Video-Assistant Replay Relies on Comms for Critical Audio Component Riedel and Clear-Com are among vendors supporting sound in a changing officiating picture By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Tuesday, November 26, 2024 - 7:00 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Video replay has changed sports. Not just broadcast sports - the television-replay infrastructure has been integrated into league-review protocols - but sports itself: fans in the stands perch on the edge of their seats watching the big screen after a challenged call. They're accustomed to awaiting a ruling from a distant commissioner's office on a close, perhaps outcome-defining play. Technology asks fans, as Chico Marx was fond of saying, Who you gonna believe: me or your own eyes?
And fans are listening as well: for instance, since 2022, MLB umpires use a lavalier-type microphone and bodypack to announce decisions made by the replay booth.
Intercoms Enter the Picture As video-assistant-replay systems became ubiquitous, intercom systems were called on to provide the audio backbone for the VAR platforms, with audio playing an increased role. Riedel Communications has staked out a sizable footprint in the sector, providing encrypted communications between field and home-office officials for both the Premier League and Germany's Bundesliga. It now provides those services for the NFL and MLB as well, and other U.S. leagues are in discussions, according to Jan Schaffner, program manager, Americas, Managed Technology Division, Riedel.
Riedel's Jan Schaffner: What about putting what is talked about [between officials] live on-air? We suggested, Why not take [fans] with them on a journey?
We're providing the bidirectional wireless communication system that goes onto the [bodypack] with a push-to-talk button, which allows hands-free operations, as well as the headset that is used, he explains, referring to the Bolero S product, a more compact iteration of Riedel's regular Bolero platform. They can use that to talk to another referee or to talk to the PA system.
It's also fully encrypted, using AES standards. That feature is especially critical now that sports betting has become extremely granular - so-called microbetting - with wagers placed on the outcomes of even individual pitch velocities.
Is There a Doctor in the House? According to Kristopher Koch, business development director, broadcast, network, and media production, Clear-Com, whose systems are now in use with the MLS and NWSL, the key requirements for this application of comms are real time and reliable, as well as secure. Our ability to connect remotely over LAN, WAN, or internet securely is an advantage when we're working on projects.
Intercom-type back-channel systems in this area are expanding their range of application. For instance, Koch notes, they're increasingly used to alert first responders to possible injury situations.
Clear-Com's Kristopher Koch points out that intercom-type back-channel VAR systems are used to alert first responders to possible injury situations.
If somebody in the replay center knows that a player may have suffered a concussion, for instance, you can immediately call the doctor on the field, he explains. The doctor on the field can get to that player faster and do an evaluation sooner. That has real implications for all sports.
The audio systems can be integrated into any of several goal-line technologies on the market, such as SloMo's VideoReferee and SporTec Solutions (STS); for instance, , Bolero S is integrated with STS for the Bundesliga, Schaffner says. We work with several providers and are flexible when it comes to integrating our system into theirs. He adds that, although Riedel has its own standalone, FIFA-certified replay solution, it supplies Bolero S only as part of larger VAR systems.
The Importance of VAR Increasingly, the video replay determines the result of the play. Once simply a happy benefit of televised sports, it has now been built into its own platform across a growing number of sports. The Premier League wrote the Video-Assistant Referee platform and process into its rulebook in 2018, following extensive trialing in major competitions. The process has become virtually transparent in European soccer, where VAR systems automatically check, quietly in the background, every on-field-referee decision falling under the four reviewable categories.
Although video replays have been a regular part of the officiating protocol in the NFL for some years, the league this year adopted a Premier League-style VAR system to review and correct miscalls by on-field officials.
In what some call collaborative officiating, active VAR is blurring the line between on-field refs and the replay booth, essentially making league officials active participants in post-play field-call adjudication. MLB has been using video replays since 2014, following a 2012 missed call that mistakenly extended NY Mets pitcher Johan Santana's franchise-first no-hitter. A subsequent and seemingly endless list of could-have-beens have solidified the case for VAR across sports.
Fans in the Loop There is also a fan-engagement aspect. Waiting to hear an official announce a decision from a higher authority during a critical moment in a game heightens the drama. In fact, says Schaffner, that contributed to leagues' originally agreeing to put some of the process into the PA system: Whenever a decision is challenged, [fans] are kind of in the dark and just have to wait until the decision is announced. What about putting what is talked about [between officials] live on-air? We suggested, Why not take [fans] with them on a journey?
Remote officiating is also paralleled by remote management of the audio quality. Certain games deploying Riedel systems are connected to the company
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
22/07/2026
Among other tweaks to coverage, the broadcaster added announce positions in the ...
22/07/2026
The Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) has reported a sharp acceleration in Australia's sportstech sector, with revenue growth rising from 10% in...
22/07/2026
From a retrofitted broadcast bus to packed Match Day Live! events, Bennett detai...
22/07/2026
TMRW Sports has named Brendan Donohue as President, Flag Football, where he will lead the company's professional flag football business in partnership with ...
