Written by Evolution in sports can occur in various ways, such as technological advancements, regulatory changes, or structural changes. Each of these enhancements can work together to achieve a level of engagement with the sport that may be missing. How do we allow sports to grow and evolve while maintaining their historical significance?
Take the Monaco Grand Prix, with its first race in 1929 before establishing the Formula 1 competition. The circuit was one of seven races included in the inaugural season of Formula 1 in 1950 and has been a fixture on the calendar since 1955 (Harrington, 2023). The circuit is known for its tight streets, sharp turns, and beautiful scenery, carrying much historical significance for the sport (Harrington, 2023). Despite the history, in recent years there have been calls to increase the excitement of Formula 1 races by reworking the calendar to increase circuits that allow for more wheel-to-wheel action and overtaking. Formula 1 has been faced with maintaining the sport’s history while catering to fans longing for more excitement during the season. With overtaking on the streets of Monaco becoming difficult due to car changes, Formula 1 has elected to mandate two pit stops for teams in 2025 to increase the unpredictability of the race outcome, strategic variability, and perhaps even unlikely winners. It is yet to be seen whether this change in pit-stop requirements will increase the excitement of the race, but it presents a new challenge for teams, translating to a new experience for the fans.
Technological advancements are also changing the way sports are being viewed. Today, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) assists on-field referees during a soccer match in making accurate decisions regarding potential offside and penalty rulings (“What is VAR in Football,” n.d.). It was initially introduced to improve the accuracy and consistency of referee decisions (“What is VAR in Football,” n.d.). Despite its purpose, studies have found contradicting results related to its use. Research on VAR usage in the Turkish Super League found that VAR did not significantly alter referee bias and home advantage often awarded in soccer games (Isin & Yi, 2024). Another study analyzing the use of VAR in the German Bundesliga and Italian Serie A found that referees changed their behaviour following the introduction of VAR, resulting in decreased home-team advantage in the two years following its implementation (Holder, Ehrmann and König, 2022). Despite the utility of VAR, its introduction has elicited debate in the sports world, with many in favour of its use and others against. Since its induction into soccer, there has been a rise in the number of minutes played in a game. Furthermore, the use of VAR has resulted in delayed goal celebrations. The implementation of this technology has also altered the way fans view sports. The challenge here is balancing innovation while maintaining the spirit of sports.
The evolution of sports comes in many different forms, such as the use of technology and new regulations. These evolutions improve the sport by changing the decision-making process during a sporting event or enhancing the fan experience. Many organizations struggle to balance innovation and maintenance of the sport’s historical significance. With classic circuits on the Formula 1 calendar being removed to make room for new circuits to increase fan engagement, it begs the question: how do we maintain the history of sports while allowing the institution to grow with fans’ need for excitement? One potential solution is to explore innovations to these historical events, such as modifying rules and regulations that can apply to specific events to help make them more thrilling. For example, Formula 1 mandating two pit stops during the Monaco Grand Prix starting in 2025 could increase viewers’ excitement throughout the race by making the race’s outcome unpredictable.
Furthermore, technological advancements such as VAR used in soccer have the potential to enhance the fairness of the game; however, more advancements are needed to allow for the organic experience that allows for emotional responses to the beautiful game. One potential way to approach this is to find ways to refine the VAR technology to allow for faster VAR checks, meaning that players and fans can celebrate goals more instantaneously without the fear of their goal being taken away.
Innovation in sports is key to enhancing fairness and excitement; however, its implementation should be done carefully and in a way that allows sports to maintain their passion.
References:
Harrington, A. (2023, May 23). The fast and the luxurious: Why the F1 Monaco Grand Prix is the more than the ultimate race. F1 On SI. https://www.si.com/fannation/racing/f1briefings/track-guides/the-fast-and-the-luxurious-why-the-f1-monaco-grand-prix-is-the-more-than-the-ultimate-race
Holder, U., Ehrmann, T., & König, A. (2022). Monitoring experts: Insights from the introduction of video assistant referee (VAR) in elite football. Journal of Business Economics, 92, 285–308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11573-021-01058-5
Işın, A., & Yi, Q. (2024). Does video assistant referee technology change the magnitude and direction of home advantages and referee bias? A proof-of-concept study. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 16(21). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-024-00813-9
What is VAR in football. (n.d.-a). https://www.olympics.com/en/news/what-is-var-in-football
Original Artwork by Israa Ihab