Here comes REFCAM! Premier League referee set to wear a camera for the first time tonight in Man United’s game at Crystal Palace… but here’s why it won’t be shown on live broadcast
- The referee will wear a head-mounted camera when Crystal Palace face Man United
- Monday’s clash marks the first time RefCam has been used in the Premier League
- It’s that time of the season! Who are the five best players of the season? Listen to the It all starts! podcast
Referee Jarred Gillett will wear a camera during tonight’s match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United, a first for the Premier League.
Unlike previous chest-mounted RefCam designs, Gillett at Selhurst Park will use a head-mounted device connected to the referee’s usual communications system.
The program has been approved for educational purposes by both clubs, the International Football Association Board, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited and the Premier League.
The footage will not be broadcast live as it will be included in a short program designed to ‘provide further insight and education into the demands of Premier League performance’, which will be broadcast at a later date.
While tonight’s clash will mark the first use in a Premier League match, the concept of officials wearing mounted cameras during matches to give fans a unique perspective is not new.
RefCam will be used for the first time in the Premier League as they host Man United at Crystal Palace
Referee Jarred Gillett will wear a head-mounted camera at Selhurst Park and the footage will be included in a program to be broadcast later this year
Similar technology was used in a pre-season clash between Arsenal and the MLS All Stars
The Bundesliga tested a head-mounted RefCam during a match between Wolfsburg and Frankfurt
During a pre-season friendly between Chelsea and Brighton in July, referee Rob Jones wore a camera on his chest as the Blues ran out 4-3 winners in Philadelphia.
A chest-mounted camera was also used during the pre-season match between Arsenal and the MLS All-Stars, with clips uploaded online from the referee’s perspective.
A head-mounted RefCam has also been introduced in the German top flight this season, with match official Daniel Schlager wearing a camera during the 2-2 draw between Frankfurt and Wolfsburg in February.
The Bundesliga later shared clips from the match from Schlager’s perspective in a compilation on YouTube, featuring conversations with players, consultations with his fellow officials and his close-up view of the action.
