Instant replay

For other uses of the term "Instant replay", see Instant replay (disambiguation).

Instant replay refers to a system where plays in a sporting match can be reviewed (or replayed) using recorded video feeds of the sporting match in order to ensure that the correct call is made on the play.

Instant replay is used in many pro-sports leagues including the National Hockey League, the National Football League & Canadian Football League, and the National Basketball Association. It made its debut in 1955, by George Retzlaff at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation during a broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada. Jim Wheeler erronously claims to have invented Instant Replay in 1964.

Starting with the 2005 season, the National Collegiate Athletic Association allowed the use of instant replay for all Division I-A football conferences, just a year after the Big Ten Conference experimented with replay. Instant replay is used sparingly in college basketball to resolve issues of time and score (such as whether a shot is a three-pointer) or to determine which player should shoot free throws following a foul.

American football

National Football League

Bill Cowher, former head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, throws the red challenge flag (visible in the upper left corner of the picture), indicating his desire to challenge the referees' ruling.

The National Football League adopted an Instant Replay system in 1999, bringing in the opportunity to "challenge" on-field calls of plays. The current system used mirrors a system used by the now defunct USFL in 1985. Each coach is allowed 2 opportunities per game to make a coach's challenge. Prior to the 2004 NFL season, the instant replay rule was slightly changed to allow a third challenge if both of the original two challenges were successful.

A challenge can only be made on certain review able calls before the two minute warning and only one in each half when the team has at least one time-out remaining in the half. When a coach decides to challenge a call, he throws a red flag onto the field, indicating the challenge to the referees. Up until the 2005 season, coaches could also signal a challenge via an electronic pager, now used only by the replay assistant.

The referee has 60 seconds to watch the instant replay of the play and decide if the original call was correct. The referee must see "indisputable visual evidence" for a call to be overturned. If the challenge fails, the original ruling stands and the challenging team is charged with a timeout. If the challenge overrules the previous call, the call is reversed with no loss of a timeout.

Because of the limited number of challenges, and the possible penalty of a lost timeout, coaches must reserve their challenges for key plays. A questionable call may not be challenged once the next play is underway, so coaches may be forced to make a quick decision without the benefit of seeing a replay on television or on the stadium screen. Often players on the field will signal to the coach if they believe the play should be challenged.

After the 2-minute warning of each half, and in overtime, reviews can only take place if the replay assistant, who sits in the press box and monitors the network broadcast of the game, determines that a play needs review. In those cases, the replay assistant will contact the referee by a specialized electronic pager with a vibrating alert.

One concern about replay that was addressed some years ago was the situation where a coach would seek a review of a non-challengeable call (such as being forced out of bounds, or in some cases to challenge a runner down by contact). Prior to the rule being clarified, a team would lose the challenge and a time-out. The current rule does not penalize a team in such a case, provided the rule is not abused or taken advantage of.

The NFL replay system currently only covers the following situations:

• Scoring plays
• Pass complete/incomplete/intercepted
• Runner/receiver out of bounds
• Recovery of a loose ball in or out of bounds
• Touching of a forward pass, either by an ineligible receiver or a defensive player
• Quarterback pass or fumble
• Illegal forward pass
• Forward or backward pass
• Runner ruled not down by contact
• Forward progress in regard to a first down
• Touching of a kick
• Other plays involving placement of the football
• Whether a legal number of players are on the field at the time of the snap

Note that the spot of the ball may be challenged in certain cases.

The current replay system replaced a previous system used during from 1986 through 1992; procedure similar to that of college football was used. From prior to 1986, and from 1993-1998, there was no replay system utilized. While there is occasional controversy over the appropriateness of overturned calls, the system is generally accepted as an effective, and necessary way to ensure a fair game.

College football

Head referee talking with the replay official

In 2006, the NCAA Football Rules Committee enacted instant replay guidelines and added them to the football playing rules. For games involving two schools from the same conference, league policy determines whether replay will be used. For non-conference games, the home team makes the determination.

Plays involving the sideline, goal line, end zone and end line, as well as other detectable situations, are reviewable (e.g., fumble/no fumble, pass complete/incomplete, touchdown/no touchdown, runner down/not down, player or ball inbounds/out of bounds, clock adjustments). Most fouls (e.g., holding, offside, pass interference) are not reviewable, except that in 2006, illegal forward passes, handoffs and punts from beyond the line of scrimmage, and too many players on the field are reviewable and the foul may be called after replay review.

