My Position

I believe that many sports should adopt the limited use of video replay. Many of of the sports yet to do this sorely need to because of a constant string of controversial calls. While it is good that many sports do not wish do compromise the way that the game is played, they must realize that the times are changing and that they must modernize the sport as well. This has caused much controversy, because many sports want to leave the sport the same way that it has always and been, and not change anything. But if the technology is available, then there really is no reason not to use it. It will only help the sport progress so that it is completely fair. Recently, Major League Baseball has began to use limited use of video replay to determine whether balls are homeruns and if they are fair or foul balls. This was the right choice, because while modernizing the sport, they have not made the job of the umpire absolete; they still play a major roll in the game of baseball. The NBA uses video replay from time to time to make sure if a player got a shot off in time or not. In the NHL, referees use replay to figure out if the puck went over the goal line. These sports are using video replay but only very limited. They do not review every little thing, because there are specific situations in which they can use video replay. Even tennis is considering using replay to determing whether a shot landed on the line or out of bounds. Many other sports, including soccer, are seriously considering the use of video replay.

Pros/Cons

Pros: Video replay is one of the newest and up and coming things in sports. Many major sports have already embraced it, while several more have began with limited use. Many of of the sports that are holding out on this are still considering whether to use it or not. Video replay can help make correct calls on controversial plays that without video replay have no way to be reviewed. Instead of debates over a call raging for days, it could be settled the moment a problem arises. Many people argue that if the technology is available, then why should sports not use it. Replays can save time in games because instead of arguing for several minutes, a referee or umpire can simply look at the replay and make the decision in mere seconds. Why not use video replay, a thing that will help revolutionize many sports and erase the commonality of bad calls?

Cons: One of the major issues that many people have with video replay is that it may compromise the integrity of the game. For baseball, people argue that part of baseball is the human error that has been part of the game for so long. A human element is necessary to make sports what they are, and using video replay to overrule calls is taking away from that. Video replay will only save time in some instances, because of calls that are hard to judge, replay footage will be needed to see multiple times whereas without video replay a decision needs to be made after only one view.


My Position: For my paper, I will defend the limited use of video replay. Limited video replay is necessary in order to satisfy both sides. There are restrictions on when it can be used, which are only used in specific situations. This will allow sports to maintain their human elements and modernize at the same time.

The Issue

The topic that i am researching is the effects of video replay in sports. What does it do for the sport? What does it take away? The use of video replay in sports has many different effects on sports. Many people believe that it takes away from the human error that is part of the game, but other people think that it is inevitable for sports to become predominantly refereed by video replay. Many sports such as football have utilized video footage to help make calls, but other sports, like baseball have only recently began to have limited use of video replay for controversial calls. These sports may possibly expand using video to the point in which referees and umpires become almost useless.