
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 ...
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...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
02/07/2026
Entering her senior year, this hometown girl is paving a career in live sports production gaining experience in replay and audio and as a TD
In the live-sports...
02/07/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
02/07/2026
BLAST, a competitive entertainment company focused on esports, has announced more than $133 million in revenue for 2025, representing more than 40% year-over-ye...
02/07/2026
Riedel Communications has announced official SKAARHOJ panel support for SimplyLive production workflows, enabled through the SimplyLive 2.1 release. The integra...
02/07/2026
The Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has deployed LiveU video-over-bond...
02/07/2026
Gravity Media USA has announced the appointment of Brittney Boston as Head of Business Development, effective July 1, 2026. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Bosto...
02/07/2026
TwelveLabs, a video intelligence company, has announced $100 million in Series B funding co-led by NEA and NAVER Ventures, with participation from Amazon, Radic...
02/07/2026
The Pro Padel League (PPL) has announced a broadcast partnership with USA Sports that will air five PPL championship matches on CNBC during the 2026 season, the...
02/07/2026
LiveLike, a digital fan engagement platform, has announced eight confirmed FIFA ...
02/07/2026
Cobalt Digital has received Future's Best of Show Award, presented by AV Technology at InfoComm 2026, for its blueCORE family of standalone signal processor...
02/07/2026
Synamedia has announced the appointment of Dr. Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transition...
02/07/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) and Sony Group Corporation have announced an expanded collaboration for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), taking place in Paris, Fra...
02/07/2026
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. ( Z') has announced exclusive broadcast and digital rights for the Bundesliga in India for five years, beginning with the...
02/07/2026
NBCU brings together News, Sports, Local, and Telemundo for a 50+ camera live pr...
02/07/2026
Zoey Deutch, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Ben Wang appe...
02/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
02/07/2026
A new era in unmixing and spectral editing
The latest version of Steinberg's spectral audio-editing software has just arrived, building on the strength...
02/07/2026
Aims to simplify additive synthesis
Sine Machine is the debut launch from Melatonin, a Vienna-based developer who have spent the past six years creating wha...
02/07/2026
Products to remain fully active & supported
Following the news of Native Instruments joining the inMusic brand line-up, Academy and Emmy Award-winning visua...
02/07/2026
What you missed!
Last weekend, Saturday 27 June 2026, saw the debut of Sound On Sounds new GearExpo UK event, the largest dedicated pro-audio event to take ...
02/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/07/2026
Following the successful launch of its inaugural APAC Mentoring Programme last month, the Rise AV APAC Regional Council will bring the conversation around mento...
02/07/2026
Blackmagic PYXIS 6K Used to Shoot Director Takahisa Zeze's Cry Out
Brie Clayton July 2, 2026
0 Comments
Highly mobile camera supports tense and de...
02/07/2026
Broadcast Solutions acquires BFE, expanding its lead in European broadcast, medi...
02/07/2026
Berklee Alum and Faculty Perform at Boston Public Library's 250th Anniversar...
02/07/2026
Broadcast Solutions GmbH, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, is acquiring BFE Studio und Medien...
02/07/2026
Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software-defined television technology, has extended the ingest facility at leading Brazilian sports company LiveMode, work...
02/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/07/2026
Standalone processors acknowledged for the innovation and value they bring to Pro AV
Cobalt Digital, a leading designer and manufacturer of signal processing ...
02/07/2026
Synamedia announced today the appointment of Dr Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transitio...
02/07/2026
Screen Australia backs audience-led filmmaking with new insight-driven initiativ...
02/07/2026
Screen Australia refines guidelines for Narrative Content Development and Docume...
02/07/2026
Maxon Autograph: Introduction to working with Tables
Simon Ubsdell July 1, 2026
0 Comments
An overview of Autograph's ridiculously powerful tables...
02/07/2026
Boston Conservatory's Soir e Breaks Records to Fund Student Scholarships The event achieved 127 percent of its fundraising goal in an evening celebrating ...
02/07/2026
How Adam Rosenwach Pivoted from Music to Med Tech Without Missing a Beat What do the rehearsal room and the boardroom have in common? More than you might thin...
02/07/2026
Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland backs Unacceptable for a second series on TL...
02/07/2026
Thursday 2 July 2026
Tea with Judi Dench returns to Sky Arts with legendary guest, Sir Ian McKellen
Sky today confirms Tea with Judi Dench will return this su...
02/07/2026
Summer is heating up - and GeForce NOW is taking players along for the ride.
Start the month with Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains, bringing a galaxy fa...
01/07/2026
Broadcast Management Group (BMG) has announced the appointment of Kathy Samuels ...
01/07/2026
Shade has announced Custom Objects and Automations, a platform expansion releasing June 29, 2026, that adds database and workflow automation capabilities direct...
01/07/2026
FOR-A America has announced the addition of Jaz Wray and Fernando Cruz to its U.S. sales team. Both report to Ernie Leon, Senior VP and Head of Sales and Strate...
01/07/2026
NBC Sports will air all 15 MLB games nationally on Sunday, July 5, across NBC, P...
01/07/2026
Clear-Com has announced a wireless communications upgrade for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, deploying FreeSpeak II and FreeSpeak Icon systems across both prod...
01/07/2026
England's performance team will use Sony's STATSports APEX GPS tracking system to monitor player physical data in real time during FIFA World Cup 2026 m...
01/07/2026
Adder Technology has announced the appointment of Neil Hillier as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026. Hillier succeeds Adrian Dickens, who transiti...
01/07/2026
Bitcentral, Inc. has announced a strategic transaction creating two separate companies. The Production and Playout business will continue as Bitcentral, now own...