It’s a livestreamed world these days. We just live in it.
If it wasn’t recorded, it didn’t happen. If it can’t be shared among friends or the rest of the planet, the experience isn’t real.
And if a close call at second base during your 10-year-old’s house league game can’t be reviewed, confirmed or overturned, it’s not worth playing.
We have reached a tipping point with youth sports in this coarsening country.
Whirlwind innovation, major-league expectations and parental arrogance have created a marketplace for strapping officials and umpires everywhere with accessible technology to nail every ball or strike, high-sticking infraction, pass interference penalty and loose-ball foul.
Preach, says Bryan Glispie.
The veteran replay engineer, producer and network technician is president and co-founder of O.R.E.D.D. Imaging in Burbank, Calif. Glispie and his partners Tim Kujac and Jennifer Henry have developed a wireless, multi-angle instant replay system for the masses, not just the major professional and college leagues and their cozy television partners.
Powered by Go-Pro cameras and tablets that officials can wear on their forearms like a quarterback’s playbook, they promise to equip and empower amateur arbiters with the convenient tools to perfect their craft. And, as a weekend bonus, to neuter the self-absorbed Karens and Stans who play their cowardly sport savaging officials at the venue and on social media.
O.R.E.D.D. will have a captive audience starting Sunday at the National Association of Sports Officials annual three-day summit in Riverside, Calif.
Glispie and his team have 4-plus minutes to make their elevator pitch to more than 400 amateur, high school and collegiate officials, plus two NFL referees and executives from Major League Baseball and NCAA conferences.
It’s the first time NASO has opened its floor to industry disruptors like O.R.E.D.D. to promote their replay products and services to officiating sponsors and trade groups.
Founder Barry Mano understands the skepticism about replay for lower-level sports. But he said NASO is keeping an open mind for anything that might make officials’ jobs easier in this increasingly toxic environment.
“They’re going to be with the best and brightest in our business, and we don’t want to be a barrier,” Mano said. “If it could be done the right way, it might be very helpful. Or maybe not. Let them rise or fall based on the benefit and value and who knows where it goes?”
Glispie was unwilling to share specific costs and coordination for wiring contrasting venues and training officials and administrators to manage the stripped-down system.
No intermediaries in replay booths or league offices. Just umpires and referees clicking through their desired angles like they were checking the time on a watch and sharing their findings among each other via intercom.
He said the “Innovation by Invitation” presentation and exhibit offers the audience a choice and officials the opportunity to snuff conflict before it metastasizes into unruly behavior that taints everyone.
“We have to do the right thing and try to get the game back into the officials’ hands,” Glispie says. “They’re going to make a call once in a while we don’t agree with. It’s a very human element part. Let them tap into a system locally and show them everything a replay center can.
“It saves money, time, people and can make the game move along faster.”
That’s all fine and good for sophisticated leagues up the sporting ladder. But why do the local Little League and hockey association, which are often cash- and time-strapped to just staff the concession stand, need to invest in cutting-edge technology to determine whether Johnny or Janey were safe at home or out of bounds with the ball?
“Look into the eyes of the parents, players, officials or coaches,” Glispie countered. “What if there was a better way to help them do their jobs instead of hinder them?”
Glispie concedes there will be “sticker shock” for some Little Leagues. But he said his system can strategically tap into existing A/V systems at schools and parks and recreation departments.
“This convention is where we want to be able to stand behind our work,” Glispie said. “Even if everyone says, ‘this sucks,’ then why does it suck? Tell me how to make it better. Aren’t you interested in making the right call?”
There are 50,000 fewer youth officials in 2023 than there were before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Mano. High schools and sports federations are scrambling to staff games. Leagues are canceling games left and right.
It’s no wonder how we got here. The ruthless scrutiny of professional and major college sports and nightly whining about blown calls, missed calls, biased calls has seeped into all levels.
Is plug-and-play technology the answer? Or does it pose more existential questions we should really be asking?
After further review, the ruling on the field is going to be made by the haves who cannot bear being among the have nots.
