Story perspectives
NBA Referees to Wear Headsets for Enhanced Officiating
1/20/2026
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Story summary
- The NBA will reintroduce referees wearing headsets with earpieces and microphones during live play from Tuesday through February 12.
- This phase lets referees communicate with the replay center and with each other during live play, improving officiating accuracy.
- The NBA aims to improve the technology after audio quality issues in the initial phase.
- The league has tested this technology since 2022 at G League Winter Showcase and NBA preseason games.