When replay is used, a Replay Official (usually a former college, NFL or XFL game official) reviews every play at its conclusion from a secure booth in the press box. Most plays are routine and the game continues without interruption. If, however, the following criteria are met, the Replay Official may interrupt the contest by paging the game officials to stop the game before the next play starts. The criteria are:

• There is reasonable evidence to believe an error was made in the initial on-field ruling.
• The play is reviewable.
• Any reversal of the on-field ruling, which can only result from indisputable video evidence, would have a direct, competitive impact on the game.

Once per game, each head coach may also call a timeout and challenge the ruling on the previous play before the next play starts. A coach must have at least one timeout remaining in order to challenge (teams receive three timeouts per half). If the challenge is successful and the on-field ruling is overturned, the team keeps its timeout. If not, the team loses its timeout. In either event, the head coach may not challenge again during the game.

After reviewing the play from available video angles, the Replay Official decides if the call should be upheld or overturned. If the call is overturned, the Replay Official provides the proper information to restart the game, such as the team in possession, the yardline where the ball should be placed, the correct down and distance, and the correct time on the stadium clock.

College football instant replay started in the 2004 season, when reviews were used experimentally in the Big Ten Conference only. In the 2005 season, all conferences were allowed to use instant replay. Among Division I-A conferences, the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference, Pac-10, and Southeastern Conference used replay in 2005. The Sun Belt and Western Athletic did not.

In 2005, the Big 12 initially sought to provide field monitors which would allow the on-field referee to assist the replay official; however, by the first game of the season, they decided to only provide equipment to the instant replay booth. Conference USA used a similar system, but the on-field referee made the decision after viewing a TV monitor on the sideline. The Mountain West Conference was the only league to allow a head coach's challenge. Each head coach got one challenge per half. If the call was overturned, the challenging coach kept his timeout and got a second challenge for that half. If not, the challenging coach lost one of his three timeouts for the half. No more than two challenges per half per coach were allowed.

There is not currently an Instant Replay equipment standard, each conference must choose (and purchase) its own equipment. Therefore, systems are quite disparate: they can be as complex as high-tech custom systems similar to those used in the NFL to simply several large screens hooked up to TiVo boxes.

In 2005, the Big Ten, MAC, and SEC only allowed broadcast video (for games that are televised) to be used to determine the correct call. The other conferences allowed broadcast video and scoreboard video. Most conferences provided video equipment for games that were not televised.

Instant replay was first used in postseason games in the 2005 season. It was used in all 28 bowl games as well as the Division I-AA, Division II and Division III national championship playoff games.

Canadian football

The Canadian Football League board of governors has approved the use of instant replay starting in the 2006 CFL season. The CFL system seems to be modelled largely on the NFL's, although some differences have been incorporated to accommodate differences between the two codes:

• CFL teams will be allowed two challenges per game - there is no provision for a third challenge.
• Since CFL teams are only allowed one time out per half (as opposed to three in the NFL), the first challenge will have no effect on time outs whether successful or not. Only if the second challenge is unsuccessful will the time out be charged.
• Teams cannot challenge in the final three minutes of the second half or in overtime, however a replay official may initiate a review during these times (the CFL uses a three minute warning, not the two minute warning used in the NFL).

Basketball

In NBA basketball, the officials must watch an instant replay of a buzzer beater to determine if the shot was released before time expired.

In college basketball, the same procedure may also be used to determine if a shot was released before time expired in either half or an overtime period. In addition, NCAA rules allow the officials to use instant replay to determine if a field goal is worth two or three points, who is to take a free throw, whether a fight occurred and who participated in a fight. The officials may also check if the shot was made before the expiration of the shot clock, but only when such a situation occurs at the end of a half. Such rules have also required the NCAA to write new rules stating that, when looking at instant replay video, the zeroes on the clock, not the horn or red light, now determine the end of the game.

In Italy, host broadcaster Sky agreed with LEGA A for the adoption of instant replay for special tournaments and playoff games, and in 2005, for the entire season. Instant replay would be used automatically on situations similar to the NCAA, but coaches may, like the NFL, have one coach's challenge to challenge a two or three point shot, officials may determine who last touched the ball in an out-of-bounds situation, or back-court violations.

The adoption of instant replay would be crucial in the 2005 LEGA A championship between Armani Jeans Milano and Climamio Bologna. Bologna led the best-of-five series, 2-1, with Game 4 in Milan, and the home team leading 65-64, as Climanio Bologna's Ruben Douglas connected on a three-point basket at the end of the game to apparently win the LEGA A championship.

Officials, knowing the 12,000 fans on both sides would learn the fate of the series on their call, watched replays of the shot before determining it was valid.

