[Jon]

It’s less likely to happen though. Unlike the NFL they already have that deal worth $2.7 billion according to that. Of course the Premier League would like more, but would it be enough more to make up for the fan and political pressure. Not quite the same but just look at the reaction to the European Super League, and that shows governments here will get involved. Presumbly the Premier League won’t do things that will attract calls for more regulation either.

[Brekkie]

Not sure if the Premier Leagues deal to basically control the FA Cup includes the Community Shield too but that is the match to test the waters with - the equivalent in some other leagues has already moved abroad. Doubt the FA would want to lose the Wembley date though.

I'd like to think league games are still a non-starter but sport is basically all for sale now. No doubt clubs will take the money then managers will complain they have to play again four days after playing abroad.

[RhysJR]

As previous seen at the likes of the Women's World Cup, referees in the Premier League next season will announce to the crowd decision changed via VAR.

I haven't been to a stadium with this in use, but from what I've seen via TV it's neithe4 here nor there in being a big improvement for me. Still don't understand why football's video review system is so much more secretive and less public friendly than in sports like cricket and rugby.

www.espn.com 

Webb: Premier League referees set to explain VAR decisions - ESPN
Premier League referees could soon explain VAR decisions to stadium crowds and t…
  Source: www.espn.com

[Brekkie]

It's not announcing the decision that's needed, it's the explanation behind the decision - and you get that by hearing any discussion between the ref and VAR.

Guess the difference with the TMO in rugby is that the ref usually calls the TMO into action and in recent years it's evolved into a communication between the two, whilst the VAR seems to automatically come into action and its only if the ref goes to a monitor they're nothing more than the messenger.

[Neil Jones]

It's not announcing the decision that's needed, it's the explanation behind the decision - and you get that by hearing any discussion between the ref and VAR.

Guess the difference with the TMO in rugby is that the ref usually calls the TMO into action and in recent years it's evolved into a communication between the two, whilst the VAR seems to automatically come into action and its only if the ref goes to a monitor they're nothing more than the messenger.

I've never understood why in football you can never hear any of the ref discussions. They're obviously miked up to something somewhere, but it never goes any further. Its in contrast to rugby and many other sports you can pretty much everything said and you get the full "Did Player 7 for Oxbridge get the ball down or was his arm in the way?" sort of thing.

[Brekkie]

Exactly. Even if initiated by the VAR there is communication with the ref and just hearing "We're checking for a possible offside... " would just give the transparency it's needed.

Heck though it took football about 20 years to catch up with video ref technology so maybe they'll get the process right in another 20 years.

[Newshound47]

The IFAB opposes the love broadcasting of real time communications and until they approve it any match that did so would be declared by FIFA as an invalid match.

[Rdd]

Might it have something to do with the much greater potential for, shall we say, strong language to be picked up by a referee mic in football (compared with rugby) than any principled objection to them being broadcast?

[Brekkie]

Of course rugby players famously never swear. I think the broadcasters would very much prefer to have the audio and the important bit comes from outside the ground anyway.

[Worzel]

They did a trial/test of mic'ing a football referee up in the UK in 1989.

Ref David Elleray famously took part in the experiment in a match between Arsenal and Millwall but the Arsenal players were apparently not told he was mic'd up. It led to massive controversy as one of the Arsenal players alleged the ref was a cheat in one of his decisions and caught all the foul language during the game.

youtu.be 

Some might say that if football ref's are mic'd up for the duration of a match it will stop the swearing which is a problem in both the men's and women's games.

In rugby ref's have worn mic's for ages as you can get a match day radio and listen to the decisions in real time in the stadium.

If they turn the ref's mic on for VAR decisions its definitely a step in the right direction as some of the decisions take an age, leaving the crowd and viewers a little frustrated.

It's been trialled in Australia too...

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