Home Startup & Entrepreneurship A soccer player has made a new app that is already changing...

A soccer player has made a new app that is already changing the game for referees

0

Soccer player and entrepreneur, Simon Murphy, is transforming the way soccer games are recorded with his newly launched app, RefLIVE, designed to digitalise the match day administration process for soccer referees.

“Referees use paper-based team sheets and record in-game events with a pen and notepad. This app is to designed to improve the efficiency of record keeping, making it easier for referees to keep better track of their games,” says Simon.

He believes the current process to record match details is out-dated and inaccurate for the referees, teams and league administrators.

Simon further explained how easy it is to use the app. The pre-match functions, such as adding teams, players and match locations can be recorded on the smartphone app before the game.

The in-game recording of match details – goals, cards and substitutes – is entered on the smartwatch app and the post-game report is reviewed and submitted again via the smartphone.

Has RefLIVE scored?

“We made our official launch at the recent pre-Olympic match between the Matilda’s and New Zealand, a world first for our type of technology,” says Simon.

According to Simon, the feedback from the officials that used the technology was overwhelmingly positive, with many of them asking if they could use it for all of their games.

RefLIVE has been overwhelmed with the initial positive response they have received worldwide. The launch in a FIFA international match really helped catapult the brand.

The team has even translated the app into Japanese and is looking to add a few more languages due to the numerous requests for language translations and several commercial enquiries about the technology.

How did Simon come up with this idea?

One day he was watching soccer and there was a lot happening that required the referee to keep writing details down in his notebook. It was really slowing the game down and it just made him think that there must be a better way to do this.

This led Simon on a long research and development journey to investigate the feasibility of a smartwatch app for the referees to directly record match details.

As a player, coach and referee, he has experienced first-hand the difficulties associated with the administration of matches.

Simon Murphy
Simon Murphy

Simon also worked as a public practice accountant for four years before spending one year as a financial accountant at a hospital.

He then decided that accounting was a whole different ball game to what he wanted so he quit to start a company and enrol in the entrepreneurship and innovation post-grad course at Swinburne.

His goal is to create enterprise solutions for leagues and governing bodies to fully digitalise the referees’ administration process.

“Look out for us in world football and major tournaments. Our dream is to be used in the World Cup,” Simon maintains.