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Abstract

Technology has found its way even into sports. Soccer is no exception. In this paper, the technological developments and the future outlook of the game will be discussed, as well as critiqued, with particular attention being paid to the soccer ball, apparel, pitch and refereeing.

Introduction

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported a global television viewership of 500 million for the World Cup 2002's opening game between France and Senegal (2002). Therefore, to say that soccer is the world's most popular sport is not an understatement.

Technology has brought the game closer to its supporters. Before the television age, soccer fans used to glue their ears attentively to their radio receivers to pick up the action from the commentary provided by broadcasters at the stadium itself, possibly thousands of miles away. Compare that to now, where TiVo and Replay TV provide additional alternatives: reverse angles, close-ups, and replays (USNSTPA, 2002). This array of technological offerings provides a whole new dimension to the game-watching experience, which is the next best thing to being at the thick of things on the actual grounds.

As for the game itself, soccer has been influenced and enhanced by technology in a few areas, namely the ball, the apparel, the pitch and the refereeing. There are also calls from fans, players, luminaries and officials to introduce goal-line technology to further equip referees in making accurate judgments (BBC, 2005).

The Soccer Ball

The concept of soccer was already conceived in the Qin and