During the AFC Title game this past weekend where the Denver Broncos defeated the New England Patriots 20-18, Microsoft’s sponsorship deal with the NFL stole some headlines. For a short time during the 2nd quarter, the Microsoft Surface tablets, which are now used on every NFL sideline to help players and coaches review plays, suddenly stopped working for roughly 20 minutes on the Patriots sideline. During that time the Broncos scored a touchdown.
However it seems that the tablets themselves were not the problem this past weekend, as the NFL and Microsoft were quick to assure the public: the failure was that of the network connection in the stadium.
Get The Latest NFL Tech News In Your Inbox!
Microsoft released a statement during the game assuring fans, “Our team on the field has confirmed the issue was not related to the tablets themselves, but rather an issue with the network.” While NFL spokesmen Brian McCarthy made a statement Monday confirming the issue was not with the tablets, “We experienced an infrastructure issue on the Patriots sideline…The issue was not caused by the tablets or the software…Any issues were network related.” It only makes sense that the NFL would back their partner, but even if the tablets themselves were not the issue, negative exposure on such a grand stage is rarely good for business.
Microsoft and the NFL struck a five-year partnership to the tune of $400 million in 2013. The deal allows Xbox One to provide exclusive NFL content and Microsoft Surface tablets to be used on every NFL sideline. The partnership at the time seemed to be one that would be advantageous for both parties. The NFL would be ushered into the digital age on the sideline, with high-def resolution plays instantly downloaded for review and dissection; until this deal NFL teams printed out black and white photos on the sidelines to review plays. While Microsoft would gain unprecedented brand exposure in the most powerful and richest sports league in the United States.
But overall it seems there have been problems on both sides of this partnership. NFL announcers and players have repeatedly referred to the Microsoft products as iPads, while high profile quarterbacks have been seen throwing them on the sidelines. The tablets themselves have malfunctioned more than just this weekend, whether or not they were the sole cause, leaving teams temporarily at a competitive disadvantage.
This snafu could not have come at a worst time for either side, as this was the highest rated AFC Championship game in 39 years. To top it off, the Fox broadcast crew made a point of mentioning Microsoft Surface multiple times during the malfunction as they zoomed in on the tablets docking station.
However the two industry giants have a few more seasons together on the sidelines and neither seems to be taking a finical hit due to any bad publicity to this point. The NFL amidst countless scandals off the field recorded record profits in 2015 and for the first time Microsoft overtook Apple in tablet sales during October of 2015.
Microsoft will have the NFL’s support for as long as this deal is in place. It also seems highly unlikely that the league will ever revert back to the days of printing photos on the sidelines, barring an emergency. Therefore, it is advantageous for both parties to work together to improve the network connectivity at stadiums for next season. Now they can only hope that this issue does not rear its ugly head during Super Bowl 50 on February 7th.