Video Technology

So, VAR, the bunker, the score review system, what ever it's called depending on what sport you are currently watching, it's copping a fair amount of heat at the moment.

You are hearing more about the VAR at the Womens World Cup than the actual games themselves; the AFL score review system has completely lost the faith of pretty much everyone not working at AFL headquarters; the NRL Bunker keeps coming up with dumb shit like the Warriors try on the weekend; and Super Rugby has some pretty interesting video ref calls it can look back on this year as well.

For all the investment, have we actually gained anything? Are the games today better than they were 12 years ago? Are there more "fair" results? Because we certainly haven't reduced controversy; or fan whinging; or ref abuse. Supporters of losing teams are still blowing up about ref decisions going against them. We have just added another target to spread the hate around a bit.

It is starting to feel, to me at least, that in an effort to make sport "perfect" (as if that could ever happen) we have removed a bit of the soul of the game. Sports that were chaotic and played at speed have been reduced to frame-by-frame stills that almost distort reality. And to what end? what have we actually achieved?

Discuss

Get rid of big screen replays, at least not allowed until after play resumes so you don't get home control ref bias, and I'd be hapy to get ride of any TV shite. Only allowed for concussion/docs,not shown to refs. Take it on the chin, and get on with it

@Machpants so thats the reason Okara Park decided not to get a big screen, to stop the rabid fans influencing officials!!

@Machpants said in Video Technology:

Get rid of big screen replays, at least not allowed until after play resumes so you don't get home control ref bias, and I'd be hapy to get ride of any TV shite. Only allowed for concussion/docs,not shown to refs. Take it on the chin, and get on with it

No video replays at Wembley when I went to watch a football game. Its just an unwanted added pressure. Would eliminate the opportunity for the host broadcaster to influence the onfield decision making too

It's improved cricket.

Also made the cricket umpires better IMO, as they have adjusted. Still room for human stuff ups though. E.g. Nigel Llong's clanger "could have come from anything ...".

It has not improved any of the other football codes IMO.

Only encouragement is cricket was an early adopter and has overcome much of its teething problems.

Also I'd say the bunker is currently the best of the 3 football codes I'm aware of, so again earliest adopter has made most progress.

Changes I would make (trial) would be:

• real-speed replays only
• and captain's calls/appeals only

I left cricket out because it's a lot more simple i think. Way less moving parts. Some very dedicated camera angles. LBW and caught behind. The only thing i would get rid of is the "legal delivery" step. An unnecessary extra bit, that should be picked up by the umpire. Also the captains call bit is good for making sure it is used in the most blatant of instances.

@mariner4life said in Video Technology:

I left cricket out because it's a lot more simple i think. Way less moving parts. Some very dedicated camera angles. LBW and caught behind. The only thing i would get rid of is the "legal delivery" step. An unnecessary extra bit, that should be picked up by the umpire. Also the captains call bit is good for making sure it is used in the most blatant of instances.

The problem with ignoring 'legal delivery' is that you get people out in critical cases where it's clearly not a legal delivery. Then the fans go nuts about that ... and the umpires get opened up to bias accusations, etc

@nzzp i get that. It's just ignored all teh other times. And one thing i hate about ALL video ref systems is they check everything, when i believe they should only check what has been asked of them.

For me the two biggest problems are:

• Stadium replays are controlled by home broadcaster, not the TMO.
• The technology is better than the muppets interpreting it. It seems the worst refs become TMOs and largely this is like making Cletus Chief Justice.

@antipodean said in Video Technology:

For me the two biggest problems are:

• Stadium replays are controlled by home broadcaster, not the TMO.
• The technology is better than the muppets interpreting it. It seems the worst refs become TMOs and largely this is like making Cletus Chief Justice.

...and the laws aren't that clear or easy to referee at the best of times. So much ambiguity

The first episode of Michael Lewis’s (moneyball) podcast on fairness and referees (not just sports) has interesting stuff about refs and how much better calls are in the modern era than in the past. They discuss the NBA bunker a bit.

It’s called Against the Rules.

I think sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s not so good, but they need clear guidelines and they need to stick to them - agree there’s too much bracket creep.

@Nepia said in Video Technology:

The first episode of Michael Lewis’s (moneyball) podcast on fairness and referees (not just sports) has interesting stuff about refs and how much better calls are in the modern era than in the past. They discuss the NBA bunker a bit.

It’s called Against the Rules.

I think sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s not so good, but they need clear guidelines and they need to stick to them - agree there’s too much bracket creep.

Increased technology leads to new problems, especially in a really dynamic game like rugby. Sometimes if you blow something up and slow it down enough you can make yourself see/or not see anything!!

@Nepia said in Video Technology:

I think sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s not so good, but they need clear guidelines and they need to stick to them - agree there’s too much bracket creep.

Some stuff has no excuse either - the 'forward pass' ruled against the Crusaders in SA, for instance.

Professional sports is TV. Period. The spectators, money and sponsorships are all about TV. And since most people are watching the games on their TVs with video replay, you’re not going to get the toothpaste back in the tube. We can’t have referees making official decisions with less information than a pisstank on his couch eating potato chips.

So you're suggesting I should be ref? Great idea

@Machpants That's a wonderful idea. I never miss a single infringement committed against my team and probably spot at least a couple of hundred ones that the official refs either miss completely or overlook for some reason each and every game!