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stem in sports: technology
Making the Right Calls
T
he
ever
-
improving world of
video
technology
has turned watching sports on TV into
a series of timeouts. Most pro leagues
now use some form of instant replay video
to help on-court or on-field officials make
sure they make the right call. The NFL has in-
creased its use of instant replay every year
since it first started experimenting with re-
play as far back as 1978. The current system
has been in place since 1999, though it is con-
stantly updated with new tech and new rules.
In 2014, Major League Baseball jumped in
with both feet, creating a centralized system
that umpires can use to review calls chal-
lenged by managers. The NBA lets officials
look at courtside monitors to see if a three-
point shot was taken “outside the arc,” or if a
shot was successfully attempted before time
expired. The NHL uses replay on disputed
goals. In the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, the
eventual champion Los Angeles Kings were
awarded a key goal in an early round game
only after officials huddled around a monitor
to make sure it was a legal shot.
Fans in general have supported the use of
replay, as the bottom line for all parties is:
Was that the right call? Critics believed that
taking the “human element” out of sports—
that is, the decisions by officials—was tak-
ing something away from the sport itself.