The Young Bucs get iPads
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced that rather than pass out the traditional paper playbooks, they will be giving iPads to all of their players. Since most everyone involved with the team’s operations is young compared to other franchises, it comes as no surprise that they will be exploring the digital alternative.
The iPads will serve primarily as playbooks for the players, but have the potential to offer much more.
According to this report from the St. Petersburg Times, the iPads will not only be used in place of massive playbooks, but will also offer players the chance to watch game and practice film. This integral, time-consuming, and often overlooked task will be streamlined by allowing players to pause and rewind as often as they like.
Using iPads rather than pen and paper will allow players to see those X’s and O’s move and interact in real time rather than having to wait for a coach to draw it up. Each player will be able to focus on their specific positions as well.
The report also describes what little convincing the Buc’s 34 year old coach had to do in order to obtain the iPads. Apparently, the conversation with the co-chairman lasted only 2 minutes!
Speaking from personal experience as a former NCAA athlete, I know weekly scouting reports and playbooks are a lot of information to keep track of, and I cannot imagine how much more information a professional team like the Buccaneers receives. I have to imagine that having all the necessary study materials on an iPad will make a world of difference.
Tampa Bay is a very young team so: Will the Bucs be acting alone in choosing the iPad or will other teams follow suit? Will players find the iPad more appealing than paper playbooks, scouting reports, and film? What do you think?
