data-mm-id=”_hqeykt0gh”>The image of cardboard cutout fans propped up in the front row behind home plate during KBO games this year is impossible to forget. Ignoring the fact that some appear to be holding dinosaurs and others advertising signs, the cutouts felt gimmicky and inauthentic to the moment and took attention away from the game. Worse still, they served as a frequent reminder that we're in the midst of a global pandemic that forces people to stay at home and resurfaced the question of whether we should be playing sports at all right now. That's not the viewing experience I want when I turn to sports for a distraction from reality, but it appears sports broadcasters and leagues in the United States could be headed down the same road as the KBO. According to Joe Buck and multiple other reports, the big sports broadcasters of the country (FOX, CBS, NBC, ESPN, Turner Sports) are considering superimposing digital fans in the stands and pumping in fake crowd noise to "improve" the at-home viewing experience if fans can not attend the games live. The thought process seems to be that view is better than one of empty seats and noiseless bleachers. This is incorrect. Right now, most of us are stuck at home under quarantine and staying socially distant from one another. Outdoor activities, binge-watching shows, and The Last Dance serve as our primary outlets to forget about the new reality we face, one without an end in sight. Live sporting events, like the NFL Draft, provide another channel of distraction, but only if they embrace the situation we're in and not try to recreate a situation we once knew. I'm all for sports coming back under safe conditions and reimagining the way they are broadcast without fans makes total sense. Things have drastically changed in the last few months and the way we consume live sports will have to as well. However, providing a false backdrop and spurious sound isn't the way to go. With no fans in the stands and no cheering emanating from them, the most practical solution for broadcasters is to use both to their advantage. Place cameras in areas you previously couldn't and allow viewers to choose their own adventure, so to speak, by providing access to different views they may have never experienced before, like being court-side at a Lakers game or sitting directly behind home plate. Many Americans now have multiple devices to stream video from and watching multiple views of one game simultaneously would be an additive to the viewing experience. Networks might even be able to get more advertising revenue from the extra impressions they generate. As for the audio, lean into the noise on the field of play and conversations in the huddle. It will have to be delayed by a few seconds so editors can bleep out curse words, but that's fine. In fact, it enhances the experience by giving us a better idea of what really happens when the game is being played. Players might hold back initially, but like reality TV stars, they'll eventually loosen up and be authentic.There are a lot of other things broadcasters and leagues can do to limit the amount of time people focus on the empty, noiseless stands — like playing in smaller venues, not showing as many wide-angle shots, going to the broadcast booth or studio more, or using full-screen graphics to provide deeper context. Putting digital fans in the stands and fake noise, however, will achieve the opposite of that. The Twitter world will explode with jokes and viewers will be distracted. If you need an example, remember the fans on the TV behind Roger Goodell (and the jokes that followed) when he announced picks during the NFL Draft. But at least that felt authentic. Fake fans wouldn't have. Right now, we're in a once-unfathomable place as a country, but we can't run from that reality. We can only embrace the challenge head-on. Thinking about the past won't get us anywhere and trying to broadcast games like we're in the past won't help, either. It's about doing our best in every moment now, and the best broadcasters can do without fans in the stands is to focus our attention elsewhere. Better that then be disingenuous.
Related Posts
Ivica Olic has ended speculation over his future by penning a new two-year deal with Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg.
The Croatia striker had been heavily linked with a move to Premier League outfit Stoke City, with manager Mark Hughes openly admitting the Staffordshire club were pursuing a deal.
However, 34-year-old Olic who would have been a free agent at the end of the season has opted to extend his stay at the Volkswagen Arena.
He told the club s official website: I am very happy that I now have clarity about my future and I will continue to play at Wolfsburg.
We want to attack fully in the Bundesliga and in Europe in the coming season.
It s gives me an incredible amount of (happiness) to be a part of this team and my family feels very comfortable here.
Rafael Benitez has confirmed discussions have taken place with Napoli to extend his contract beyond the end of the season.
The former Liverpool boss was appointed at the San Paolo in 2013 and guided the club to third place in Serie A in his first season, as well as their fifth Coppa Italia title.
Napoli have continued to prosper under the Spaniard and sit third in the table after 11 games of the current campaign, seven points behind early leaders Juventus.
Benitez s current deal is due to expire in June, but he has revealed talks have already taken place with president Aurelio De Laurentiis to prolong his stay in Naples.
I have one year left this year and the future you never know, but I am talking with the chairman, thinking about the future with Nap…
Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Oezil was delighted to surpass Germany legend Gunter Netzer s mark of 100 appearances for the club.
