Pro
By Lilah Solove / Staff Reporter
As technology rapidly expands into the sports world, many sports such as basketball and tennis have started to implement AI technology into their system of refereeing. Automated refereeing greatly improves the experience for both players and fans by producing more accurate, timely and consistent calls and eliminating potential bias.
Although human referees receive training before stepping onto the field or the court, the fast-paced nature and disrupted perception during games can lead to inaccurate calls. AI refereeing is a great solution to these human errors with the use of ball tracking, offside detection and motion-capture technology.
According to Scientific American, Hawk-Eye Live and Video Assistant Referee are two examples of AI that are changing the game. The high-resolution cameras and algorithms used in these devices can detect when a player steps offsides, a tennis ball lands out of bounds and how far away a basketball player takes their shot from. This technology better reflects the team’s skills, rather than in a game judged by a human.
These automated refereeing systems are built using complex algorithms that remain the same throughout the duration of a game or match, creating a more fair environment for the athletes. AI refereeing will also remove any chance of unfair bias from human referees. Human referees are not allowed to favor one team over another, but they are still humans and can exhibit biased opinions, whether consciously or subconsciously.
On the other hand, AI is a robot that is incapable of expressing emotions, so automated refereeing ensures each team will experience justified penalties.
AI technology will minimize the chance of injury to those participating, which is a crucial reason why sports have set rules to protect those playing. For example, if a player is demonstrating behavior that could put others at risk of injury, they may receive a foul and be removed from the game for a certain amount of time.
Automated refereeing has been adopted into the sports world, and the benefits are clear. Some may say these innovations take away the human element of games, but it is important to understand it is unrealistic for athletic competitions to remain tech-free in a modern world. This technology has and will continue to improve the flow of sports games.
Con
By Zoe Geldis / Staff Reporter
Sports stadiums and rules have changed many times throughout the years, but the one constant that has remained is referees. Referees are a crucial part of games, no matter the sport, because a single call can determine the outcome of a game. However, virtual programs like Video Assistant Referee are slowly replacing human referees. Technology should not be used to officiate games because it can be inaccurate and significantly prolong games unnecessarily.
According to the Olympics website, VAR has been implemented in soccer matches to aid referees. The designated VAR team typically consists of an official and three assistants, and they monitor the game from several angles and alert the on-field referee when they’ve made a mistake.
VAR doesn’t make a decision instantaneously. It can take several minutes to examine a single play, which can be frustrating to spectators, especially when viewers want to know if they should celebrate or protest a call.
A similar issue exists in the baseball world. According to NPR, the MLB is testing out the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System during spring training games. If a player challenges the call of a ball or strike, ABS utilizes cameras around the ballpark to see where the pitch was when it crossed home plate.
Each team is given two challenges per game. If a challenge is successful, the team gets to keep the challenge and use it again. However, if the umpire’s call stands, the challenge is lost. Because a team can challenge multiple times, this could create interruptions that lengthen the game.
Technology isn’t always accurate. According to Scientific American, the NBA uses AI to measure how far away from the hoop a player is standing when he attempts a three-pointer. On one occasion, Peyton Watson of the Denver Nuggets scored a corner shot from 30 feet away. This wasn’t remotely possible since that would’ve placed Watson out of bounds behind the opposing team’s bench.
Some may argue the use of technology eliminates referee bias. However, the NBA only appoints experienced referees to officiate championship games, many of whom have refereed numerous finals before, which reduces the risk of biases and bad calls when it matters most.
At this moment, technology is simply not advanced enough to be a reliable replacement for human referees.