Sport

Communities

Just About

Video Games

Critter Café

Farming Simulator 25

Elite Dangerous

SMITE 2

EVE Online

Minecraft

Pokémon

Content Creators

Sport

There’s more to love

Help shape the future of our platform as we build the best place to express and enjoy your passions, whatever they may be.

Join now

Sport

Feed Rewards Curated

Sport

Total Paid $20

Suggest improvements for VAR in football!

Posted by Ford James in Sport

It's safe to say VAR (Video Assistant Referee) hasn't been the technological marvel to improve football everyone hoped it would be, especially when it comes to the Premier League. There's even been talk of scrapping it entirely, though that's unlikely to happen any time soon.

So let's put our collective minds together and suggest ways VAR should be improved in football! Consider how it's currently used and the issues it has right now regarding implementation, accuracy, and the sorts of decisions it's used for, and explain what you'd change in at least 50 words to win $2!

already paid

$20 / 32

Reward details

This reward closed to entries at 4:26pm on July 9, 2024 but you can still reply, react, and join the conversation below! If you’d like to enter other rewards which are still open, click here.

Created at 1:14pm, 28th June, 2024. Page last updated at 10:31pm, 8th July, 2024.
Deadline at 11:00pm, 8th July, 2024.

MURRRAAAAY 7/8/2024, 10:31:22 PM

I would only use var for offside or goal line decisions but I would alter the parameters to allow the game to flow more. What I would alter would be offside for example, as I am sure that originally this rule was to be used it a player was blatantly offside, not the way it is used today which is ridiculous where an attackers boot can be 1mm infront of the last defenders boot or body and it is ruled offside, that’s complete BS, it should only be if the person is obviously breaching the rule by being obviously out of line say with the defender.

Now a lot of you might say no difference between being a inch offside or a mile offside but I say there is as the enjoyment and the excitement of the sport is getting drained away with constant start stop and minuscule differences being taken as gospel, let the game flow, let the players go at each other and stop having players rely and use VAR as a method of playing the game, it should only be there as a safety net.

TheGreatestBanana12 7/8/2024, 10:20:31 PM

I think of the main problems is that it still too inconsistent I think one think that would help would be more intensive training for everyone using it , there also needs to be a universal communication that the VAR refs communicate with the ref to avoid any mistakes cause my misunderstandings between them.

If AI can be introduced I think that will improve things eventually and help speed things up. I also think the VAR refs should have more of a final say in some situation to reduce the time need to make check instead of needing the ref to have to run over to the screen to check it for themselves.

Mainly I just think everyone needs to have better training or there needs to be some sort on conses on a universal training.

taha 7/8/2024, 10:19:27 PM

I think VAR maybe has become overused in the decade since it has been introduced in the Premier League, but thinking back to why it was introduced in the first place, it would be crazy to scrap it altogether and risk clear goals be disallowed and offsides not be given when they are.

One thing that I can understand is technology every once in a while not getting it right or not working as it should but after years of it being part of the game and getting it right time after time with only a handful of mishaps, it has gotten more efficient and less invasive when it comes to the flow of football matches.

Where it could be improved is perhaps in how it is used by the referees and officials, with more of an 'only if absolutely necessary' rather than being relied on in every instance or decision, especially because it came about largely from the idea of goal-line technology and not just from decisions being made about offsides and fouls.

While I agree that it has absolutely improved football for the better, there are sometimes some jobs that are best left to people and I think there just might need to be a balance between the two and the approach of using technology to make the decisions easier for the officials as opposed to making the decisions for them.

Shovel 7/8/2024, 9:19:24 PM

VAR is something that can always be improved on tbh, one of the things that could use a lot of work is transparency in the decision making side of things. It would be good for us as an audience to actually hear the conversations between the referees of the field and the VAR team. Having that could create an”behind the scenes” look at their thought process this can help us understand why a certain decision has been make and makes sure it eliminates any frustration and confusion.

As a fan, even the players and coaches, if we can hear why a goal wasn’t allowed or like why a penalty has or hasn’t been awarded.

i think this could really make a massive difference for the fans!

Limal 7/7/2024, 8:35:09 PM

I'm not a huge football fan, and I was about to drop a mediocre response, but yesterday I witnessed an interesting event at the pub that changed my perspective:

VAR is actually bad! The live eyes of the referee are part of the fun. I saw two groups of people argue for 10 minutes about what had just happened on the screen. They even forgot about the match itself, lol. While the teams were playing on the field, the fans were engaging with opposing fans outside. I think that's a big part of the entertainment.

Please note, I'm not talking about people yelling at each other or physical contact. They were sharing arguments, remembering historical moments, and having quite a loud but healthy conversation. Honestly, for me, it was more entertaining than watching the match.

To improve VAR, we should consider preserving the human element and the lively debates it sparks among fans. Instead of removing it entirely, maybe it could be used more sparingly, only for the most critical decisions, thus maintaining the balance between technology and the traditional, spirited discussions that make football so engaging.

SpecialEffectLiam 7/5/2024, 5:40:17 AM

Being a full time Manchester United fan/part time Ipswich Town fan, my biggest disappointment about Ipswich joining the premier league this year is not my two teams having to play one another but the fact that Ipswich will now be subjected to VAR.

