The debate over whether or not instant replay should be used in sports may never cease, but the NBA and the Board of Governors made their opinion known yesterday, voting to further implement the use of video replay beginning this season.
The rule will be expanded on three different occasions:
-- Referees will call Flagrant on the court and immediately use the courtside television screen to determine whether the foul was Flagrant 1, Flagrant 2 or actually a common foul. Previously, any changes were made following a review by the league office at least a day later.-- Referees will use replays in the final two minutes of overtime and all overtime to verify blockcharge fouls that involve whether a player is in the restricted area.
-- Referees will use replays in the final two minutes of regulation and all overtime to review goaltending calls. Non-calls will not be reviewed because that would require stopping play.
While this will increase the length of games, specifically the final two minutes and all of overtime, it's hard to argue that this will not make calls more accurate. Referees were berated all across social media and television outlets during the playoffs last season, and instant replay should help clear up calls made on goaltending and, more importantly, blocks and charges.
While replay will occur on all potential flagrant fouls, determining the call post-instant replay will still be subjective to the referees.
The Board of Governors also had discussions on putting advertisements on jerseys. No official vote was taken, but deputy commissioner Adam Silver told NBA.com, "My sense is that every team would do this in some form."
NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper said a decision will be made in September via an e-mail vote, and would be implemented for the 2013-2014 season. The patch would be 2.5 inches-by-2.5 inches, and would generate 100 million in revenue.
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