The use of Microsoft technology in American sports is nothing new for Microsoft and sports enthusiasts around the world. In NASCAR, drivers are kept safe with the power of Windows 8.1 and Surface Pro 3. In the NFL, the Surface Pro 3 is used on the sideline to enable coaches to analyze what’s working in the game and what’s not.
Perhaps giving Microsoft a new opportunity to enter yet another sport is the NCAA Football Rules committee’s approval of the use of electronic devices by coaches in the press box and locker rooms. The rules also allow instant replay officials to review “all aspects of targeting fouls.”
The new approval does not make it immediately clear what types of device can be used and for what purposes. And NCAA coaches cannot yet use the devices on the sidelines, where they would be of most value during game. Even so, the announcement nonetheless appears to be a glimmer of hope for Microsoft if they indeed plan to enter the NCAA as a technology or officiating partner.
