LISTEN: Has technology changed the way we view sport?

The evolution of technology in sport is on a constant incline, but the conversation around whether it is accepted by all is forever ongoing, we speak to BT Sport's Suzi Perry to find her view.

For decades there have been advancements within the world of sport to take games and competitions to the next level, transforming the practises as we know it.

From the introduction of the photo finish capturing 3,000 photos per second in 2008 to the progression of athleisure to track heart rate and respiratory activity in 2012, technology has worked to improve the accuracy, enjoyment and experiences of both athletes and spectators at sporting events.

However, the debates around latest technology have not been taken on board as quickly as prior developments. After a long line of contentious VAR decisions since its introduction to games, Video Assistant Referee has come under fire on numerous occasions for supposed inaccurate decisions.

Presenters across the nation have had to tackle this issue in various forms, BT Sport presenter Suzi Perry has been among these.

Speaking to Reporter Sport, Suzi believes technology has made sport fairer overall, yet the way that it is read is what can cause issues. She says ‘human error’ is more at blame for the mistakes broadcasted yet the introduction of various technologies itself is ultimately a positive movement.

“I think there’s a lot of technology that works beautifully and I think we can take it for granted.

“When you look at sports analysis, things like instant replay, slow motion replay being able to rewind technology and look at it from 360 degrees, spider drone technology that’s coming now, they all take us much closer to the game and give us a better experience.

“For me I think that it gives us a more immersive experience. I think goal-line technology has been excellent and so has photo finish technology in horse racing, these kinds of technologies have been game changers,” she says.

Research conducted by BT Sport found that one in three think technology in sport makes the fame fairer, whereas one in six think it improves the performance of athletes.

Talks have followed after some fans have complained about the pauses between football games with the use of VAR, delays between celebrating goals and the reduction of the free-flowing elements of the game.

“I think it’s made football more forensic and taken away the passion with celebrating goals. I don’t think it’s working well in football itself but in sports like rugby which has more of a stop and start feeling to it, this technology may have been better utilised and well embraced.

“I don’t have a problem with it stopping the flow if the right decision is being made and its transparent, but in terms of football I do think they need to have another look at it,” Suzi says.

One of the most understandable benefits of technological advancements brought to the world of sport is how easily accessible games and events are for viewers and spectators.

Aside from television viewing, 53% of people have watched sport on a PC or laptop, with 41% soaking up the action via their smartphones.

“We’re always on the go, we’re always busy so we use our mobile phones, and they have apps, so we can decide what we want to watch from that sport with the different cameras that are being used.

“In my sport Moto GP there’s a lot of onboard technology, the same with Formula 1, you can be racing on board with the driver, and they have chase cameras, so you really feel like you know how close they get, and it makes the experience very exciting,” Suzi says.

BT Sport are currently on the lookout for the next innovation in sport broadcasting and are looking to provide one lucky winner with the opportunity to be at the heart of their industry-leading innovation.

Innovation 21 invites submissions for ideas spanning the entire sports media and broadcast chain which will ultimately be judged by Suzi Perry herself, along with BT Sport presenters Brian O’Driscoll and Robbie Savage.

“We’re looking for the next big thing, whether it’s about broadcasting, analysis or watching, we’re happy to work with a seed of an idea and we’re so excited about it,” she says.

More information on Innovation 21 and how you can push your idea forward can be found here: https://www.bt.com/sport/features/innovate21

You can listen to our full chat with Suzi Perry here: