NEWSLETTER
I can’t wait to watch Miguel Cabrera playing Angry Birds.
MLB has announced a partnership with Apple, which will provide iPad Pros to MLB teams for use in the dugout during games:
On Wednesday, MLB announced its latest technology collaboration with Apple to integrate powerful new on-field capabilities through the approved use of iPad Pro and a newly developed advance scouting, analytics and video app called MLB Dugout during games.
The announcement brings iPad Pro into all 30 Major League dugouts and bullpens and marks the first-ever on-field integration of next-generation technology, putting advance-scouting video and customizable reports at the fingertips of all managers, coaches and players.
“Our collaboration with Apple on the use of iPad Pro in dugouts and bullpens is part of our ongoing effort to introduce extraordinary technology into our game,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “We are pleased that Apple’s groundbreaking products, which have already improved the access that fans have to our sport, will now inform the decisions that make our games interesting and exciting throughout the year.”
Entering the 2016 season, each iPad Pro has been customized for each club and loaded with the MLB Dugout app, allowing every team’s manager, coaches and players to utilize their own proprietary and strategic statistical reports, data visualizations and advance-scouting videos during every game from dugouts and bullpens, giving them easy access to valuable, actionable baseball insights.
Clubs also will have the ability to include any of their own reports with data generated from last year’s first full season of the Statcast™ tracking technology, bringing new stats for pitch tracking, hitting, baserunning and fielding, right on iPad Pro.
As far as these kinds of promotional relationships go, there’s actually a really good fit here. Tablets are easy to use, portable, and highly visual. For MLB managers, coaches, and players looking to get quick info for use in-game, it seems like a logical use of technology.
We’ll see how this plays out during the season, and whether teams actively buy in to the use of the iPads, or if it proves to be a mere promotional gimmick.
And, in the meantime, we can make side bets on which player will be the first to narrowly avoid getting smacked by a foul ball because his head was buried in the tablet. My guess is Pablo Sandoval.
