9781422286784

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.

stem in sports: technology

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