A Gelong fan flexes his muscles during the AFL Round 09 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Geelong Cats at the MCG, Melbourne.
What do you do when fans aren’t turning up to sporting events and you’re left with the indignity of televising from empty stadiums? You create virtual spectators instead. Yes, in the race to satisfy the demands of television and fiscal goals, the custodians of our codes want to manufacture crowds rather than listening to them.
Over 40,000 may have turned up on a Monday night for Carlton versus St Kilda recently, but the AFL must still have concerns about the night’s ability to attract regular huge crowds if the crazy admission by Channel Nine’s executive director Jeff Browne is anything to go by.
Browne, whose network is keen to regain AFL television rights at the next round of negotiations, told The Age that as part of the network’s push to convince the AFL of Monday night footy they will use digital technology to superimpose a virtual crowd on to our screens to compensate for the possibility of empty stadiums.
So while there may only be 16,000 at AAMI Stadium (as there was yesterday for Richmond’s surprise victory over Port Power) or the like, television viewers at home could be treated to a packed stadium and, supposedly, the fake atmosphere to accompany it.
Upon reading the article I couldn’t help but check my calendar to make sure it wasn’t April Fools.
Could such a ludicrous proposition be genuine?
“People are being diabolically conservative about this,” Browne said.
Is expecting reality – real reality not virtual reality – diabolically conservative nowadays?
What a fallacy that such actions and ideas could be deemed acceptable – cheating and misconstruing audiences to hide the truth.
It reminds me of the common practice of doctoring photos of models and celebrities in magazines to make them ‘perfect’ – and then we wonder why so many young people suffer body issues as they try and attain the impossible look propagated to them on newsstands.
What’s worrying is people in positions of power such as Browne not only believe such ideas are acceptable, but they seem confident enough to push them in the public domain believing people will support it.
According to Caroline Wilson’s article: “The AFL, which hopes to sell its next five-year broadcast package complete with nine weekly home-and-away games for $1 billion, said the virtual audience would solve the TV problem but not the prospect of relatively empty Monday night stadiums.”
So the AFL is okay with a virtual audience?
Perhaps the FFA could look into the technology for A-League games!
But joking aside, the ridiculousness of the proposal highlights the gulf between such executives and the fans – not to mention reality.
With television executives increasingly influencing the direction of codes, is it healthy for them to be so submissive to the demands of television while ignoring the core reasons why fans are speaking with their feet on matters such as the popularity of footy on Monday nights in the first place?
Absolutely not.
Sports stand on the brink when they resort to such distortions to hide reality.
The reality is the future of punters actually going to sporting events is at risk, with the advent of high definition and 3D technology making it even easier for fans to stay in rather than face the traffic, costs, dodgy food and wintery conditions in half-empty stadiums – especially when atmosphere can be manufactured by digital technology in high definition on the couch.
And the increasing demand for live coverage of games is a reaction from fans who know live sport is the final ingredient in their viewing utopia.
But codes must not cave in to the lunacy of corporate suits and their bottom dollars and remember the soul of their sports can be found in the stands – the actual people sitting in the stands, not the digitised variation you may be seeing on Channel 9 on Monday nights in the near future.
James
Guest
Australians are complacent, I agree.
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
The same stupid thinking that was behind some of the logic for Super League in Australia, where some drongo said they wouldn't need general admission revenue because they'd make enough from the corporate boxes. I kid you not. So those corporate boxes would be loving watching an empty stadium. Perhaps they could watch the TVs in their boxes with this CGI crowd for the atmosphere! In fact, if the sport itself gets too boring, just have digitally created games!!! Why have one sided contests when the computer can create a more gripping contest that is always a cliff hanger? Do away with player costs too! This is the end product of sport becoming business. The bean counters take over and forget what it is all about.
sheek
Guest
James, Our strength is in our numbers, but not enough of us can be bothered uniting our voice into one. Writing & complaining on The Roar gets it off our chest, but it doesn't achieve anything in the scheme of things. However, if more & more people complain & criticize, it will amount to something.
James
Guest
Disagree. We are here writing about it and complaining but we have made powerless because our voices don't count as we've been squeezed out of sport. Look at Channel 7 delaying Friday night footy. We hate it, we complain, we turn off, yet cause there is enough money in the system floating around our protests don't matter.
sheek
Guest
Vinay, I agree, with you of course but society as a whole is too complacent. Unfortunately, we will end up getting what we deserve, & it won't be pretty..... !
sheek
Guest
I'm sorry to say this, but the people responsible for allowing this kind of stupidity to evolve are.................... US! Society is by & large apathetic. We wake up one day & find the world is completely different to how we imagined it should be. When that happens, don't complain, because you/we/us allowed it to happen this way.
TennisInsight
Guest
Great article. But why stop at virtual crowds? The idea has merit and taken to it's logical conclusion we could have virtual players playing virtual games (every one bound to go down to the wire). Virtual refs & cheerleaders, hey we can even have virtual off field scandals with players having virtual group s**, oh sorry, that module will be exclusively available for the NRL.
