Scottish Premiership clubs 'overwhelmingly positive' about VAR - SPFL's Neil Doncaster
- Published
Many leagues around the world have already introduced VAR
Scottish Premiership clubs are "overwhelmingly positive" about introducing VAR, according to SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.
It follows a "productive and positive" meeting co-hosted by the league and the Scottish FA on Friday.
A vote of the 42 clubs in the SPFL's four divisions is likely sometime in the new year.
"We will now continue that dialogue and working up the detail of a formal proposal," Doncaster said.
He hopes VAR will be "introduced as soon as is practicably possible" in the top flight and selected cup competitions should it receive a positive vote.
"This will not be an overnight process, bearing in mind the lengthy training and set-up that will be required," Doncaster said.
"Any such proposal would ensure that none of the costs of implementing VAR in the cinch Premiership would be borne by other SPFL clubs."
The SFA reiterated its offer of underwriting the training costs for match officials, with match costs being borne equally by Premiership clubs.
Implementation and running of VAR in Scotland is understood to cost somewhere close to £1m, with each of the 12 top-flight clubs paying around £60,000-£80,000 per season.
Howard Webb, the 2010 World Cup final referee who implemented VAR in the United States and is now general manager of the Professional Referee Organisation in Major League Soccer, gave the clubs a presentation on the evolution of the technology since its inception and introduction into the Laws of the Game in 2018.
Chief executive Ian Maxwell added: "The meeting was really productive and Howard's presentation was well-received: clubs were really engaged as he outlined the journey VAR had been on not just in the United States but in general.
"The Scottish FA remains fully supportive of its implementation for the benefit of the image and status of our domestic game but also to provide support to our match officials on the domestic, European and international stages."