22/07/2026
Stephen Arnold Music (SAM) designed and produced soundtracks for nine projection...
22/07/2026
Harmonic has announced a $25,000 donation to Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) fo...
22/07/2026
Telemundo has announced it has acquired from UC3 exclusive U.S. Spanish-language...
22/07/2026
The Rest Is Football, hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards, ...
22/07/2026
Sports Studio has announced a partnership with TheSoul Group to distribute Free ...
22/07/2026
Daktronics has concluded its 2026 High School Video Summit, a two-day hybrid event combining virtual sessions with hands-on host school visits across the countr...
22/07/2026
FOR-A America will exhibit at the MMCA Show in Pensacola, Florida (July 21-24), marking the company's first appearance at the house of worship AV event. FOR...
22/07/2026
The New York Yankees have selected Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) to connect Ya...
22/07/2026
Calrec will exhibit at IBC 2026 (Stand 8.C47) with demonstrations of its IP-native audio ecosystem built around the Argo console range, and will announce two ne...
22/07/2026
Solid State Logic has announced the appointment of Algam EKO as its distributor for SSL large format consoles in Italy, covering the Live, Broadcast, and Studio...
22/07/2026
FloSports has announced the launch of the FloSports Channel, a free ad-supported streaming channel premiering on Prime Video in the U.S. on July 21. The channel...
22/07/2026
Banana Ball TV (BTV), the broadcast operation of the Savannah Bananas, has insta...
22/07/2026
SiriusXM and Audacy have announced an agreement bringing 42 Audacy sports, news, and talk stations from 29 U.S. markets to SiriusXM. Twenty-three Audacy sports ...
22/07/2026
The collaboration produced more than 500 short-form videos across four cities th...
22/07/2026
At 2,600 sq. ft., the new home of digital content houses a main studio, podcast space, and an auxiliary control room
NFL franchises are accelerating their prod...
22/07/2026
Library now available in Engine Player
Another of Eduardo Tarilonte's popular sample libraries has just been moved over to Engine Audio's Engine Pla...
22/07/2026
All-in-one mic & DSP interface overhauled
Cloudvocal have just refreshed the design of their all-in-one mic, audio interface and DSP processor, introducing ...
22/07/2026
The final boss of the lost dual-op-amp circuit
Electro-Harmonix have just introduced the Deluxe Big Muff Pi 2, which they say offers their latest take on t...
22/07/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Proven managed IP solution helps broadcasters confidently navigate the future of broadcast distribution
LTN announces it has completed successful satellite-to-...
22/07/2026
Today, Chaos announced V-Ray 7, update 4, eliminating the need for asset conversions and tool switching, which slow down media and entertainment pipelines. Arti...
22/07/2026
An AI playground for the Project Indigo camera app
Marc Levoy July 22, 2026
0 Comments
At left is the user interface of our Playground, running on an ...
22/07/2026
Custom Consoles announces the completion of a large technical furniture project for Radio T l vision Suisse (RTS) at the networks recently inaugurated productio...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
22/07/2026
Culver City, CA, July 21, 2026 3D streaming infrastructure provider Miris today announced glTF intake, including the binary .glb form, to its spatial streamin...
22/07/2026
Documentary Lo Invisible Captured with Blackmagic PYXIS 6K
Brie Clayton July 21, 2026
0 Comments
Camera's versatile design allowed filmmakers to c...
22/07/2026
AAF Bridge converts AAF and XML Timelines to Ableton Live - and back
Jerome Gardier July 21, 2026
0 Comments
A two-way converter for macOS and Windows...
22/07/2026
From Class to Concert: Explore a Student-Led Production of David Bowies Work Thr...
22/07/2026
A poisoned spy, a secret war, and a small English city contaminated by a deadly chemical weapon. Available on Sky Documentaries from 4 AugustWednesday 22 July 2...
22/07/2026
Audio at Parity: Comscore Launches Transcript-Level Targeting and Measurement wi...
22/07/2026
Arvato Systems and Lobster Enter into a Partnership and Combine the Integration Platform and Managed Services
Flexible integration solutions for cloud, hybrid...
22/07/2026
RT REPORTS NET SURPLUS OF 22.5 MILLION IN 2025...
22/07/2026
In the Opinion of the Censor airs Monday 27 July at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player
In the Opinion of the Censor looks at how films for theatrical release wer...
22/07/2026
Before a healthcare robot can be useful in the real world, it has to learn how the physical world pushes back. Anatomy varies. Instruments bend, press, slip and...
21/07/2026
New research involving a cross-section of Mongolias independent media landscape finds enthusiasm for AI as a tool to improve efficiency, sustainability and resi...
21/07/2026
With winners Spain having already paraded the World Cup trophy through Madrid in front of millions of fans and the dust now settling on an epic tournament of th...
Video-Assistant Replay Relies on Comms for Critical Audio Component Riedel and Clear-Com are among vendors supporting sound in a changing officiating picture By Dan Daley, Audio Editor 
