Steelers Ben Roethlisberger fined $5000 for wearing Apple Watch on sidelines
Pittsburgh Steelers' Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been fined $5,000 for a uniform violation after wearing Apple Watch during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals -- and he didn't even play.
(Inset) Ben Roethlisberger wears an Apple Watch on Monday night. (Photo: Justin Berl/Getty Images)
The National Football League has fined Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger $5,000 for what's being described as a uniform violation. Roethlisberger was wearing an Apple Watch during his first game back with the team since elbow surgery.
Significantly, Roethlisberger was not playing at the time of the incident. Following the surgery, he was on the sidelines supporting the team during Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Roethlisberger maintains that not only was he on the sidelines, he was not warned that he could be in violation of the uniform code. According to ESPN, he may not even have realized that he was wearing it.
Ben Roethlisberger wearing Apple Watch on Monday night. (Photo: Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Despite having returned from elbow surgery, Roethlisberger is still unable to use his right arm and reportedly was dressed by his wife, Ashley Harlan. Roethlisberger was not in his players' uniform, but instead wearing street clothes as he watched the game from the sidelines.
The player is reportedly appealing against the fine, which concerns the wearing of any electronic messaging devices during play.
The NFL is sponsored by Microsoft, and was the Official Laptop sponsor of Super Bowl LIII -- albeit with a tablet.
(Inset) Ben Roethlisberger wears an Apple Watch on Monday night. (Photo: Justin Berl/Getty Images)
The National Football League has fined Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger $5,000 for what's being described as a uniform violation. Roethlisberger was wearing an Apple Watch during his first game back with the team since elbow surgery.
Significantly, Roethlisberger was not playing at the time of the incident. Following the surgery, he was on the sidelines supporting the team during Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Roethlisberger maintains that not only was he on the sidelines, he was not warned that he could be in violation of the uniform code. According to ESPN, he may not even have realized that he was wearing it.
Ben Roethlisberger wearing Apple Watch on Monday night. (Photo: Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Despite having returned from elbow surgery, Roethlisberger is still unable to use his right arm and reportedly was dressed by his wife, Ashley Harlan. Roethlisberger was not in his players' uniform, but instead wearing street clothes as he watched the game from the sidelines.
The player is reportedly appealing against the fine, which concerns the wearing of any electronic messaging devices during play.
The NFL is sponsored by Microsoft, and was the Official Laptop sponsor of Super Bowl LIII -- albeit with a tablet.
Comments
Right there, clear as day. A Rolex and Fitbit do not have the ability to send electronic messages.
I too think it's ridiculous especially since he wasn't playing at the time. Would he be fined if he took out his smartphone and started texting on the sidelines as well since he's not playing?
The use of electronic communications devices is generally prohibited on the sidelines (and, e.g., in coaches' booths) before and during games. There are some exceptions, e.g., for medical staff. But part of the point is to prevent people on the sidelines - whether coaches or players - from communicating with players on the field outside of the allowed methods. So it doesn't really matter that Mr. Roethlisberger wasn't playing. Even if he weren't a player he wouldn't be allowed to use a smartphone or, e.g., an Apple Watch on the sidelines.
"The player is reportedly appealing against the fine, which concerns the wearing of any electronic messaging devices during play."
So how did he violate this rule?
This will be funny...
Guys be like "Hey I need my personal music when I warm-up!"
To answer your question.
It's electronic messaging device during game play, not him playing specifically. The goal is to prevent cheating or an unfair advantage. Also, the "Beats thing" wasn't really a Beats thing specifically. It was a sponsorship prohibition. Bose paid a crap ton of money to replace Motorola as the Official Headset of the NFL. They also paid to be the Official Headphone, Official Home Audio, Official Speaker, and Official Sound of the NFL. I have no idea what the Official Sound is, but they paid money to be it.
For beats, stick a blank label or maybe even a Team Logo over the Beats LOGO and you should be fine.
If the guy is standing there with the rest of his teammates wearing an Apple Watch, then he should have gotten the fine! Look at him wearing one of their Headsets!!!! Now he could look at his Apple watch and communicate over that and then chat with the person(s) over the headset he's wearing. I don't see how he can get out of that fine. He may not be IN the game, but clearly he's on the sideline coaching or something. I think he got off easy with only a 5K fine.
Unapproved electronic messaging devices are not allowed because they can create an unfair advantage.
Let's say there are five or six people sitting in the locker room or in the stands and analyzing various video feeds. Perhaps they see something of interest and send a message to a player/coach via an electronic device. In baseball this is even more serious as someone sitting in the stands may be able to relay the opposing team's catcher's signs to the dugout and thus to the batter.
So for many sports, the only sanctioned electronic devices are league approved and often closed circuit communications, like a football head coach to specific members of his coaching staff in a booth high up in the stadium.
Ben wouldn't be the person sending the message. More likely he would be the recipient of a timely tip and could lean over to a coach's ear and whisper what he learned.
It has nothing to do with the league being anti-Apple. Cellphones, pagers, computers, etc. aren't allowed either, regardless of the manufacturer/brand/model. This is not a new development
Note that in the rare instances when some coach's headset fails due to a technical malfunction, the standard practice is to require the other team to remove the same piece of equipment. Otherwise the home team might be inclined to sabotage the visiting team's communications gear.
Anywho, this is sort of thread jacking soooo...
The only takeaway here is that Ben wasn't fined for wearing an Apple Watch per se. He was fined for wearing an electronic messaging device. It just happened to be an Apple Watch.
Ancient history humor is always the best humor.
So, everything they wear is regulated.
Rothlisberger was at work. It doesn’t matter if all he used the swatch for was looking the time. It makes news because the rules are so draconian. A few years ago, a dude was fined for wearing his socks too high. Players have been fined for wearing improper headbands, wrong color socks, who knows what else.
Whenever you see some player in a game or an interview post game interview, everything they wear was approved or guided by the NFL.