Maxy
Guest
I wouldn't take this proposal seriously, it has probably been put out there to soften up the public and make something else look more palatable by comparison. I'm betting the next rights will require a night Grand Final.
Sammy22
Guest
Agree with article Fair to say though the audience that will watch whatever channel 9 tell them, are not reading the roar or even thinking at a level that's good for 'their' sport or should I say entertainment. As a TV company buying a 5 year agreement it means one thing ROI and dam quick, no different than any other business. If its seen to be a winner at the end of that you get first dibs at doing it again. As a guess there has been 15 years maybe more of kids playing playstations et al with virtual crowds, the same time at least has seen crowds placed on one side of the stadium to make it look fuller for TV and the crowds have been sanitised (right or wrong). Here i mean many characters of the crowds are no longer allowed to exist as there flag come paraphernalia are seen as dangerous or they must sit 'appropriately' in the stand not the hill. It will not matter to many probably most As much as I agree with the article I'm don't think it will matter as far as the TV companies and even the football code's management are concerned if the business plan works the dollar will make it happen
Rob
Guest
Although this will horrify most real sports fans the idea is not new, nor is it a sudden change in philosophy or approach for our sports. It is widely understood and accepted by those at the coalface that pretty much all professional sport would still be in a 60s shameteurish state without TV revenue. TV revenue is overwhelmingly the primary financial driver for professional sports. So whilst it is not ever publicly expressed, the notion that stadia are effectively just the worlds largest TV studios has been an integral part of our sporting landscape for over a generation. Those of us who actually go to the grounds feel very differently, but in the end we are not financially important to the survival of our codes. Sad but true.
James
Guest
Exactly. It's a different type of fraud.
Axel V
Guest
Virtual crowds and atmospheres are the stupidest thing i've ever heard. Although I have a suggestion for the A-League, when playing at docklands, rather than having the Northern Terrace mic 80 meters away from it's supporters behind a board, and the away mic only 30 meters away where you can hear their whispers, why don't they put both mics 30 meters away from each other? Or have them both 80 meters away and pump up the volume, is not artificial and will bring it closer to the sound intesnity of what's it's like being at the game!
MV Dave
Guest
It all comes down to how much the various sporting organisations are willing to sell their (league's) soul. The more influence the TV companies have the more money they will pay. I still shake my head at FIFA's cave in to European TV schedules for the 2 WCs played in Mehico...with the result that games at altitude commenced at midday/early afternoon in 100plus degree F temps (England vs Brazil 1970 comes to mind) so that the Europeans could watch the game at a decent time. Which of the sports will be first to put up their hand and say enoughs enough?
mds1970
Roar Guru
Want bigger crowds Clive, but don't want to pay the transport tax? Ask Jeff Browne how.
Kento
Guest
Nice article. I agree it's nuts. The only thing I'll say is that I've always thought they should pipe the sound of the crowd through the speakers at ANZ stadium to make up for the vacumous atmosphere given the size and accoustics of the stadium. But that's just amplifying what's there already and quite different to manufacturing a crowd. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Adrian, if Browne has been reported accurately then his suggestion is no different to falsifying accounts. This is the same sorry scenario engulfing Goldman Sachs and Lehman Bros. And ,dare I say it,the Storm. Corporates in Australia and around the world need to take a hard look at themselves. Sporting standards will ultimately reflect the kind of society we live in. We must continue to improve as a caring,concerned and cohesive society. We have made major strides in equality and empowerment but a lot more needs to be done. Sport is too precious to be left solely in the hands of broadcasters.
Redb
Guest
The AFL has said its not convinced about regular Monday nights it was ch 9 that suggested a virtual crowd. Stupid idea. Agree holographic 3D will get closer to actually being there, but nothing will ever substitute for seeing the game live in real D. Perfect example last Friday night. Agree, the A League needs to look into it. :-)
Jecker
Guest
Why should St. Kilda or the Sea Eagles or Waratah fans suffer heartache when their team is beaten? Let's forget virtual crowds and go to virtual games where the subscriber controls the result. Another point: 3-D coverage will affect attendance to a small degree but when they finally perfect holographic transmission it's all over.
James
Guest
Virtual crowds! Are these people for real? Clueless.
Forgetmenot
Guest
Completely agree Adrian. Virtual crowds will just look very fake on tv. Although i must admit it is a very creative idea. The AFL needs to be very careful not to lose sight of its aim to increase game attendance rather than TV dollars. As soon as that happens then football is purely business. Football is still the peoples game and Channel Nine needs to respect that and not try and influence the AFL. Looking further into the future, it could be entirely possible that you can view a match from home by wearing a 3D goggles, and actually feel like you are sitting at the game. I would love to see crowds then ... Love the picture as well. Titles a bit misleading though.