Is umpire cam the most useless addition to IPL 2014?

An umpire with a umpire cam fixed on his head in a Big Bash League match between Melbourne Renegades and Melbourne Stars

From straight drives and inswinging yorkers to reverse-sweeps and slower ball bouncers, cricket has certainly undergone a sea change over the past decade. It is not just on the pitch that the changes are visible. The advent of new and more advanced technology has certainly made cricket-viewing a lot more interesting.

The addition of technology such as hawk-eye and hot spot have certainly made the job of an umpire a lot easier than it was a decade ago. With so much at stake in each and every game, it is fair to say that these advantages certainly help rather hinder the game. After all, nobody would want one of the most important games, such as the final of a major tournament, to be decided by an error on the part of the umpire, which could have been avoided with the use of existing technology.

Although technology had its fair share of detractors early on, over time, much of it has gone under the radar. And, it is fair to say that cricket has had no problems in introducing newer and more effective technologies and keeping up with ever increasing demand. Due credit must be given to the broadcasters for coming up with new and more interesting ways to watch the beautiful game.

With that in mind, the recent trend has seen a rise in technology, which gives the audience a feel of what it is like on the pitch. The need to gain upper-hand by numerous means has forced the broadcasters into serving up some gimmicks in the recent past. One such addition is the ‘umpire camera’, which has made its way through this year’s IPL.

The umpire camera is the third generation of the 3^rd eye cams, following the sunglass and helmet cams. The idea is pretty simple: to get the viewers see what the umpire sees.

How is it done? By fitting a small camera on the umpire’s cap and then transmitting the video back to the production room via a battery pack and a radio relay from which it is transmitted to the entire world.

Seems simple enough, what’s the harm you ask? The answer is simple. There is absolutely no use for it and merely makes the umpire look utterly clumsy, by making him wear a strap around his shoulder. It is just another gimmick to make the match for more interesting viewing. Whilst the same can be said of spider cam, at least that gives the viewer a 360-degree view and is useful when it comes to showcasing the atmosphere in the ground. It also gives the viewer a sense of the tension and the anticipation in the stadium.

But the new umpire cam does nothing of the sort. All it does is show the viewer with a video that is of poor quality and one that is of no use for a third umpire decision. And, it isn’t as if this is a novel idea that is being introduced for the first time in the IPL. It is something that was used in the Big Bash League earlier this year and has since made its way to the IPL.

Whilst technology and progress is good, adding newer pieces of technology just for the heck of it doesn’t seem to be a very good way to go about it. And instead of picking up this from the BBL, the revolutionary zing LED bails or the earpiece to speak to the players would have made for a more interesting addition. Unlike the useless umpire cam, the LED bails are a boon when it comes to run-out decisions. And even the earpiece helps in speaking with the plugged in player about how the pitch is playing and how things are. If IPL was going to take a new piece of technology from the BBL, it could have very well gone for either of these two rather than the utterly useless umpire cam.