Obviously my first suggestion would be to scrap it completely but sadly the clubs already voted against that.

My more realistic suggestion would be to stop the VAR being able to contact the referee first. Allow the referee on the pitch full authority to manage the game and VAR only supports when the on field referees feel they need clarification.

Other than that, a timer on all decisions, football is a game of speed and when you put things in slow motion it changes the reality of what happened. 30 seconds to make a decision should be enough to get a “clear and obvious” error sorted - that’s how long the phone a friend lifeline is

Josh B 7/4/2024, 12:09:22 PM

I think the AI assisted offside checks have been more efficient in the Euros which is one positive but when waiting a couple of minutes on the pitch for the ref to then run across to pitch side monitors for penalty checks is ridiculous.

The system has worked so well in rugby for donkeys with a TMO assisting so why is football so far behind?!

To help improve the system:

Audio of referee decisions and communication with the 4th official/VAR official will help clarify decisions and help with confidence and understanding from fans.
Limit VAR input to only key decisions--these would include offsides prior to a goal/goal involvement, Red cards, penalties. Anything else should be trusted to the man in the middle to avoid frequently disrupted play.

Sturmer 7/1/2024, 10:04:36 AM

My submission will be a true test of the JA community's tolerance for new ideas =)

VAR + AI

The idea is to integrate Artificial Intelligence with the Video Assistant Referee to enhance speed of decision-making and accuracy. Here’s how this combination could work and its potential benefits:

Automated Decision-Making where AI algorithms analyze video footage in real-time to make quick and accurate decisions on offside calls, goal-line breaches, etc. The AI can process data faster and more consistently than human referees and can use any number of data streams, be it sensors or hundreds of cameras.
AI systems can integrate multiple data sources, including player positions, speed, and historical data, to provide comprehensive insights and support referee decisions. Minimizing human error and bias, AI enhances the objectivity and fairness of decisions.
AI can assist referees in making more consistent and transparent calls. It doesn't matter how a goal looked to someone; with a high-speed camera, you can see frame by frame how the ball crossed the line.

Photo finish technology was first used in sports at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Given this long history in other sports, it was always weird to me why football didn't use objective fact capturing via photo/video tech until ~2013.

Dave 6/28/2024, 10:21:36 PM

I personally think it's should be used for offside and goal line decisions only. Essentially the binary simplicity of has the ball/player broken through a line.

Everything else should be left to the referees interpretation of the rules, because it's all part of the experience and fun of the game.

FirestormGamingTeam 6/28/2024, 8:01:21 PM

IMO VAR at this stage is a joke, we so so many matches where we hear the commentators say "We are just looking at VAR" and I have to say, a lot of the time. Certain decisions are questionable.

How can it be improved, it needs to be increased, personally. I think and I know this will be seen as "dumb" we need to have drones overhead following the players, higher up, so that each and every aspect of play, is recorded, each corner/goal post, low and higher cameras.

If we are going to use VAR in football, it needs to be done properly. Increasing said VAR is the way forward and also just being smarter about it, but people i.e ref's need to be less, biased, a lot of high-end matches you can clearly see biased ref's and increasing VAR, would not allow them to say, award penalties, free kicks without proof it actually happened and wasn't faked.

I know what I'm trying to say, hope this made sense.

Toretto 70 6/29/2024, 12:33:05 PM

Transparency and Communication: One of the key areas for improvement in VAR is enhancing transparency and communication during the decision-making process.

Efficiency and Speed: To address concerns about interruptions and delays caused by VAR reviews, efforts should be made to streamline the process and make it more efficient.

Consistency in Decision-Making: Ensuring consistency in applying VAR across different leagues and competitions is crucial for its credibility.

Zeref_Vermilion 7/3/2024, 6:45:43 AM

Here are my suggestions for improving var quality

1. Clear and Consistent Communication

Better Explanation to Fans: Improve the way decisions are communicated to fans in the stadium and viewers at home. Clear, real-time explanations through stadium screens and broadcasters can help fans understand the reasoning behind decisions, usually these are often not broadcast, leaving fans confused.

Open Microphone: Allow referees to explain their decisions over an open microphone, this transparency can reduce confusion and frustration among players and fans.

2. Speed Up the Process

Time Limits: Introduce a reasonable time limit for VAR reviews to reduce match disruption. If a decision can't be made within that time, the decision on the pitch will stand, I hate it when var decisions that have exceeded 2 minutes.

3. Improving Technology

Improved Camera Angles: Invest in more and better camera angles to cover every part of the field comprehensively. This can help in making more accurate decisions, such as the Japan vs Spain incident in the last world cup which was confusing because of the lack of angles,

Artificial Intelligence Assistance: Use artificial intelligence to help VAR officials identify potential fouls quickly. AI can help in areas such as offside decisions by accurately determining a player's position.

4. Transparency and Accountability
Post-Match Reports: Publish detailed post-match reports explaining VAR decisions, including video evidence and referee explanations. This can help build trust in the system.

Rewards (and other cool stuff) inside!

Not only are there great reward submissions to check out, but some of the best conversations on the internet are happening here - and our members are getting rewarded for having them. Don't miss out!