The 2023 NWSL season is at the halfway point and we’ve already seen how the newly instituted video assistant referee technology, otherwise known as VAR, can giveth and can taketh away. On paper using replay to correct or confirm calls on the field is great, we all want referees to get it right. However, VAR does have limitations and those limitations have been on full display almost every week.
But more on that later, some useful background information first:
How Does VAR Work?
As mentioned above, VAR stands for video assistant referee and it’s pretty much what it sounds like. A designated ‘referee’ who monitors the game via the video feeds, paying close attention to specific scenarios such as:
- Goal or no goal
- Fouls or offsides
- Penalty kick or no penalty kick
- Mistaken identity (when the referee gave the wrong player a yellow or red card)
- Red cards
They are mostly silent observers and only intervene if a “clear and obvious” call is missed on the field. Read more about the VAR review process here.
How Many Cameras Does VAR Use?
According to FIFA standards, which the NWSL meets, a minimum of 4 cameras is required: main wide, main tight, and two cameras that can be used to assess offside situations. Obviously more cameras would be helpful in replay situations as soccer fields are pretty damn big.
However, the thing about VAR is that it’s dependent on whatever camera angles are available from the TV broadcast. They do not have their own set of cameras.
How Many Cameras Does an NWSL Broadcast Use?
For the 2023 season the NWSL’s broadcast includes at least six cameras every match. Which, according to a Letter From the Commissioner to Fans written at the start of the season, is actually more cameras and better cameras than in the past.
For Comparison, How Many Cameras Does an MLS Broadcast Use?
According to a recent article from The Atlantic, the MLS and Apple TV’s recent broadcast deal has committed to double that:
“Sources indicated that MLS plans to use 12 cameras on every broadcast in 2023, while most local broadcasts to this point have used seven or eight cameras. The league has plans to potentially increase that number of cameras to 15-20 in later years of the deal.”
And for the very curious, the NFL typically uses 12-20 cameras. And we all know how much they love replays and video reviews.
So What Are the VAR Limitations in the NWSL?
If you haven’t already connected the dots, the limitations of VAR is with the lack of cameras being used during an NWSL broadcast.
With just six cameras there aren’t many angles to consult. Which makes it so much harder to meet that “clear and obvious” criteria. Instead we’ve been left with questionable calls on the field being confirmed or overturned with even more questionable video reviews. Many of which have really impacted the final results of these games.
And while it’s “nice” to see progress being made within the NWSL, both on the field and on TV, players and fans deserve a better broadcast package. This is a professional sports league with an excellent product. The current broadcast deal with CBS is set to expire at the end of the 2023 season and the TV rights are open for bidding, so here’s hoping we’ll see an improvement in quality come this time next year. It would be to the benefit of everyone: fans, players, and even the VAR.
