Referee Advice From 3,500 Miles
The National Football League has introduced details of its new GameDay Central service, which allows officials access to a new instant replay review system to make a more informed choice on reviewed plays, whilst also reducing game time by quickly presenting the referee with the indicative angle needed – including for games in London.
Overseen by Dean Blandino, NFL Vice President of Officiating, and located in the NFL’s centralised office in New York, GameDay Central is a high-tech studio that screens all NFL matches simultaneously. For every game, including the NFL games taking place in London, Blandino has direct contact with the referee on the field and the replay official at the stadium.
Every game is watched on four screens in Manhattan by a member of Blandino’s officiating staff.
One screen is the programme feed, which is what the TV viewers are seeing. Another screen is the view that the referee sees under the hood; the third screen is a touch screen that shows every angle from the in-stadium cameras; finally these specifically chosen angles can then be replayed on the fourth screen.
Therefore any play that is contested is highlighted to Blandino. He then selects the most reliable video angle to judge the play, allowing the pitch side referee to quickly make a decision as soon as he arrives under the hood to review the play.
Commenting on the technology, Blandino said: ‘On average there are 1.6 reviews per game so it is essential that the official gets these decisions right. By introducing GameDay Central we have not only sped-up games but we have also enabled officials to be 98% accurate on all of their decisions made, including reviews.’
Alistair Kirkwood, NFL UK managing director, added: ‘It may seem unusual that key advice can be provided from so far away but GameDay Central is at the forefront of cutting edge technology and has been proven to work. So if a vital call is made on Sunday at Wembley, GameDay Central will help ensure that the right decision is made.’
