VAR: One of the Largest Technological Changes in Football History
Goal scoring in football has forever changed. Growing up I remember seeing fans on TV roar as soon as a goal was scored, but VAR has changed that entirely. Now, everyone holds their breath as they wait for the referee to signal a goal.
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is essentially a fifth referee for instant replay in certain situations. VAR is used for “goals and offenses leading up to a goal, penalty decisions and offenses leading to penalty decisions, direct red card instances, and mistaken identity. (FIFA, 2022)” This means that VAR is only used in situations that have significant impact on the game. Despite the limited use of VAR, due to its use at pivotal moments many fans feel that VAR is used too often. Many fans argue it has ruined the excitement of goals, as now fans must wait for the referee to signal a goal. Additionally, what differentiates football from a lot of other sports is the limited breaks. VAR has changed this by causing pauses mid match. According to a BBC Sports poll, 63% of fans say VAR has made football worse and nearly 80% of match goers have said their experience at matches has declined due to VAR (BBC, 2023). Young fans are also more accepting of VAR than older fans and fans of different teams have different levels of acceptance of VAR, most likely dependent on how VAR has affected their team (BBC, 2023).
Despite fans' complaints, VAR is here to stay. It has been proved to be effective. Without the use of VAR, referees are accurate around 95% of the time and with VAR they are accurate around 99% of the time. This can be a massive difference in game deciding moments. American sports have used instant replay for a long time, so personally I do not mind the use of VAR in European football. More accurate decision making from the referees allows for the player to have more control over the game, rather than favoring dictating the game.
What is your opinion on VAR? Is it helping the sport or slowing football down pointlessly? Do you think VAR should be more restricted or used more often?
(Pretty, 2018)Pretty, A. (2018b). Referee Joel Aguilar Reviews the VAR Footage. Getty-Images. FIFA. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
By: Jake LaFrenz
VAR has significantly impacted football by improving decision accuracy in critical game moments. However, it also introduced delays that affect the spontaneous excitement traditionally associated with goal scoring. While some fans appreciate the fairness it brings, others miss the immediate celebration of goals, feeling that VAR disrupts the game's flow. This division suggests a need for ongoing refinement of VAR to balance accuracy with maintaining football's continuous pace and excitement. Ultimately, VAR represents a crucial evolution in officiating, aiming to ensure fairness while also challenging traditional viewing experiences.
ReplyDeleteVAR seems to have made a sigfnificant impact on determing a goal and it seems to be very accurate. I feel this might tale away from the old fashion vibe of an old and loved sport! I believe the referees can do their job and we so not have to turn to technology to change the game. I think we shpould restrict it. Great job articulating your points.
ReplyDeleteYou make some great points! However, goal line technology was established before VAR and was very popular among fans. VAR is a different and newer addition to help referees in certain other decisions. Would you like to see VAR fully removed or what type of restrictions would you like to see?
DeleteYes in my opinion I believe that this is on helping the game. Yes you can make the point that the game is sowing down because of this but at least human errors are starting to get corrected more and more with reviewing what we are seeing. Human error is fine for professional sports and hopefully one day robots never referee games but im completely fine with a review systems to get a second look at what happened.
ReplyDelete-Chris Capachietti
Thanks for the response! I agree with you that decreasing human error is worth the cost of a slower game. I also agree that human error is part of the world of sports. Games that are refereed by robots would be less exciting. Having a slight touch of randomness from potential bad referee calls adds to the excitement of the game.
DeleteI agree another thing that could end up causing the problem with that as well would be bringing up the debate with rigging of sports. If a call is obvious and they go back and review it and still don’t change it this causes alot of concerns . You have seen this alot in the NBA and NFL and this has caused alot of concern in fans across those platforms.
Delete-Chris Capachietti
That is true. Ensuring the correct call is made every time does make rigging sports games harder. The refs have much less control over the game so they could not dictate an outcome. It will be interesting to see if any VAR calls that are blatantly incorrect cause concern in fans to the same extent as what is seen in the NBA and NFL, as you mentioned.
DeleteI think VAR has been a significant aid in the world of soccer. As we've seen in the NBA, NFL, and MLB, video replay, although annoying, it has been able to more accurately referee the game. Despite the petty annoyances of the system, it still has been able to show the correct call more often than a normal referee.