The 23-year-old also commented on his constant presence in Jose Mourinho s starting line-up this season, and said he was proud to hold a place in a team laden with so many high-quaity players.
Gunter Netzer was a great player, who everyone at Real Madrid still respects, Oezil told Kicker.
Therefore, I am honoured to have played as many games as he did with the club. Such comparisons are secondary to me though as I m more concerned with my performance on the pitch.
Oezil said Real s disappointing loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final had been a motivational factor in helping them clinch the La Liga title.
Hull City have the opportunity for revenge after being drawn against Arsenal in the FA Cup third round in a repeat of last season s final.
After also being paired together in Monday s rehearsal draw, the Premier League duo will meet at the Emirates Stadium in early January thanks to a curious quirk of fate.
Steve Bruce s men found themselves 2-0 up after just eight minutes in the 2013-14 Cup final at Wembley in May, with defenders James Chester and Curtis Davies getting the goals.
But Arsenal battled back and forced extra-time as Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny drew Arsene Wenger s side level, before Aaron Ramsey netted the winner with 108 minutes on the clock ending the club s nine-year wait for a trophy.
Three of the five non-league sides left i…
World Cup runners-up France utterly destroyed Netherlands in the opening round of the Euro 2024 qualifications in Group B at the Stade de France on Friday, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice after Antoine Griezmann and Dayot Upamecano already had the home side two goals up. At the very end, Memphis Depay failed to get a consolation goal for the visitors from the spot, providing a fitting end to an overall woeful Netherlands performance.
Some of the mistakes made by the Dutch defence are truly hard to understand.
…
Cristiano Ronaldo suffered his first Saudi Pro League defeat on Thursday as Al Ittihad claimed a 1-0 win to replace Al Nassr at the top of the table.
Al Nassr had not lost any of their five league games since Ronaldo s debut on February 3, drawing his first match before racking up four successive wins.
But that run came to an end against their title rivals at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Romarinho got the only goal of the game in the 80th minute, rounding off a devastating counter-attack.
The forward brilliantly brought down Ahmed Sharahili s right-wing delivery on the edge of the box, his first touch taking a defender out of the game before a cool finish sparked jubilant celebrations.
Congratulations tigers
We are the ones
Alittih…
Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is closing in on a return to first-team action, amid reports linking him with a move to LA Galaxy.
The MLS club were reportedly keen on signing Ibrahimovic at the end of his four-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain in 2016, only for the former Sweden international to join the Premier League giants.
Ibrahimovic struck 28 goals in all competitions in his first season at Old Trafford, including a brace in United s EFL Cup final triumph against Southampton.
An ACL injury ruled the veteran out of the end of the campaign, including the Europa League final victory over Ajax, but Ibrahimovic signed another one-year United deal in August and has since made seven appearances in all competitions.
However, he has not played …
Competition: Premier League
Market: Manchester United to beat Huddersfield
Odds:
The Premier League continues this weekend for another massive round of games that will surely only bring more goals and excitement. The matches in midweek saw a number of surprising results as the world s most competitive league continues to simmer away nicely. With all of this in mind, Manchester United host Huddersfield on Saturday.
Manchester United have been in good form this season and they are looking to tighten their hold on the Champions League places. In their last 25 games they have won 16, drawn five and lost four, scoring 49 and conceding 18 times. In their last five games they have been fairly good, winning three, drawing once and losing once, which ha…
Germany coach Joachim Low is expecting his players to improve when they face Greece in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.
The 52-year-old admitted that his side struggled against Denmark despite running out 2-1 winners, and confirmed political issues will not play a part in their upcoming clash against Fernando Santos men.
I m calm, we ve reached nine points, that s perfect, our first goal. (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel and I have a good relationship – we ve come to an agreement: She doesn t interfere with football issues and I don t talk about politics, Low told reporters.
“In the beginning we played well against Denmark, but after we conceded we slackened a bit and had problems. We ran less, our pressing decreased, so did our passing.
The gaps…
Laurent Blanc has been coy on his coaching future after his France side were eliminated from Euro 2012 by title holders Spain.
The former Manchester United defender took the reins of the French national team in 2010 after winning the Ligue 1 title with Bordeaux, succeeding Raymond Domenech, who had a tumultuous six-year tenure which culminated with an early, shambolic exit at the 2010 World Cup.
Although Blanc brought stability back to the national side and guided them to a 23-game unbeaten streak as well as a place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012, his future remains up in the air as his contract is due to expire.
He had a disagreement with France Football Association chief Noel Le Graet before the tournament as Blanc wished to see his contract extended befor…