Telstra says it has used its digital video network (DVN) to connect 20 major sporting stadiums in Australia and New Zealand to the Australian National Rugby League’s “Bunker”, a centralised video referee and player analytics facility.The Bunker provides match officials with immediate
access to multiple camera angles and playback control for all reviewable
decisions. An over-the-shoulder camera and workstation view of The Bunker is
also sent back to the game venue, as well as being fed into the television and
online program feeds so fans can view the live decision-making.
The Bunker aims to deliver more accurate referee calls; and to reduce the time
for each video referee call to 30 seconds or less.
It should also improve the consistency in referee calls; and make the
decision-making process more transparent to the viewing public.
Already, according to NRL CEO Todd Greenberg, in the first three rounds of the
2016 season, decisions have been made on average 22 seconds faster than last
year.
