Premier League to make huge change with referee trial in opening matches

The Premier League is planning to test Ref Cams in selected matches during their opening weekend of fixtures as they consider making the new technology a permanent feature of televised games for the rest of the season.

Sky Sports and TNT Sports support the innovative idea with clubs also giving their approval to the trial. The Premier League and broadcasters have embraced the new technology, which they believe will enhance the viewer’s TV experience.

Ref Cams do not offer live footage, but they can be used to provide near-instant replays of match incidents from a different angle. The PGMOL, who have come under fire for some of their decision making, are also supportive of the concept which will give an insight into the difficulty of refereeing matches.

They also believe it will show how officials sometimes have a limited view of crucial incidents, reports The Guardian, which will potentially change the public perception about errors they can make.

FIFA trialled Ref Cams at this summer’s Club World Cup with the chair of their refereeing committee Pierluigi Collina saying the experiment had gone “beyond expectations”. After a review of the tournament the IFAB, football's lawmakers, gave their approval for the Ref Cam trial to be extended to domestic competitions last month.

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The Premier League later trialled the new equipment in the final two matches of their pre-season tournament in the US, which included Manchester United's clash with Everton in Atlanta. Ref Cam technology will see the referees wearing cameras on their right ear, which is connected to a microphone and transmitter, which sends video to the broadcasters.

The PGMOL has been looking to bring in such a innovation for some time and referee Jarred Gillett wore a head-mounted Ref Cam during a Premier League match between Crystal Palace and the Red Devils in a trial last year.

Footage was only broadcast in a highlights programmes at a later date, but it served to show what could be done in-game. The Premier League also trialled chest-mounted GoPro cameras in its US Summer Series two years ago without broadcasting the action during matches.

During the Club World Cup the Ref Cam footage was shown on big screens at the stadiums and was also broadcast by DAZN during the games - which is something the Premier League want to replicate. FIFA is also expected to approve the innovation for the World Cup next summer after seeing its success at the Club World Cup.

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