TV viewers set to learn Hawk-Eye decisions in ‘real time’

Hawk-Eye decisions will be communicated immediately to TV viewers as well as Croke Park patrons, stadium and commercial director Peter McKenna has revealed.

Similar to BBC at Wimbledon, RTÉ and TV3 coverage of this year’s Championship games at GAA HQ will include icons in their broadcast, which will signify when Hawk-Eye is called for and the outcome of the score detection technology’s findings. Hawk-Eye is only being used in differentiating what are and aren’t points in Championship games at Croke Park, starting with the June 1 Leinster SFC quarter-final between Kildare and Offaly.

A press conference is scheduled for three weeks’ time where journalists will be briefed on the exact mechanics of the system. The identity of Hawk-Eye’s sponsor will also be revealed.

Referees will have the power to call for assistance from Hawk-Eye on a point decision if either they or their umpires are uncertain about whether a scoring attempt has passed between the posts or gone wide. The white flag umpire can alert the ref and he then decides if it’s appropriate to notify the Hawk-Eye operators.

The decision is then relayed on the two big screens at Croke Park and to TV viewers.

“When a judgment is sought by the referee, it will be relayed to the crowd and the TV audience as a Hawk-Eye decision,” explained McKenna.

“Hawk-Eye will take an imprint of all shots or attempts at points but it is up to the referee when to use the technology.”

It is anticipated the time taken to relay the fate of a scoring attempt via Hawk-Eye will be no more than a matter of seconds.

Meanwhile, McKenna estimates between 22,500 to 25,000 will attend Sunday’s Division 1 semi-finals in Croke Park. That would represent double the 11,342 crowd that turned up for last year’s games when Kerry and Cork were involved in separate matches. “They are two great pairings,” said McKenna.