Four ways that technology has improved football

Technology is absolutely everywhere, and it was only a matter of time before it started to permeate the world of sport. With systems like Hawkeye and VAR already in place, it seemed inevitable that it would happen, but in some cases, it is indeed making life easier, both from a player and spectator standpoint.

Jury out on VAR

For a spectator, the introduction of VAR has been a mixed bag. While it has been nice to see decisions being made correctly, there is still the concern that it sometimes takes too long. In addition, fans have been torn over the effects of the technology, with 63 percent of fans suggesting that it has made the game less enjoyable; however, it appears roughly 48 percent of viewers have accepted that it has improved the standard of refereeing, with increased accuracy and greater transparency becoming a key factor with the officials.

Fans can interact better

It is not just with VAR that you will see the fingerprints of technology. In fact, thanks to numerous technological advancements, it is now possible to watch your favorite teams play not only on your laptop or TV but also on a phone or tablet. This is great for fan engagement as it means you can watch matches wherever you like with apps and various sites and subscriptions. Furthermore, this has removed the need for fans to feel they have searched for streams of every game after feeling they had been priced out of the market, taking the risk of adding viruses to their computer system every time they wanted to see a match. With this in mind, it cannot be understated how much fans seem to have benefitted from the technological advances of the last few years.

It’s bridged a gap

It might seem odd to suggest this but technology might well have strengthened the relationship between players and fans, not least because of social media. Through this, it is possible to see what players do before a game, and you can be updated with everything relating you your club. In addition, some players do blogs and interviews on their routines, which you can view here as they look to give fans some sort of insight into the inner workings of a footballer’s mind. From a fan perspective, this can be great as it helps to reduce the sense that players are different from them and adds a more human aspect.

There are health benefits

It is not just in terms of fan engagement that technology improved significantly; there have also been numerous advances in science and medicine designed to safeguard players’ long-term health. For example, some companies are working on headbands specifically designed to measure the impact of heading the ball. With so many former players developing dementia in recent years, will most of it be linked to the sustained ball heading over a long period? In addition, it is possible to track how much people are running as well so that you can see the effects of training sessions on the body, making it easier to tailor sessions specifically for different needs.