Sports Ticker #115: Wimbledon AI, NSL revamp and Diarra ECJ judgment

In a fortnight which saw FIFA name Lenovo as an official technology partner, Wrexham AFC secure Meta Quest as the club's back of shirt sponsor (with the players wearing the headsets as they walked out onto the pitch), and New Zealand win the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup, we bring you updates on Wimbledon replacing line judges with AI, the revamped Netball Super League and the recent Diarra ruling in the European Court of Justice.

As always, if there are any issues on which you'd like more information (or if you have any questions or feedback), please do let us know or get in touch with your usual contact at RPC.

"Out!" - Wimbledon line judges to be replaced with AI

Next summer, Wimbledon will say goodbye to its line judges in place of Hawk-Eye technology. The 300 line judges, who have distinctively sported Polo Ralph Lauren since 2006, have played a crucial role in Wimbledon since its founding in 1887. However, 2025 will mark a different Wimbledon when the judges are replaced by line-calling technology, provided by Hawk-Eye. The new system is built from a network of cameras around the court that capture 60 high-resolution images per second. It is estimated to have a margin of error of just 2.2mm. The decision by Wimbledon follows advancements across Grand Slam tennis: the Australian Open dispensed with line judges altogether in 2021, as did the US Open in 2022. All England Club chief executive, Sally Bolton, commented “[W]e consider the technology to be sufficiently robust and the time is right to take this important step in seeking maximum accuracy in our officiating."

WSL viewing figures soar

Viewership for Women's Super League (WSL) matches streamed online have 'more than trebled' since the launch of its dedicated YouTube channel, according to analysis by the Guardian. Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), the owners and operators of the WSL and the Women's Championship, have planned to stream matches not chosen for broadcast this season on Sky Sports or the BBC. Previously, these matches were shown on the FA Player, which allowed viewers to stream matches with a free FA player account. The highest viewership for a match on the FA Player was just over 78,000 views. In comparison, Arsenal's 1-0 win over Leicester City in September 2024 saw over 250,000 live streams, a WSL streaming record, whilst the replay pages for Gameweek 4 fixtures have almost 700,000 views combined. The increase in reach is great news for the WSL. 

NSL nets Grand Final at The O2

The revamped Netball Super League recently revealed its new logo ahead of the upcoming season and has announced that the Grand Final will be held at The O2 in London on 6 July 2025. On top of that, half of this season's matches will be hosted by major arenas around the country with the aim of encouraging larger crowds and improving the viewing experience. Claire Nelson, NSL's managing director, acknowledged the milestone stating "It's only fitting that our showpiece event takes place at one of the most prestigious arenas in the world and this will be a significant moment for our sport as we deliver not just a world-class event, but also an unforgettable experience for fans, players and everyone involved." The season will also open with a new tournament, the Netball Super Cup, which will be held on International Women's Day on 8 March 2025 with eight teams heading to Sheffield to compete. Season games then commence on 14 March 2025 and the top four teams will progress to the semi-finals in June before a preliminary final and the showpiece Grand Final in The O2.

Lassana Diarra scores ECJ ruling

In the recent Diarra ruling, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) held that FIFA's rules on the transfers of professional footballers infringe EU rules on free movement. Former French international, Diarra, sued FIFA for damages in the Belgian courts, claiming that the rules imposed by football's governing body prevented his 2014 move to Belgian club Charleroi after he terminated his contract with Lokomotiv Moscow with three years remaining. Specifically, Diarra's lawyers alleged that the rules restricted his freedom and deemed them to be anti-competitive. Ultimately, the case was referred to the ECJ who agreed, stating that “The rules in question are such as to impede the free movement of professional footballers wishing to develop their activity by going to work for a new club.” This decision represents the latest of numerous ECJ judgements and will have "broad implications for the transfer system but also for FIFA's governance and ability to regulate football." FIFA has since announced it will open a "global dialogue" with footballing stakeholders to adapt the rules and sees the decision as a chance to modernise the regulatory framework.

European Leagues and FIFPRO complain to European Commission about FIFA fixture congestion

The European Leagues (a representative of 39 leagues, including the English Premier League) and FIFPRO (a global players' union) have filed a complaint with the European Commission, alleging that FIFA has abused its dominant position in determining the schedule of international fixtures. Following increasingly prominent complaints from players about the constant schedule of games in elite-level football, the final straw for this complaint was the scheduling and expansion of the 2025 Club World Cup, which will now feature 32 teams (up from 7 in 2023), and at which FIFA Regulations will require clubs to take their strongest squads and field their strongest teams. FIFA insists that all changes followed a proper consultation and highlights perceived 'hypocrisy' in the complaint as some clubs elected to schedule lucrative friendly tours in downtime. The process from here involves a preliminary investigation, which is expected to last around a year, followed by a decision on whether to formally investigate. The Commission's powers include prohibiting infringing conduct, seeking commitments from FIFA, and imposing fines.

Extra time...

…and finally, Roger Goodell, National Football League (NFL) commissioner, has suggested that a future Super Bowl may be held outside of the US despite previously dismissing the idea. Speaking at a fan forum before the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars game, he admitted "it wouldn't surprise me at all if that happens one day." Goodell also hinted at future plans to play 16 international games a season and commented that he has "no doubt" that Ireland will host a game soon. The current season features five international games with the league aiming to quickly increase to eight as permitted by team owners but Goodell mentioned this could eventually be doubled, with all 32 teams playing an international game each year.