The Premier League has officially launched a new social media account dedicated specifically to refereeing. This new account, @PLMatchCentre on X, will explain referee and VAR decisions in real time. The account will be set up and active for the entire 2024/25 Premier League season. The upcoming season is set to begin on Friday 16 August when Manchester United host Fulham.
Many fans are increasingly frustrated with VAR in England. Although the league is the crème de la crème, the refereeing is undeniably disappointing. Coaches, players and team managers are also angry about VAR. Wolves had already tried to ban the technology earlier this summer.
The move did not work, however, as Wolves were the only Premier League team to vote to abolish VAR. Nevertheless, officials in the English top flight acknowledged that there are problems and will introduce improvements to the way the game is managed.
One of the biggest changes is the use of semi-automatic offside technology (SAOT). The technology reduces frustrating delays by quickly determining whether a player is offside or not. Premier League referees will also make announcements in the stadium following VAR calls.
The new X-Account offers fans almost live VAR explanations for every game
The new social media account offers fans a quicker way to find out about specific refereeing decisions. This is the first such move by Premier League officials in the league’s history. The account also offers current updates on all topics related to refereeing in the English top flight.
“The account will publish factual explanations of refereeing decisions on the field of play and the involvement of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), including the role of technology in the decision-making process,” the Premier League said in a statement.
“With no live VAR audio feed, as this is not permitted in football, the Premier League Match Centre can rely on near-live social media information from the VAR Hub during a match.”
The Premier League Match Centre at Stockley Park is essentially the central hub for the league. Since 2019, it has also been the home of VAR in England. Stockley Park is connected to all 20 Premier League stadiums and their broadcast partners around the world.
Premier League fans had to wait days for official clarification
The move to create an official social media account to explain VAR decisions will be applauded. After all, it is a tool that helps fans understand certain decisions. Plus, it will be much faster than the current alternative.
Controversial VAR decisions in the Premier League led to statements by former referee Howard Webb in the 2023/24 season Microphones for refereesHowever, the YouTube show was regularly broadcast days after the actual matches. Although Webb helped explain key VAR decisions, many fans were frustrated at having to wait so long for interpretations of the rules.
VAR is likely to continue to be a controversial and debated topic among football fans. However, the Premier League is at least introducing improvements to the system. On paper, these improve the use of the technology. A major point of contention regarding VAR is Why certain referee decisions happen. This new social media account aims to improve fans’ understanding.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
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