Upcoming Technological Innovations in the Premier League
As a part of our series of articles covering technologies implemented in the Premier League, today we will be looking at EPL innovations that are confirmed or possible for the coming years.
Our previous articles on this topic explore the connection between Premier League and technology, systems such as Hawk-Eye and Goal-Line Technology, how the EPL has improved its broadcasting methods, as well as the divisive subject of VAR.
Today we will delve into the upcoming semi-automated offside detection and the referee camera experiment.
Semi-Automated Offside System
This is an innovation that has been already decided upon and will be implemented starting next season.
In a unanimous vote back in April, the 20 Premier League teams decided on having the system available at the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign.
It is not something completely new in football, as it has been used for the first time at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. While at that tournament the technology used involved a sensor in the ball to track its acceleration, the version we will see in the EPL will be somewhat different, more like how it is used in the Champions League.
The Premier League has not yet announced more details about the type of detection used, but once contracts are signed we are bound to have more details.
Other important European leagues have already been using this tech, with Serie A and the Bundesliga offering good examples of the benefits of this system. The best thing to come out of it is the considerably shorter waiting periods for confirming an on-field offside decision.
The way it works in these leagues, as well as the UCL, is by player movements being tracked by multiple cameras which record data points on parts of the body that are relevant for offside decisions. This data is then processed by artificial intelligence (AI), which produces a 3D offside line that is shown to the VAR officials.
If the same system is used in the Premier League (which is likely), the estimation is that it will save an average of 30 seconds per decision compared to the current manual line-drawing system. It should also help to avoid high-profile mistakes in the future.
“The technology will provide quicker and consistent placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and will produce high-quality broadcast graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters,” the Premier League stated.
Body Cameras
While this is something that has only been done as an experiment a couple of times, we find it an intriguing tech that can enhance the fans’ viewing experience.
After Bruno Guimarães and Youri Tielemans wore body cameras in pre-season games last summer, the Premier League took another step towards the possible implementation of similar tech in the future.
“SANDRO…ONE TWO!” Bruno Guimaraes Mic’d up vs Aston Villa | Premier League Summer Series
Earlier this month, for the game between Crystal Palace and Manchester United, referee Jarred Gillett was equipped with a RefCam, which would allow others to see the match from the official’s perspective.
Unfortunately the footage was not released to the public immediately, as the Premier League described it as a one-time experiment as a part of a documentary. However, they did assure us that the video will be published at a later date. It is likely that the EPL will consider a permanent implementation of this technology if the documentary is a success.
The same technology was used in a pre-season game between Arsenal and an MLS All-Stars team last summer. You can have a look at the footage below.
REF CAM | MLS All-Stars vs Arsenal
We feel that it would be a great broadcasting development to be able to see firsthand how players and referees interact with each other, as well as reactions of the players and coaches to the officials’ decisions.