The NFL might need to pay for some better internet service if they’re going to continue using sideline tablets.
The Microsoft Surface tablets are meant to replace binders sent down from the coaches’ booth with pages of printed pictures, but New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick explained Friday during a conference call that the Wi-Fi malfunctioned on their sideline in Thursday night’s game against the Washington Redskins.
“Those are wireless tablets down on the field, and so if the wireless — or Wi-Fi — isn’t working or something happens, you have nothing, you have zero. So, that happened in our game, and it’s happened in other games from my understanding of talking to other people that have been involved,” Belichick said.
The Patriots head coach seemed receptive to the idea of using the tablets — if they work. Belichick complimented the picture quality and ease of use.
“The tablets were a good experience for all of us,” Belichick said. “We’ve never used those during a game. It’s always been pictures, basically on a piece of printed paper off a printer. You could write on them, and they’re paper copies. The tablets have the ability to hold all the pictures on the one tablet, so you can kind of scroll through them — certainly much more concise, and I would say the quality of the tablets is good, the clarity of the pictures and all that is good — better than what we had.”
The NFL obviously will need to fix this issue if they plan on using the tablets during the regular season.
