Since 2022, the U.S. Open has incorporated Hawk-Eye Live, an electronic line-calling system, as an alternative to human line judges. This technology dates back to Cyclops, which was used in Wimbledon during the 1980s. It opened the door to the prospect that there were other ways to make judgments besides relying on human vision and judgment. As sports technology continues to evolve, Hawk-Eye has been implemented in over 20 major sports leagues since it was developed by Paul Hawkins in 1999.
For most of its early days, Hawk-Eye was confined to broadcasting but experienced a seismic shift after a 2004 U.S. quarterfinal match between Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati. Several poor calls during the match resulted in outrage from viewers and commentators, and compelled the International Tennis Federation to permit its use for officiating.
The coronavirus pandemic has expedited Hawk-Eye's implementation in tennis. The U.S. Open opted not to use line judges on all but two courts in 2020 and was followed in 2021 by the Australian Open, when it became the first Grand Slam tournament to play without line judges.
Hawk-Eye is also being used in other mainstream sports, such as the WNBA, MLS, and NFL. In the upcoming NBA season, Hawk-Eye will be utilized for skeletal tracking and officiating. Sony acquired Hawk-Eye in 2011, and the global sports technology market is estimated to reach $25.7 billion by 2030.
Watch the video to learn more about how Hawk-Eye and Sony have revolutionized the world of officiating and data-collection.
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