Football field: 5,341 m2MentalDisabldLst said:I'll echo a post from the Day 1 gamethread:
MLB playoffs: 9-12 players on the field, 6 umpires. Ratio: 1.5-2 to 1. 2-3 to 1 in regular season.
NBA: 10 players on the court, 3 referees. Ratio: ~3 to 1
NFL: 22 players on the field, 7 officials. Ratio: ~3 to 1
NHL: 12 players on the ice, 2 referees + 2 linesmen (who can make/confer on calls). Ratio: 3 to 1
FIFA: 22 players on the field, 1 referee + 2 linesmen. Ratio: ~7 to 1.
I will never understand why they don't put more referees on the field to make calls, watch players, and confer if there's doubt. Why get the calls right when you can just have travesties like this when the whole world is watching?
Baseball field: 18,000 m2 (I know, I know)
Basketball court: 451 m2
Hockey rink: 1,579 m2 (standard size)
Soccer pitch: 4,050 to 10,800 m2
So:
NFL: 5,341/7 = one official for every 763 m2 of physical space
MLB: 18,000/4 = one official for every 4,500 m2; 18,000/6 = one official for every 3,000 m2
NBA: 451/3 = one official for every 150 m2
NHL: 1,579/4 = one official for every 395 m2
Soccer: 4,050/3 = one official for every 1,350 m2 on a small pitch; 10,800/3 = one official for every 3,600 m2 on a big pitch
MDL’s numbers and these together make it pretty clear that there should be at least three on-field officials. I would vote for five, each one covering a specific area of the field. Fifty years ago, one ref could probably keep up with the game. But the sport has developed such ridiculously good athletes that there is no way one guy on the field can keep pace with the speed and athleticism of the game. It is to FIFA’s everlasting discredit that they continue to allow the sport to be sullied this way.