This year, ASA changed rule 4-7-C-5 to read:
Quote:
No electronic equipment, to include cell phones, pagers, etc., are al-
lowed to be worn or carried on the playing field.
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ASA provided further clarification in RS #11:
Quote:
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Communication / electronic devices, including audio / video equipment, are not allowed on the playing field or in the dugouts. Head phones and ear phones have been used by coaches to communicate from one coaches’ box to the other, to communicate between coaches and the dugout, and from the stands to the dugout. Signs and signals have been stolen while outside the field of play, stands or the outfield area and communicated to coaches or players. Therefore, umpires must prohibit any use of such equipment. Electronic scorebooks, however, are permitted for use by base coaches.
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The part in particular that I want to focus on is the bolded part. What should we do with base coaches who want to use an app on their iPhones as their method of scorekeeping?
I think ASA would err on the side of caution and prohibit these devices as well (and my interpretation would be in line with this statement), but with technologies constantly evolving and merging, it may become harder and harder to classify devices as "just a phone" versus "just an electronic scorebook." The distinction between a phone and a personal computer is getting very blurry. The iPad, for example, does not come with any cell phone-based technologies by default, so it conceivably could be used as just an electronic scorebook. However, an app could easily come along and use wifi to communicate with another iPad in the dugout.
For the record, there is no way to "lock" an iPhone or Android-based device into using only that one app. Even if there were, the user can just as easily unlock it and use it as a communication device.
What are your thoughts regarding this matter?