NBA referees will begin using headsets to communicate in real time with the NBA Replay Center and each other starting Nov. 1, the league announced.
This rollout on Friday (Oct. 31) marked the first phase of a two-step plan to improve game flow and officiating accuracy using the new communication system.
In the initial phase, referees will clip an earpiece to their uniforms and place it in their ears only during instant replay reviews or other stoppages, not during live play.
Beginning with tomorrow’s games, NBA referees will use headsets to communicate in real time with the NBA Replay Center and each other.
The new communication system is designed to improve game flow and enhance officiating accuracy.
📰Full release: pic.twitter.com/UZVKKWf0JR
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) October 31, 2025
If the first phase proves successful, the second phase will start in January 2026, with referees wearing ear pieces throughout the entire game, including live play.
During the second phase, referees will have continuous communication with the Replay Center and each other, a practice that will continue through at least the NBA All-Star break in February in Los Angeles.
The technology underwent extensive testing in NBA preseason games from 2024 to 2025, NBA Summer League from 2023 to 2025, and the NBA G League Winter Showcase from 2022 to 2024.
The NBA will collaborate closely with the National Basketball Referees Association throughout the implementation process.
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