Every Premier League fixture has a Video Assistant Referee (VAR), who watches the game on television screens to help advise the on-field referee. This technology aims to reduce incorrect decisions that can have serious consequences for the outcome of a match. You can see this on Sunday night football on NBC.

However, many fans and punters using free betting tips argue that VAR slows the flow of the game by causing lengthy delays in reviewing controversial incidents.

What is VAR?

There are some football fans that have heavy criticism of VAR, especially in terms of whether it takes away from the human element of refereeing. However, it’s important to remember that VAR is simply an assistant referee and all decisions are still ultimately determined by the head referee of the match.

During the game, the referee will touch his or her ear to indicate that a review is taking place, and then signal with a TV screen when the process is complete. The referee will then communicate the final decision to the players and spectators inside the stadium.

There are four clear cases in which a VAR can review a video replay during a match:

How does VAR work?

VAR allows for officials to review decisions in a video operation room using multiple angles of the incident. This is supposed to help prevent human error and make the game fairer for all parties.

However, some fans argue that this technology takes away the drama and tense moments that make football so fun to watch. Additionally, the long wait time in between decisions can cause frustration for both players and fans.

Another concern with the use of VAR is that it may encourage bad habits in the game such as diving. If a referee can see on screen that a player is diving, then they can punish them accordingly.

In addition, studies have found that VAR negatively impacts perceptions of referees when used in ambiguous situations. This may be because it is perceived that the referee was trying to cheat the game. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider how the use of VAR in soccer will impact the sport.

How does VAR impact the game?

When VAR is working properly, it adds a level of precision that fans have long craved. But it can also be a bit of a nuisance – especially when the review process takes up time away from the actual game. A note flashes up on the big screen to say that an offside or other contentious decision is being reviewed, and everyone stops, cranes their necks to see what’s going on, and waits.

Item ranked 12 was developed on the assumption that VAR is only supposed to be used to correct “clear and obvious errors” (Premier League 2019b). However, in the first season of VAR, controversial decisions have been made over seemingly trivial issues like hair’s breadth offside calls, which has raised questions about whether clear and obvious errors are actually being judged properly.

How will VAR impact TV viewing?

As technology continues to influence the game of football, some fear that it will become too “digitalised” and lose its magic. For example, many fans are frustrated by having to wait to celebrate a goal until they receive confirmation from VAR. Others feel that digitalisation takes away from the uniqueness of a match by forcing players to play a certain way and managers to follow specific tactics.

Additionally, research has shown that matches with VAR have longer playing times due to the pauses in the game when an on-field review is conducted. In addition, the ambiguity of a VAR decision can cause confusion and frustration for fans attending in stadiums where big screens are not installed. Item ranked nine in our survey showed that most age groups had positive perceptions about the idea of having more than one expert referee in the VAR room. However, the youngest age group (age 18-23) had significantly more negative perceptions compared to the other three age groups with a one-tailed test.