[Chris is me]

I know this is another Opinion / Hot Take post, and it does echo some themes in the thread, but essentially the problem instant replay solves can be solved in other ways - but instant replay is probably the only way that we as event planning volunteers can make an impact.

The "right" way to solve the problem is in game design. While I respect and understand the many constraints the GDC are under in the game design process (and thus this whole paragraph is easier said than done), there are certainly changes to the game rules that would make refereeing more fair. Removing tasks that are scored subjectively by humans in real time is the #1 change that can be made. Assists in 2014 and crossings in 2016 are two perfect examples. To some extent these get better if the human scoring is dedicated solely to the task and focused on a small area of the field, but in both years this task was spread out over several positions and could happen at the same time in multiple areas. Other areas of rules ambiguity could be tightened up and made either more objective or removed entirely. There is a tendency for the GDC to "patch" holes in the game design with specific and excessively subjective rules to cover for a variety of convoluted situations, and that leads to a lot of these problems.

The thing is though, we have no pull on the GDC, and no opportunity to change how the game rules are written whatsoever. So we can't solve these problems the "right" way. We can ask and hope, that's it. If we want to get more calls right, in games where calls are done like this, instant replay is worth exploring. The way it's been done at various offseasons is great - let's keep trying stuff at offseasons to balance the constraints between volunteer requirements, equipment, rules interactions, etc. What we don't need is an essential moratorium on even considering the slightest change to a broken process from people used to the status quo. Let people try it at off-seasons! If it is truly doom and gloom as it is made out to be that will become obvious very quickly, and if it's not, we learned something.

Nobody in the entire thread wants video replay because they believe refs are incompetent, not trying hard enough, or biased. There is universal recognition of the difficulty of the task of refereeing. This is not a matter of people going "oh, now that I know being a ref is Hard, I won't complain anymore" - because what comfort is that to a team that's season is over on a blatant missed call that everyone can see but no one can change? You guys say "it's not about winning", which is really easy to say if you get to the Championship every year anyway, but the fact is in FRC winning is more than symbolic - it creates the future opportunity to compete and be inspired. As long as qualification is merit based, winning, and getting the calls right, will absolutely, tangibly matter. We should try and get it right.