The integration of new technology into sports is not a novel concept. Whether it be the National Basketball Association’s 3-D optical tracking technology, the International Table Tennis Federation’s video review system, or the International Golf Federation’s launch monitors, all sports require the use of high tech machinery to some capacity. However, automation in the officiating aspect of sports has never been implemented on a comprehensive scale, primarily due to one ethical qualm: that the involvement of technologies within the realm of officiating compromises the game’s tradition and integrity. In fact, even now in a hyper-digitalized world, many fans are still hesitant about officiating assistant technology like the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). In a poll conducted by the Well Society, a major shareholder in the prestigious football club Motherwell FC, 63% of respondents did not support VAR in Scottish football.
Despite some pushback, the trend of officiating technology is skyrocketing. The Sports Officiating Technology market is projected to increase its global market value from $3.4 billion dollars in 2024 to $42.3 billion by 2037, indicating a high international demand for enhanced accuracy and reduction of human errors during officiating. If the numbers are not enough, just take a look at one of the oldest, most conservative, traditional tennis tournaments in the world: Wimbledon. Before recent years, it was almost unfathomable to imagine that such an old-school tournament that still requires players to wear all-white attire would allow officiating technology like automatic line calling to be implemented. But now, not only has Wimbledon chosen to adopt electronic line calling for 2025 and the foreseeable future, they are also in the process of removing on-court judges altogether. In fact, the men’s ATP Tour already fully adopted an electronic line calling system for all surfaces and matches in 2025 to optimize accuracy and consistency.
And with other leagues like the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Badminton World Federation (BWF) following along, it only makes sense that the Major League Baseball (MLB) does the same. Starting from the 2026 MLB season, the officiating technology called “ Automatic Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS)” will begin to be used. This decision by the Joint Competition Committee came after years of experimentation in the minor leagues.
While this system does not replace umpires, it diminishes the power they possess over a ballgame. Before this system was implemented, players were unable to challenge calls they felt were questionably called a strike or ball, unlike other leagues like the NBA which possess video review systems that can be coach or player-initiated. And with MLB umpires having a high 11-12% error rate on balls and strikes according to a study conducted by Boston University, baseball enthusiasts and players believe they are finally getting a response after decades of protesting for reformation.
The main contributor to the success of the ABS system is T-Mobile. Its private 5-G network supplies ultra-fast, essential, and stable connectivity needed for the transmission of precise, real-time pitch data for near-instantaneous review. With T-Mobile planning to expand its officiating technology beyond baseball and other major corporations getting involved, sports fans are going to have to get used to seeing artificial intelligence collaborate, or, in a critic’s perspective, interfere with the duty of officials responsible for enforcing their game’s regulations.
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