College football teams enthuse about nano-texture iPad Pro

Apple has highlighted how three college football conferences have adopted the iPad Pro, and say the nano-texture display makes them useful on the sidelines.

It was in May 2024 that Apple released the first iPad Pro with a nano-texture display that was designed to cut down glare. Now Apple says that the release was idea for college football teams, because of a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) ruling.

The NCAA approved the use of up to 18 active tablets in the locker room, in the coaching booth, and most significantly on the sidelines during games. Apple says that the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten conferences have all chosen the nano-texture iPad Pro.

"The new iPad Pro with the nano-texture display technology is unbelievable," says Doug Aucoin, Louisiana State University's director of video, in a statement to Apple."If the nano-texture glass on the new iPad Pro wasn't available, it would be almost impossible to view any footage on the field with the glare that comes from the sun."

How SEC uses iPad Pro

Aucoin oversees a game-day system that uses Catapult sports software to deliver video to SEC coaches seconds after a play ending. The video comes from the teams' own videographers, and also from broadcast coverage of the game.

"As [the team tags plays for down, distance and so on] , we are in the background chopping up the video clips, synchronizing them," said Matt Bairos, Catapult's chief product officer, "and sending the video packages to iPads that are both in the coaches' press box and on the sidelines."

"It's easy to use, and it's a familiar interface — there's zero learning curve," continued Bairos. "We can put an iPad with our software in the coaches' hands and they'll be self-sufficient. They understand how to use the iPad, and they understand the touch elements."

"Having iPad on the sidelines makes coaching way more effective in-game," agrees Mike Saffell, University of California, Berkeley's tight ends coach. "Live feedback enables the players and coaches to correct quickly. It also makes the game more competitive since both teams are able to fix issues on game day."

How ACC and Big Ten use iPad Pro

For the ACC and Big Ten, DVSport has a technician tagging the game, and the home team shoots the sideline and end zone.

"DVSport's work with Apple is a great example of new software and hardware working together to deliver game-changing solutions," said Brian Lowe, DVSport's president and CEO. "Equity, speed, and high visibility are core components of the solution, and Apple's latest iPad Pro and iPad Air truly excel in providing a simple and elegant end user experience."

Adding in Apple Pencil

As well as rapid access to video footage, Billy Glasscock, Ole Miss's general manager, says that Apple Pencil Pro is an added benefit.

"If we are ever trying to install a play based off a look in-game," he said, "the Catapult app has a whiteboard function that we can use to draw with Apple Pencil Pro or our fingertips. There is also the ability to draw over the video clip."

"'Where's the iPad? Where's the iPad?' That's the first thing we really do as soon as we come off," says Isaiah Horton, a wide receiver for Miami.

"It's just a matter of us, as coaches, not being afraid of allowing technology to continue to get into the game," said Alex Mirabal, the University of Miami's offensive line coach. "But I don't think — I know that the iPad usage on the sideline has tremendously impacted the game in a positive manner."

"There isn't one coach in America that would say that it's been negative," continued Mirabal.

Separately, the AppleInsider review of the nano-texture iPad Pro concluded that it significantly reduced glare. It arguably does so at the cost of a slight haze on the screen.