SEC to allow in stadium replay of plays under review
By Mike Marteny
Everyone loves going to a game. Even with the advancements in television technology, the atmosphere in your basement just isn’t quite the same as being there, though the beer and food are much cheaper.
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That said, there are some disadvantages to being at the game. You likely can’t see the game as well as you can at home. The rising costs are also keeping some fans away, but that is another story for another time. One of the largest disadvantages is being unable to watch a play that is under review.
The last time I went to a game, the people around us were calling their friends to ask what the replay shows since the television broadcasts show it from every angle. Inside the stadium itself, there was pure silence since no one knew what was going on.
All of that is about to change.
The SEC is allowing playback on the video boards of plays under review. I understand why some teams are opposed to this. No one wants to see a replay official lynched on the way to his car. Believe me, some fan bases are rabid enough to attempt such a thing.
For the overall well-being of college football though, this is a big step. Teams have been looking for ways to keep attendance up, and this may be the biggest advancement on that front since the advent of replay.
The other members of the “power five” (Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12, and ACC) will likely let the SEC play guinea pig. If this goes off without a hitch, expect video replay in all of your home stadiums by next fall.