Back to the Soccer Newsfeed

‘Wonderful Addition’ or ‘Mess,’ Video Replay Heads to M.L.S.

PARK CITY, Utah — The referee on the soccer field had just awarded a penalty kick, but he would not learn whether it was justified unless a man sitting in a modular trailer beyond the end line told him so. That man, Kevin Terry Jr., pressed a button glowing purple to replay the incident, then scooted forward to assess the play on a 27-inch tablet.

Terry zoomed in tight on the players. He swapped camera angles and adjusted the speed of the footage while working to determine two things: whether the supposed trip was indeed a foul as he suspected, and if so, whether it was committed in the box.