The Role of Technology in Modern Sporting
Events: How It's Changing the Game
Technology and
sports have been closely linked for many decades now. Almost every sport has
changed in some way due to improvements in technology; whether it’s VAR and goal-line
technology or the improvements in the playing surfaces and equipment used by
players - technology has played a huge role in making sports safer, more fun
and more accessible.
In this article,
we’ll be looking at some of the biggest technological advancements in sports,
starting with arguably the most common use of technology in sports broadcasting
- the instant replay.
Instant
replay
Instant replay is
one of the most prevalent technological advancements and is used frequently in
many different sports around the world. It was first introduced in the 1960s
and has been used in sports including American football, European football,
basketball, baseball, hockey and tennis to name just a few.
Instant replay
not only improves the viewing experience for fans watching on TV but it also
assists referees so they can make better decisions on the field. Although some
people argue that it can interrupt the pace of a game or remove the human
element, it’s viewed by most people positively since it makes it easier to
analyze the game for both fans and officials.
Virtual reality
Although virtual
reality is still very much in its infancy, it’s being used more and more in
sports. Fans can experience games in VR that makes them feel like they’re
actually inside the stadium. The NBA has been particularly forward thinking
where VR is concerned and has made it a key part of their programming.
In the future, as
VR headsets become more lightweight, it’s likely they’ll be used by athletes
for training purposes to improve their game.
VAR and goal-line
technology
Two huge changes
that technology has brought about in European football is the use of Video
Assistant Referee (VAR) and goal-line technology. Goal-line technology has been
used widely in the sport for the last decade and has helped remove any element
of doubt about whether the ball is over the goal line or not.
VAR is another
big change that’s been recently introduced and although it can be
controversial, it has helped to provide officials with more information to base
their decisions on. It’s mostly used for offside calls, fouls and
penalties.
Streaming
Streaming has
become a huge business over the last decade or so and sports have definitely
benefited from this. Major streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video and
Hulu offer sports streaming as part of their schedule. In addition to this,
there are also dedicated streaming services for sports, including DAZN and
EPSN+.
Streaming has
helped various sports reach more fans and can be particularly good for growing
an audience for more niche sports that might otherwise struggle to reach a wide
audience. Those placing sports bets in Canada and worldwide can
follow live events via streaming.
Wearable
technology
Wearable tech has
become mainstream over the past few years and is now used by many people across
the world, including professional athletes. Lightweight and easy-to-use fitness
trackers enable athletes to precisely measure valuable metrics, including
calories burned, heart rate and steps taken among other things.
Wearable tech can
also help with things like improving sleep patterns and even detecting
potentially fatal issues, such as an irregular heartbeat.
Sensors
Sensors are
another way that technology has impacted sports in a very positive way. There
are a number of sports-specific sensors that are available now to help athletes
measure and improve their performance.
Sensors can be
put in balls or on the end of bats, in the case of baseball and can provide
players and their coaches with incredibly specific data to show the areas where
they need to improve.
Sensors aren’t
just used for training purposes though; they’re also used in live sports
events, with the balls used in the 2022 World Cup having sensors in them.
Social
media
Although it
doesn’t directly impact what happens in a game, the impact of social media on
sports in general has been huge. It’s given a way for fans to follow their
favorite players and directly interact with them. It’s also provided big sports
stars with a way to communicate directly without the need to go through an
agent or newspaper.
Conclusion
Technology has
clearly had a huge impact in the sports world. Advancements have made many
sports significantly safer as well as allowing for things like improved playing
conditions, a better experience for fans and growing the popularity of sports
with fans around the world.
In the future,
it’s very likely that there’ll be many technological innovations in sport that
we can’t even imagine.
