Fox Sports AU slapped a GoPro camera on a referee to give rugby fans a first-hand look at their favorite sport, and it looks like the RefCam concept has made its way to a U.S. sport as the WNBA debuted its own RefCam.
The referee camera debuted this past Saturday as official Lamont Simpson wore the camera during the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever game. The camera was mounted above Simpson’s ear as he wore a pair of glasses to help keep the camera attached, which he said it took a little while to get used to.
The RefCam was used by ESPN to offer a first-hand look at the WNBA game, similar to how Fox Sports AU used it to cover Rugby. During their broadcast of the game, they would go to the RefCam in order to give viewers a shot of the action they probably will never get to see, that is, unless they happen to be a referee. This won’t be the last time the RefCam is used either as both ESPN and the WNBA have agreed to use it again in upcoming games.