On September 23rd, we covered the possibility that the MLS was considering leading the way in implementing video replay in soccer. This week, ESPN broke the news that the league has confirmed the first trials of video refereeing, with the goal of making the system available for world soccer within the next year.
MLS’s enthusiasm and forward thinking on this topic is admirable. The fact remains that soccer has yet to embrace technology. It took until the 2014 FIFA World Cup for referees to start using vanishing spray to control defensive walls during free-kicks, and for the English Premier League to implement goal line technology.
MLS stated that it would start a trial period during friendly matches as a precursor to implementing the technology during official games. However, it remains to be seen how and when the technology will be put to use. There are many concerns as to how referring to video replay will affect the flow of the game. Unlike most professional sports in the United States, soccer does not incorporate many stoppages during the game. In fact, when the referees award additional stoppage time, the average amount is between 2 to 4 minutes of added time, provided there were no serious injuries or a massive brawl between two teams.
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According to Jeff Agoos, MLS vice President, the trials will focus on three specific areas: penalty kicks, red cards and the awarding of a goal. “In all those cases, there is a natural stoppage”, the Vice President told The Times. “Our findings show there is ample time to give information to the referee. Depending on the incident, there can be from 40 seconds to well over a minute, plenty of time to review a decision” said Jeff Agoos. The MLS also assures that the human element of the game will be retained, but that it doesn’t make sense for fans to have more information on their smartphones than the referee.
There are several questions that need to be answered before we can ascertain whether video replays are a good idea. Will the referee automatically ask for a video replay to review his own decision? Will the coach have a limited number of replay requests? Will the captain of the team request the review? What if the videos are inconclusive? Does the referee stick to his original verdict or reverse his decision based on the uncertainty from the replay?
Lifelong soccer fans are split on the decision to introduce technology into the game. The culture in world soccer is to stick to what has been working for over a century. But is it really working? The list of controversial decisions that have changed World Cup games and Champions League matches is never-ending. Despite that, the game has kept growing and becoming more popular. Would technology really make it a better experience for the fans?