ABSTRACT
In this chapter the introduction of the Instant Replay video system in the National Football League (NFL) is analysed. The league started experimenting with video technology in 1986, which means it’s had more than 30 years of experience with a system similar to that approved by IFAB and FIFA in 2016. Although these are different sports, in this work the advent of technology and the evolution in NFL Instant Replay rules can be a roadmap in football. The role of the referee and the communication between coaches, referees, and TV now being discussed in football, has a long trajectory in the NFL. The NFL and its TV broadcasters have worked to find synergies to adapt league rules with the aim of improving the fan experience. However, despite its long implementation period and numerous incorrect real-time decisions overturned, there remain important voices proposing that Instant Replay should be limited, or even eliminated.
