The English Premier League is set to introduce a new system to replace the controversial VAR technology for the 2024-25 season. The new approach will involve the use of Apple iPhones to assist with offside decisions and will mark a significant change to the way the league handles video-assisted refereeing.
Premier League's New Referee: iPhone Replaces VAR in Offside Decisions
The new system, called “Dragon”, was developed by Genius Sports and Second Spectrum. It will be used in all Premier League matches from this season. The technology will rely on at least 28 iPhones, specifically iPhone 14 models or later, placed around the pitch. These phones will be in waterproof cases and equipped with cooling fans, allowing them to shoot high frame rate video from different angles on the pitch.
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What makes Dragon unique is its ability to track a large amount of data for each player. The system can track between 7,000 and 10,000 points on each player, capturing details like body contours, muscle mass, and even skeletal structure. This level of detail helps provide more accurate offside decisions. The system records up to 100 frames per second. It provides a clearer view of when the ball is in play.
iPhones send this data to AI-powered software that analyzes footage to detect offside situations. However, even with this advanced technology, the final decision will still be made by human referees. This means the system is there to support referees, not replace them.
As well as improving offside detection, the Dragon system could have other uses in the future, such as creating digital twins of players for further analysis. As the Premier League prepares to implement this new system, fans are eager to see if it can fix the issues affecting VAR.
The use of iPhones in such a critical role highlights the growing connection between sport and technology. The move by the Premier League could inspire other leagues to consider similar innovations and potentially set a new standard for football refereeing.