Monday night’s Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Man United saw an English top-flight first, as referee, Jarred Gillet, wore a ‘Ref Cam’ during the game.
It appears that rather than this becoming a regular occurrence, it will be a one-off experiment as Sky Sports note that the footage from the game will be used as part of an educational programme.
Football supporters would surely love to see it become a regular feature alongside VAR and goal line technology, given that it shows the particular insight a referee has during a game, and evidences their thought process when making decisions.
If fans were able to better understand some of those decisions, it might well take a tonne of pressure off the men in the middle.
In a Premier League first, referee Jarred Gillett wore a “RefCam” during Palace v Man Utd.
The use of ‘RefCam’ was a one-off which had the full permission off The IFAB. The filming will form part of an educational programme highlighting the important role of the referee. pic.twitter.com/CPF2HbMQOT
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 10, 2024
Pictures from Sky Sports