The ULEB will adopt instant replay for the 2006 Euroleague Final Four and made a rule change determining the lights on the backboard, not the horn, will end a period, thus assisting with instant replay.

On April 6, 2006, FIBA announced instant replay for last-second shots would be legal for their competitions.

"The referee may use technical equipment to determine on a last shot made at the end of each period or extra period, whether the ball has or has not left the player's hand(s) within the playing time."

Ice hockey

In the National Hockey League, goals may only be reviewed in the following situations:

• puck crossing the goal line completely
• puck in the net prior to end of period
• puck in the net prior to goal frame being dislodged
• puck being directed into the net by hand or foot
• puck in the net after deflecting directly off an official
• puck deflected into the goal by the high stick by an attacking player

The review may only be initiated by the on-ice referees or by the video replay judge; neither team can initiate a review. In the 2006 Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament, all goals scored were automatically reviewed to ensure they were legitimate. Also, many plays in the NHL are monitored in "the war room" at league offices in Toronto by head replay official (and former Winnipeg Jet) Kris King and his assistants, who can contact replay judges at games (usually high-level local referees) and ask them to review the plays, or to mete out punishments for plays that were not noticed by the on-ice officials.

Tennis

In tennis, technologies such as MacCAM Auto-Ref and Hawk-Eye are used to replay close or controversial line calls during network broadcasts of the game, although Hawk-Eye replays are 3D renderings and not actual footage. Starting in 2006, the USTA began using Hawk-Eye to allow players to challenge close calls in some professional matches, starting with the NASDAQ-100 Open. Players are allowed two incorrect challenges per set, and one extra for a tiebreak. This technology made its Grand Slam debut in the 2006 US Open.

Rugby

Instant replay has been widespread in the rugby codes for many years, especially rugby league. Replay calls can vary from the correct grounding of a ball at a try or to decide whether a player is onside before they catch the ball, when they score. The decision to call on the video referee (now called "Television Match Official (TMO)" is made by the referee., then the call is made by the replay referee, who takes his place in the stand of the host team. He either tells the pitch referee by radio link-up or by the use of a big screen during televised matches. Unlike in the NFL, a coach cannot challenge a call made by the pitch referee.

Cricket

Cricket also uses an instant replay. It is used in the areas of run outs, stumpings, doubtful catches and whether the ball has crossed the boundary for a six or short for a four.

Rodeo

The Professional Bull Riders organisation, beginning with the 2006-07 season, has instituted an instant replay system in cooperation with the Versus network.

A bull rider, a fellow competitor, or a judge may request a replay review by filing a protest to the replay official within 30 seconds of any decision.

Any competitor (it does not have to be the rider who is riding the bull in question, as fellow riders can observe the action and spot fouls by bull or rider) may file the complaint to the replay official by sounding a signal at the arena and pay a fee of $500 to PBR before explaining to the replay official why he is filing the request.

The replay official (usually a former bull rider) may request different angles and/or slow motion, as well as freeze particular frames. The replay judge will use all available technology to assess the call in question and supply his ruling. This includes using his own hand-held stopwatch to time bull rides, as the official eight-second clock used in PBR competition starts when the bull usually exits the bucking chute.

The replay will be used to evaluate timing issues, fouls against the rider for touching the bull or ground with his free hand or using the fence to stay on the bull, or fouls by the bull, such as dragging the rider across the fence.

If an appeal is successful, the $500 is returned to the competitor filing the request. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the $500 is forfeited and sent to PBR charties such as the Resistol Relief Fund to assist injured bull riders.

Other sports

Instant replay has made inroads into other major sports, although it is not used in official capacities for the most part.

NASCAR has instant replay rules for use in to determine if a car had crossed the pit entrance before the pit was closed for a yellow flag, and to determine final race positions when a race ends with a caution because the flag waved on the final lap, or when the flag waves during the final two-lap sprint.

Instant replay has been used at least once in a high school quiz bowl game. During a round of 16 playoff game at a tournament at Michigan State University in 2003, Rufus King High School (WI) needed to score 30 points on the final bonus to defeat Corunna High School (MI). After correctly answering the first two questions, the moderator prompted for the answer on the third question. Rufus King's captain gave the correct answer and was awarded the win but Corunna protested that the moderator had allowed more than a natural pause. The Tournament Director, who was moderating a game in another room, was summoned to the room where he noticed that a parent of one of the players had used a video camera to record the game. He viewed the disputed answer and determined that it should have been disallowed, giving Corunna the win by five points.