Abstract
This study looks at the visual scan patterns of high-class basketball referees. Using mobile eye-tracking devices, referees’ gaze behavior was analyzed during the execution of three-point shots in the official pre-season games of Germany’s men’s professional basketball league. We evaluated the extent to which the referees fulfill the tasks assigned to them, where do they look, and to what extent does their gaze behavior overlap during a three-point shot. Results indicate that referees who are far away from the ball and are, therefore, not responsible for observing the actual shot, tend to comply with their areas of responsibility less often than referees standing nearer to the ball, i.e., they appear to observe the ball more than required (ball watching) at the expense of other areas that they are required to be observing at the beginning of the shooting process. However, referees spend a very small part of a three-point shot looking at the same areas of interest. This indicates that referee teams’ allocation of gaze is rather effective, remaining in line with FIBA recommendations and is presumably not the main cause for errors in officiating.
Highlights
In recent years, a number of studies have explored the process of decision-making by different actors in various sports
It was found that both the referees mostly fixated on the game actions with the ball (75%), while simultaneously neglecting actions without the ball. This current study evaluates the expert basketball referees’ gaze behavior and their compliance to their primary area of responsibility
The current study focuses on the gaze behavior of basketball referee teams during threepoint shots
Summary
A number of studies have explored the process of decision-making by different actors in various sports The role of these actors becomes especially important in fast-paced team games, such as basketball, football, or handball, where teammates and opponents need to be observed simultaneously, often in high-stress and timesensitive circumstances. The existing literature presents both efficient visual search strategies and optimally directed visual attention as important determinants of anticipation and decision-making performances in complex sports [4]. At all times, to observe the field markings, the ball, and the players actively involved, as well as the players who are not involved in any given game situation Depending on their position and the position of the ball, the referees have continuously changing areas of responsibility. By means of a multitude of—primarily visually—perceived information, they should ideally, be able to correctly evaluate game situations and take appropriate decisions [8]
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