Earlier, I posted about the use of computer technology in tennis to allow players to challenge line calls by officials.
We have been able to see some of the initial impact of using the new technology in The Rogers Cup, a Canadian tennis tournament.
The sports announcers have repeatedly told us that approximately 30% of all player challenges have been upheld (i.e., the line calls were incorrect). This seems like an inordinately large number of errors by line judges.
- I can readily imagine, as a commenter on my earlier posting noted, that because line judges are not unionized, the results from this new technology will readily be used to assess line judges’ skills and abilities. It might even lead to paying some of the better ones more money, either directly or indirectly.
- Alternatively, with this many instances of having line-judge overcalls, I can imagine a different scenario in which the technology becomes fast enough that line judges are eliminated. I wouldn’t mind seeing this form of capital-labour substitution.
