One of the first instances where we see Virtual Replay being used in sports was in 1998 for Sunday Night Football when ESPN used "Sportvision's 1st& Ten" electronic first down system. This system made it so that viewers at home could see a virtual line on their TV that represented where the first down marker was on the field. After ESPN used this for the first time, 92% of viewers reported that they preferred watching games this way and 64% of viewers reported that it helped them to understand the game better.
In 1998, Virtual Replay was first employed in sports during Sunday Night Football when ESPN used Sportvision's electronic first down system. This allowed viewers at home to see a virtual line on their TV indicating where the first down marker was positioned on the field. After ESPN introduced this innovation, 92% of viewers preferred it and 64% reported that it improved their understanding of the game.