Premier League Chief Acknowledges VAR Impact on Fan Enjoyment and Calls for Changes

The Premier League’s chief football officer, Tony Scholes, has acknowledged that the implementation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology has negatively impacted the enjoyment of fans in stadiums. Scholes has expressed his concerns about the current state of VAR and has promised to lobby lawmakers to allow audio and video of key decisions to be played in stadiums.

One of the main issues highlighted by Scholes is the excessive amount of time taken for VAR decisions. He stated that video assistant referees are carrying out too many checks, resulting in longer review times. Although the Premier League did not disclose the exact duration of the reviews, it has been reported that the average review times are even longer than last season.

Despite the concerns about the time taken for reviews, Scholes mentioned that VAR errors have decreased compared to the previous season. The accuracy of decision-making with VAR has improved to 96%, up from 82% before the introduction of VAR in the 2019-20 campaign. However, it is worth noting that there have been 20 VAR mistakes so far.

In conclusion, the Premier League's chief football officer acknowledges the shortcomings of VAR and recognizes the impact it has had on the enjoyment of fans in stadiums. Scholes plans to advocate for the inclusion of audio and video of key decisions in stadiums. While there has been a decrease in VAR errors and an improvement in decision-making accuracy, the excessive review times remain a concern. The Premier League aims to address these issues and enhance the overall VAR experience for fans.