Before this year the idea of sports being played before empty stadiums was a foreign concept to most of us.
However, the pandemic caused by the spread of the coronavirus has made the abnormal normal in 2020.
Most of America’s major sports leagues are in the process of reopening this summer.
Meanwhile, our sporting void has been filled at least temporarily by daytime airings of the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization), European soccer and the running of this season’s NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega on Monday.
While few, if any fans are looking forward to games without fans, this may become the new normal until a COVID-19 vaccine is in place.
In the case of European soccer, many leagues are offering viewers a chance to watch games with added crowd noise. This choice of creative sound editing has elicited divided opinions to say the least.
I was able to take some time this week to compare a game with added crowd noise to one without the extra sounds.
First, I watched the Tottenham Hotspur versus Manchester United match from June 19. The English Premier League has added the crowd noise option through NBC Sports, its North American broadcast partner.
The added noise was noticeable. On one hand it was weird, but it was also easy to tune out.
Probably more important to me a fan was seeing my team, Manchester United back in action after a three-month layoff.
Meanwhile, a match from Italy’s Serie A was broadcast Monday via ESPN+. The game featured league leaders Juventus and their internationally known star, Cristiano Ronaldo, visiting Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, the home of tenth placed Bologna.
Not only did this game not have a crowd but it also featured no crowd noise. There was something nice about hearing every kick of the ball and shouts of players in different languages.
As weird as it was to watch a game withbut crowd noise, it wasn’t too bad.
Eventually, I shifted to listening to the game on headphones only while I multitasked.
On some level, it was almost calming. Not to romanticize the expenerience, but it sounded like I was in the stands or at least closer to the action.
Again, this isn’t the prefered way to experience sports as a spectator. However, in a world where health and safety are the number one concern, I’ll take what I can get.
From what I’ve gathered across social media and the world of sports media, we are all on board with this.
The desire to keep people safe and wanting to see games played are not mutually exclusive.
I don’t like the idea of there being no sports and the world being shut down.
However, it appears, at least for now that we can have the best of both worlds when games are played with no fans so long as high testing standards for athletes and others involved are implemented and adhered to.