehdi said that,
We"re excited to help the NFL change the game with Surface devices being used by players and coaches on the sidelines to make more informed decisions, referees using Surface for instant replay to enhance the speed of the game, and teams using Microsoft products in their business and football operations. We look forward to continuing the partnership next season
While Microsoft"s smartphones have been ditched by major organizations that had gone all-in on the devices early on, it"s encouraging to see that the company"s tablet PCs are still relevant.
Source: SportsPro Media via Windows Central