Sports broadcasters would be making a mistake with virtual fans and fake noise

The Big Lead

"I'm all for sports coming back under safe conditions and reimagining the way they are broadcast without fans makes total sense," says Brian Giuffra. "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." He adds: "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." ALSO: Coronavirus may bring the return of the remote broadcast booth.