Is technology making sport boring?

With Wimbledon announcing that human line judges will no longer be used from next summer, conversations in sport have turned to the impact new technology has had. From the debut of the third umpire in Test cricket in 1992 to the more controversial video assistant referee (VAR) in football, is sport becoming boring with this reliance on technology?

For some sports, the use of technology has now been around for decades. Cricket notably has used not only the third umpire but also Hawk-Eye since 2001 and Umpire Decision Review System (DRS) since 2011. Tennis has also employed the use of Hawk-Eye to determine whether a ball is in or out. These technologies can be requested by the players: tennis players get three opportunities to challenge the call while the opportunities in cricket depend on the format of the game.

The use of these technologies has been widely accepted as successful. Perhaps their longer use has allowed time for them to become established, or because sports such as tennis and cricket naturally lend themselves to use these technologies due to natural pauses in between plays. In these instances, technology has not made the sports boring but rather facilitated more accurate calls and a fairer game. Fans are also kept in the loop, with clear demonstrations of challenges and overturned decisions. In these sports, the technology works alongside the flow of the games.

If anything, the blunders made by VAR have provided more material for debate among fans and pundits

However, the same cannot be said for every sport. The introduction of VAR to the Premier League in 2019 sparked significant controversy. It was intended to help referees avoid clear and obvious errors by using different camera angles to confirm or alter on-field decisions such as red cards, penalties, and off-sides. Yet, it has been a source of debate since its onset.

One of the most infamous incidents occurred in a match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool last season. In it, a Liverpool goal was incorrectly flagged to be offside and subsequently disallowed, and VAR wrongly confirmed the decision. Spurs would go on to win the game. VAR remained under fire after the recording of the referees’ discussion revealed that they knew it should have been allowed, but play had already resumed.

But does this make the sport boring? If anything, the blunders made by VAR have provided more material for debate among fans and pundits. The frustration felt has united football fans across the country: a recent poll found that 90% of football fans believe that VAR should be changed or scrapped. But this isn’t boring, these conversations continue long after the final whistle, whether it’s in pubs, sitting rooms, or on the television.

While technology brings its own challenges to sports, it can not be said to be making them any less exciting

Though, for fans attending live matches, the experience differs. Delays for VAR decisions with no in-stadium replays often leave fans in the dark with no explanations for over-rulings. The excitement of the live action game is interrupted, which can be frustrating for fans.

Ultimately, technology was introduced into sport to enhance it. In sports that have proven to use it effectively, such as tennis and cricket, it is a useful development that makes the sport fairer and more accurate. It’s prompted more focus on the sport being played and negated human errors made by umpires and line judges. How can that be boring? Even in football, despite VAR’s flaws, it can’t be said that it has made the game dull, with every week bringing new controversies. While technology brings its own challenges to sports, it can not be said to be making them any less exciting.