Document Type : Research Paper I Open Access I Released under (CC BY-NC 4.0) license

Authors

• SeyedReza Hosseini ¹
• Amin Khatibi ²
• Tahereh Azmsha ³

¹ M.A Student in Sport Management, Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

² Associate Professor of Sport Management, Department of Sport Management and Media, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

³ Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the attitudes of fans and referees toward the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the Iranian Football Pro League.
Methodology: This study was applied in terms of its purpose and employed a descriptive-survey design for data collection. The statistical population comprised two groups: the fan group included all supporters of Iranian Pro League teams during the 2023–2024 season, aged 11 to 58 years; the referee group comprised all referees certified by the Football Federation, aged 18 to 63 years. Using random sampling, 224 fans and 121 referees were selected to complete the questionnaire. The research questionnaire was developed based on the findings of previous studies and, following the confirmation of face and content validity by experts and reliability through Cronbach’s alpha test (α=0.738), was distributed electronically among the research population. After examining the data distribution using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, descriptive statistics  and inferential statistics were applied for data analysis, using SPSS software.
Results: The overall mean attitude of fans toward the use of VAR was significantly more favorable than that of referees (P<0.05). This difference in attitude was more pronounced in two factors: match quality and attractiveness, and the future prospects of the VAR system.
Conclusion: In general, it can be stated that although both groups hold a positive attitude toward the use of VAR, fans possess a more favorable perspective on this technology. One possible reason for the referees’ lower level of enthusiasm may be the loss of control and decisiveness in decision-making, as they are sometimes compelled to reverse their initial on-field call. Factors contributing to the greater interest among fans include the inherent suspense in the review process and its unpredictability, which can instantly alter the outcome of a match.

Keywords

• Video Assistant Referee
• Referee
• Fan
• Iranian Pro League

Main Subjects

• Innovation and Technology in Sport