Technology In Sports: Will Football Ever Be The Same?

Technology had a big impact on football that might have changed how the game is played forever. The sport went from dodgy ref decisions to a more analyzed and thorough approach, which was advertised as a ticket to a fairer game.

Now, football is in the middle of a revolution, one driven not by players or tactics, but by technology. Things like VAR, wearable tech, and AI-driven analytics are now well embedded into the sport.

The question is: will football ever feel the same again, or should we get used to the new standards?

Let’s break down the impact of technology on the sport and find out how it has changed football over the years.

VAR Technology

The not-so-new VAR technology changed football forever. Now, there is a lot of debate about whether or not this tech did any good for the sport.

The truth is, VAR is not perfect. Yes, this technology was designed to make each football game a level playing field where the big in-game decisions didn’t rely only on how good the ref’s eyes are.

But of course, we’ve seen many situations where even VAR made a mistake.

Next, there is the disruption of the tempo, which leads many people to say that VAR technology is actually bad for the sport.

We’ve seen VAR decisions that are so close that it takes them minutes to come up with the correct decision, and sometimes they get it wrong.

So, VAR had its moments, that’s for sure.

The idea, though, is solid. It uses technology to back up refs and get the big calls right. Nowadays, football matches are tracked by many cameras and sensors, which means that offsides are now measured down to millimeters.

But here is the deal: this slowed things down. Most football fans would agree that we are talking about a sport that’s all about flow, passion, and non-disruptive play. So, waiting for a bloke to draw lines on a screen kills the vibe a bit, doesn’t it?

Fans are split on this decision. Some think that VAR has made the game fairer, while others say that it sucked the soul out of the sport. What do you think?

Wearable Technology and Data

Next, we have wearable technology that has been used in football for a couple of years now. This is a less controversial technology, and a technology (for the most part!) with positive feedback from everyone involved.

Athletes now wear technology that tracks their movement, vital signs, and other things like pace, speed, distance covered and etc. All of this data can be used to fine-tune athletes and get the most out of them.

Additionally, this technology has been proven very helpful in avoiding injuries, which is a big deal in professional football.

The data from such trackers is now used by trainers, the medical team, and even the manager when creating strategies, and it is hard to imagine a professional team without such data in modern football.

Lastly, these wearable devices collect data that is also useful for fans. Bettors use to analyze matches and make a prediction, and the sport has become more entertaining for casual fans, especially for the half-time break, where we can analyze a bunch of things as we wait for the second half.

AI and Analytics

Since we are speaking about data, it is worth mentioning AI. Nowadays, artificial intelligence is everywhere, even in football. The days when managers used to rely on that gut feeling and experience are gone, as they now use powerful software that is capable of analyzing different scenarios.

The idea is simple – you put millions of data points such as pass completion rates, distance, pace, formations, and many other things, and the algorithm with super-human abilities runs simulations and gives you a strategy for the most optimal results.

For fans, it is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, we are talking about fascinating technology that has already made its way into other sports like horse racing. People are already using horse betting promotions to place a bet on a horse suggested by AI.

Yes, it is a bit crazy, but that’s what makes it fun. Generally, artificial intelligence will have a positive impact on football, at least that’s what the experts say.

The Fan Experience

Lastly, let’s talk about the most important thing – the fan’s experience. If technology changes football to a point where each game feels boring to watch and is predictable, we have a problem.

Why? Well, all of the things like the uncertainty of matches and the shady (debatable) ref calls make football great and fun to watch.

However, on the other hand, technology really made watching football more interesting. Nowadays, you can dive into the data tracked by cameras and wearable gadgets and use AI to understand the sport even better or get real-time stats while you’re watching your favorite team.

Lastly, technology has also made football more accessible all across the world, and that’s a big thing for the popularity of sport.

Final Thoughts

Technology is not perfect, and that’s a fact. But we cannot know if we don’t try, right? Some of these tech solutions will be remembered as a failed attempt to improve football, while others will have a massive impact on the sport.

However, this isn’t the end. In the future, we expect even more tech innovations to have an impact on the sport.