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Injured Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was fined $5,000 for wearing his Apple Watch on the sidelines during a recent game, per ESPN.

The big picture: Devices that are capable of transmitting voice or data, with the exception of those approved by the league (like coaches' headsets or the Surface tablets), are not allowed on NFL sidelines. Apple, which got a whole lot more than $5,000 worth of free marketing, was a big winner.

Go deeper: Traditional sports look to new tech to survive

Ben Roethlisberger hit with $5,000 fine for his Apple Watch

The tech giant got a whole lot of free publicity from the incident.

Ben Roethslisberger holds his arm in a sling. 

Photo: Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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Injured Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was fined $5,000 for wearing his Apple Watch on the sidelines during a recent game, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="per ESPN" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/18257507.35139/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXNwbi5jb20vbmZsL3N0b3J5L18vaWQvMjc3Nzk2NTEvc291cmNlcy1uZmwtZmluZXMtYmVuLXJvZXRobGlzYmVyZ2VyLTUwMDAtd2VhcmluZy1hcHBsZS13YXRjaC1zdGVlbGVycy1zaWRlbGluZT91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249bmV3c2xldHRlcl9heGlvc2xvZ2luJnN0cmVhbT10b3A/5d8a19e2fbd297461c3ce0b1Bf1a22dc3" data-vars-content-id="f95f5b7e-6672-42ff-ab23-2d90e53a822b" data-vars-headline="Ben Roethlisberger hit with $5,000 fine for his Apple Watch" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/18257507.35139/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXNwbi5jb20vbmZsL3N0b3J5L18vaWQvMjc3Nzk2NTEvc291cmNlcy1uZmwtZmluZXMtYmVuLXJvZXRobGlzYmVyZ2VyLTUwMDAtd2VhcmluZy1hcHBsZS13YXRjaC1zdGVlbGVycy1zaWRlbGluZT91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249bmV3c2xldHRlcl9heGlvc2xvZ2luJnN0cmVhbT10b3A/5d8a19e2fbd297461c3ce0b1Bf1a22dc3" target="_blank">per ESPN</a>.The big picture: Devices that are capable of transmitting voice or data, with the exception of those approved by the league (like coaches&#x27; headsets or the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Surface tablets" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/18257507.35139/aHR0cHM6Ly9vcGVyYXRpb25zLm5mbC5jb20vdGhlLWdhbWUvdGVjaG5vbG9neS9zaWRlbGluZS1vZi10aGUtZnV0dXJlLz91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249bmV3c2xldHRlcl9heGlvc2xvZ2luJnN0cmVhbT10b3A/5d8a19e2fbd297461c3ce0b1Bc6261d0a" data-vars-content-id="f95f5b7e-6672-42ff-ab23-2d90e53a822b" data-vars-headline="Ben Roethlisberger hit with $5,000 fine for his Apple Watch" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/18257507.35139/aHR0cHM6Ly9vcGVyYXRpb25zLm5mbC5jb20vdGhlLWdhbWUvdGVjaG5vbG9neS9zaWRlbGluZS1vZi10aGUtZnV0dXJlLz91dG1fc291cmNlPW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImdXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249bmV3c2xldHRlcl9heGlvc2xvZ2luJnN0cmVhbT10b3A/5d8a19e2fbd297461c3ce0b1Bc6261d0a" target="_blank">Surface tablets</a>), are not allowed on NFL sidelines. Apple, which got a whole lot more than $5,000 worth of free marketing, was a big winner.Go deeper: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Traditional sports look to new tech to survive" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/traditional-sports-look-to-new-tech-to-survive-1541448905-e7dc0993-b3ad-492a-960c-9d774453b57b.html" data-vars-content-id="f95f5b7e-6672-42ff-ab23-2d90e53a822b" data-vars-headline="Ben Roethlisberger hit with $5,000 fine for his Apple Watch" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/traditional-sports-look-to-new-tech-to-survive-1541448905-e7dc0993-b3ad-492a-960c-9d774453b57b.html" target="_self">Traditional sports look to new tech to survive</a>

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.