ReplyDelete- Jack Winston
Personally, I see VAR as a tool that helps ensure fair play and accurate decision-making in football. The statistics showing increased referee accuracy with VAR I believe it benefits the sport by reducing errors that could unfairly impact the outcome of matches. However, I understand fans' concerns and also believe there is a loss of the old-fashioned elements and traditions of sports since refs contribute to the atmosphere of the games.
ReplyDeleteI think VAR in certain situations has helped make sure that a certain play was called fairly. Having that second review can be extremely beneficial, especially when looking at the statistics you've included about how often refs are correct in their calls. But, in my opinion, it has also messed up the game or made it too unfair one too many times. Firstly, I think turning to technology can make the game feel less authentic and too technical, and it slows down the pace of the game. I can also think of a few times where VAR should have been used, but the ref clearly didn't want to use it. Since European football has pushed the use of VAR in its games, seeing moments where, for example, there was a clear penalty, but the ref did not want to use VAR to review it, has made me frustrated as a sports fan because I would question why VAR exists if they're not going to use it. So when thinking about the future of VAR, I think it should be restricted a little bit, but doesn't need to fully be removed.
ReplyDeleteJake, your insights on VAR illuminate the tension between technological accuracy and the emotional experience of football. While VAR improves decision-making accuracy, as you noted, from a jump to 99% with its use, it does interrupt the spontaneous joy of goal celebrations, impacting the fans' experience. The disparities in acceptance across different demographics suggest a generational and experiential divide in opinions. Although VAR's precise rulings are crucial for fairness, finding a balance to maintain football's fluidity and excitement is essential. A more streamlined use of VAR, focusing on reducing decision time, could help preserve the game's pace while retaining the benefits of technology. -Logan Gornbein
ReplyDeleteThe introduction of VAR in football has transformed the dynamics of goal scoring moments, replacing immediate celebrations with anticipation as fans await the referee's decision. Despite its limited use for game-changing situations, such as goals, and red card incidents, many fans express frustration over the frequency of VAR interventions. The implementation of VAR also disrupts the flow of the game by introducing pauses. However, despite fan discontent, VAR has significantly improved referee accuracy providing players with more control over match outcomes. I think VAR should continue to be utilized just on a more restrictive note.
ReplyDeleteThe introduction of VAR in football represents a significant shift towards prioritizing accuracy in officiating over the uninterrupted flow of the game. While it understandably frustrates fans and players with its delays, the improvement in decision accuracy from 95% to 99% highlights its value in ensuring fairness in crucial game moments. This debate underscores a fundamental tension between the traditional pace of football and the modern emphasis on precision. Whether VAR is viewed as a necessary evolution or a disruptor largely depends on one's perspective on the balance between these two aspects of the sport.
ReplyDelete-Sam
DeleteDespite its limited application to pivotal incidents like goals and red card decisions, many supporters voice discontent over the frequency of VAR interventions, which disrupt the game's rhythm with pauses. Nevertheless, notwithstanding fan grievances, VAR has notably enhanced referee precision, granting players greater influence over match outcomes. I think we should continue implementation of VAR, albeit with tighter controls. While it has proven invaluable in ensuring fairness in specific instances, its reliance on technology risks diluting the game's authenticity and decelerating its pace. Moreover, the selective use of VAR by referees, particularly in cases where its application could rectify clear errors, has left fans disillusioned. Measures should be taken to mitigate its impact on the flow of the game and ensure its consistent utilization by match officials.
ReplyDeleteI think you gave a great perspective on both sides of VAR. In my opinion it is absolutely necessary in the day and age of social media to have video review to make the correct calls. However, recently it has become too long. I think this is very similar to the introduction of the challenge in the NBA in that reviews are taking too long. This has caused fan frustration with the review system as they want the right calls to be made, however they don't want to wait 15 minutes for the game to resume. What do you think about perhaps putting a time limit for officials to review?
ReplyDelete-Thomas Crow
Great post Jake! I believe that even though VAR might slow down the game and hurt the flow, it is extremely imperative to have. The refs are there to manage and rule the game but at the end of the day, they are human and just like anyone they make mistakes. VAR ensures that mistakes will not be made which can reduce the amount of game changing plays that refs may miss. It does not get rid of the refs and their importance, but it just helps them make the right calls. I think that more sports can implement similar technology like baseball for example. They could use this technology so that strikes and balls are called correctly.
ReplyDelete- Benji