According to the new ACB regulations, teams will be able to decide the part of the court where they want the game to resume after timeouts, while talks between referees' will be made public at all times.
The 2024-25 ACB season tips off this Saturday with the semi-finals of the Endesa Super Cup. The first title of the season will be decided in Murcia and the two major refereeing innovations for this year will be tested.
The first is the option of taking the ball after each time-out in the rear part of the court (24 seconds of possession) or the front end (14 seconds). Previously, it was only possible in the last two minutes of the game. The player will also be able to choose whether to do it on the bench side or on the opposite side.
"I think it is positive because there can be plays on the left or on the right. I was very bad, I would miss everything, but I understand that the players will do well," referee Alfonso Olivares told AS.
Another innovation is that referees' deliberations in the Instant Replay will be heard in the broadcasts. It will no longer be just the final decision, but the entire process that will be open to the public.
"You will hear why a decision is made. The reasons will be explained. Before, it felt like it was an imposition when you heard it," said the referee, who understands the need for that novelty.
"There must be transparency in decision-making and we must get closer to the fans. We cannot speak only in referee jargon," he explained.
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