With the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers drawing its highest ratings in more than six years (including a 14 percent increase in the rating for Game 3 Tuesday night compared to Game 3 of Lakers-Orlando Magic last year), millions of people have found something else -- something unusual -- while watching.
In a rarity for a televised sporting event, the NBA has capably and fairly quickly implemented replay reviews.
Replay was used three times in the waning moments of Game 3 alone to determine possession of the ball. The NBA usually does a good job with its replay system throughout the regular season and the larger stage of the Finals has allowed the league to show its ability to harness technology in a logical manner.
Examples of such quality replay use should embolden Major League Baseball -- just a week removed from the perfect game that was not for Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga because of a bad call by an umpire -- to move forward with its own replay efforts.
Replay should have a role with major college and professional sports. With TV money driving all those entities, from small decisions such as game times to larger matters such as the makeup of conferences (and the Big Ten and Pac-10 could have a few more teams each by the time you're done reading), TV should also play a role to ensure accuracy and fairness in terms of on-field action.
That does not mean baseball should consider balls and strikes with replay. It should not. Ever.
But, a system that works can be found -- despite the NFL's ongoing attempts to make simple replay reviews a sloppy, slow process.
The model used well by one league and sport might not work as efficiently for another league. That does not mean leagues should not look for options, though. When used as part of an efficient system and implemented in a timely manner, replay can make games better.
Both fans watching on TV and those attending in person should expect leagues to be able to deliver and utilize such systems.
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