FOX Sports Will Put Virtual Fans in the Stands for MLB Games
Well, that's one way to do it.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, let's get it out of the way - yes, this year sucks for everything and everybody, and professional sports are no different. It's the end of July and major league baseball is just now starting. The league announced, back in June, that this season will be shorter than usual, playing approximately 60 games in 66 days.
Players will be tested for coronavirus every other day, and they will be playing teams in the same division.
We're all painfully aware that there will be no fans allowed at the games, but how will that affect the "feel" of major league baseball?
It won't, because FOX Sports is inserting digital fans in the stands.
Fans will be dressed in the home team's colors and will be organized into sections so that they can do a "virtual wave." And the "fans" can even be thinned out; if it's an 8-1 game, for example, crowd members who would likely have left already can be removed.
The MLB has also made sound effects from Sony's video games available to networks so that they can be inserted when necessary. Some of the sound effects include cheering, roaring, disappointment and crowd "buzz." It's also been reported that the NFL and NBA will likely do the same thing.
As sad as I am that we can't hit up a Tigers game this summer, I'm really interested to see how FOX pulls this off and whether or not it looks realistic on TV. I'll be watching, will you?