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Covid 19: The pros and cons of watching sport without fans

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4th May, 2020
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Our sporting codes certainly felt like strange new products when played without fans. As they begin to resume, it is almost guaranteed that sport will continue to have an odd look.

The NRL is likely to kick off first whether they receive the approval for a May 28 resumption or soon after. The AFL is yet to announce a date though all roads lead towards a mid to late June resumption.

For any sporting fan, having the same expectations for this season as you would for a typical season would be a disappointment because of the unique nature sport is in. It would be wise to change our hopes before the sporting codes resume.

This has led me to create a list of the pros and cons of watching live sport without crowds in the hope of assisting fans in altering their expectations for sport during COVID-19.

Pros

Hearing the raw sounds of the game.
One of the first notable aspects of crowd-less games was being able to hear the players, umpires/referees and coaches more than usual. Hearing the umpires/referees constantly was quite irritating but the sounds of players and coaches were certainly engaging when heard.

The broadcasting companies can certainly improve the balance between the volume of umpires and the sounds of the game. If they can emphasis the sounds of the game more and lower the sound of whistles being constantly blown, it would be much better off for TV audiences.

The commentary of the game stands out
Without the background noise of the crowd, the commentators certainly become more audible. This makes the expert opinions and analysis from commentators pronounced which is beneficial in hearing insights into the game that you may have not thought of.

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Some may disagree with the opinions but it creates interest for viewers which is a positive.

The intensity of the game lifts
In regards to crowd-less games, some people believe the intensity lowers though I think the opposite. Yes, with crowd noise the pressure can rise for players to perform.

Without crowd noise however, the sounds from teammates and opposition players are only emphasised so I think the pressure and intensity lift more as a result.

To conclude with the ‘pros’, we should appreciate the fact that we have these unique benefits in the sporting world of COVID-19. They won’t exist forever so while they last, we should rally around the unique positives.

An empty stadium in the A-League

An empty stadium (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

Cons

Atmosphere
One-sided games can lose their lustre quickly and become boring without the emotions of a crowd.

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With commentators being the ones left with the challenge of commentating one-sided games, it can be a tough job.

Without fans, the emotions of the game come down to the thoughts and feelings of commentators.

More often than not, the ones calling the game will have less fire in the belly than a supporter who is sitting on the boundary ranting and raving for their team so the emotions of the game can easily fade away without crowds. This can result in one-sided games becoming quite boring quickly.

Broadcasters and the AFL have to find a way to stimulate emotion into matches. In reality, these one-sided games should never be boring as the results have huge ramifications for the losing side and much upside for the winning team and ultimately, they bring out a heap of emotion.

Maybe we get greater insights into coaching addresses during breaks in games to get a look into the ramifications that poor performances have? Surely.

This would bring a heap of interest into these one-sided games. Talk about COVID-19 being an opportunity to change the game for the future. Here is a big chance! Greater access to the inner sanctum of clubs.

Players are less emotive and don’t feel the highs and lows of the game as much
While I did have the intensity rising for players as a positive, for some it’s much the opposite. Some players will likely become solely focused on the game and won’t feel as much emotion as they would with a crowd.

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For example, in Aussie rules when an amazing goal is kicked on the boundary at training, it is a lot less exciting than it happening in a game with a crowd cheering. When AFL’s back without crowds, the goals, tackles, marks will be somewhat like training.

Likewise, for NRL, the try-saving tackles, the 50-metre tries won’t be as exciting without crowds. Overall we may see less emotion out of the players which is unfortunate but fair in the context of the situation they will be in without crowds.

Flashes of silence
In the crowd-less matches before seasons were put on hold, there were several moments where there would be flashes of silence.

The best examples of these silent moments were in between kicks or throws where umpires/referees, players, commentators and everyone waits to see what happens.

It is our human instinct to be silently watchful in these moments as you anticipate what will happen next. It is an unavoidable and just the new reality wherein with COVID-19 and no crowds.

Usually, we would get the background noise of a crowd though that is now replaced with silence. You might see this as a ridiculous negative but you’ll take notice of it when you watch live sport again without crowds.

To conclude, while these ‘cons’ negatively impact sport as we once knew them, they will end up giving us a greater appreciation for what we had in the past. Stick tight and stay loyal to the sports you love and we will be better for it.

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After all who would have thought we would be in this predicament?

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