“No, those bright blue, ruggedized devices being used on NFL sidelines aren’t iPads,” Edgar Alvarez reports for Engadget. “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,” Alvarez reports. “He used to be an Apple guy — Wilson says he doesn’t tell too many people that. But regardless of his previous interest in Cupertino products, he’s now fully invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. Seriously, he really loves all things Microsoft.”
“Just look at that wrist (hint: It’s a fitness tracker),” Alvarez reports. “Not that we would expect otherwise, though; he is, after all, the face of some Microsoft ads.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Imagine, a paid endorser saying what he’s paid to say! (And not tweeting it from his iPad, no less.) What’s next, Flo pushing Progressive insurance? A pre-his-latest-scandal Alec Baldwin pimping Capital One credit cards as if he doesn’t have an American Express Centurion [Black] Card right upfront “in his wallet?”
What is this world coming to?!
The “Wow” starts now, we suppose.
Related articles:
CNN election commentators use Microsoft Surface – to hide the Apple iPads they’re actually using – November 5, 2014
NFL’s highest-paid player calls Microsoft’s Surface tablets ‘Knockoff iPads’ – October 14, 2014
Microsoft likely to pull plug on moribund Surface tablet business, sources say – October 9, 2014
Microsoft pays $400 million for product placement, then NFL announcer calls Surface tablet ‘iPad-like’ on air – September 8, 2014
I feel for the company that spent long hard hours creating an iPad playbook application, working on making it better with each iteration only to have it go by the wayside because someone threw a bucket of money around.
Wonder how many teams will switch back once the money runs out OR will Microsoft pay year after year as a part of their “Advertising Budget”?
Kids know. Young techies know. Older adults know.
Throwing $400 million around is not going to change their opinion.
Bo knows.
My understanding is that the Surface is the device used during the game for Sideline Use, in which photos from the press box are sent electronically to the Surface (in the old days, they would have a printer on the sideline) . . . . HOWEVER, most NFL Teams use iPads for their Playbooks. Thus, the Surface is basically a “Viewer” of photos during the game.
You really don’t know how the news media and journalism works these days, do you? Most “news stories” are fed to media outlets in the form of press releases from companies and organizations. Most sites which review products are given those products by the manufacturers to review, and then have to send them back after a designated time period. There is very little investigative journalism these days, which is a shame.
I have a minor question. Does anyone out there know/remember if Microsoft gave 400m in cash plus donated the surfaces or if they donated what they claim to be 400m worth of surfaces?
A Surface for each person in the stands? No this is the NFL, not the Oprah Winfrey show. 😉
2. This is the NFL, they want cash! Not some trinkets.
Love it or hate it, major sports endorsements help push products. And with MS now having a major deal with the NFL and Real Madrid, that’s about as big as you can get. One can argue all they want about whether or not these guys are paid shills or not but that’s part of advertising / marketing.
This is one case where Apple should fight fire with fire. Why not tie up a few major multi-year deals of their own. There’s Formula 1, NBA, NHL, Manchester United and / or do what Samsung did and be an Official Sponsor of the Olympics.
Use IBM to do it. A core business service agreement for hardware and business specific software is the perfect vehicle. If both companies throw half decent resources at, in a combined team effort, they could revolutionize mobile business. Will they do it? I hope. Won’t hold my breath on it right now.
Well they sponsored the rugby World Cup and loads of PCs were on show but thereafter most have moved right back to their Macs and Apple have paid nothing, the tracking software of choice just happens to be superior and its Mac only, due to its graphic requirements and the inability of PCs to do the job.
” due to its graphic requirements and the inability of PCs to do the job.”
Are you joking right? You know you don’t have any limits on how you can build your own PC, right? And with a Mac you get what you get, that’s it.
Note that it would require someone to BUILD a PC… not the OFF THE SHELF PC’S in question…
Money makes people do terrible disingenuous things. These false bought loyalties don’t seem to last long though as the Faustian Bargain begins to grate upon the victims.
I still love the Sports desk on cable TV, paid to use Surface Pro’s, mostly use them to prop up their iPads semi-hidden behind.
Russell Wilson, good QB.. And spokesman.
Remember that he is paid by Bose to hawk their products… Yet is seen wearing Beats all the time.
Same with many other nfl players. No different than the android spokesman tweeting from iPads..
Just make a protective case that looks like a surface and place your iPad in it – then you can be productive and have a kickstand.
Why the hell should we care what sports people think? They are capable of thinking, right?
Let the poor saps buying those Surface things line the pockets of athletes. As long as it’s not me.
Why yes, sports types are the ultimate authority in all things, especially “tech” but mostly in bad behavior, wife beating and as anti-role models. Greedy doofuses in a jock strap who routinely shoot themselves in the endorsements foot.
The Microsoft Surface Pro and the NFL are a perfect match. Both take almost three hours to accomplish 60 minutes of work.
He is also a Bose headphones endorser but he was wearing Beats in a photo he took with a friend of mine last week. Either way, I will forgive him because he is the greatest of all time! Go Hawks!
His boss, Paul Allen, Seahawks owner is a co-founder of Microsoft, so what did anyone expect?
Google Paul Allen and Microsoft for some interesting reading. No strong love between him and them.
This is an NFL deal not Seahawks. It just so happens that the last Super Bowl champions are from the same neck of the woods as Microsoft.
Give the kid a break, one Payton Manning paycheck is more than his salary for the entire year. He needs to pick up a few endorsement bucks.
Don’t forget Wilson plays for the Seattle Seahawks, the home-town team for M$. I bet if they paid him enough money, he would even say he loves eating canned bull crap. Personally I’d like to see him actually do it, because that’s what’s coming out of his mouth.
I think its fitting of the Windows ecosystem in general. They have to pay someone to use it.
The nest time I am in the market for a football or football helmet I will pay attention to Mr. Wilson’s advice. That’s about it.
Bad marketing! Naughty bad marketing! 😛