Sporting event without fans

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Splendid Splinter

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We’ve got our taste of pro sports without fans. What are your thoughts?

personally, I really loved the NHL without fans. Another one that I don’t mind is MLB without fans. I definitely do not miss the idiots reaching for a ball while it’s still in play. That drives me bonkers.

thoughts?
 
The pro games are made for fans. They add to the atmosphere and home field advantage. It's part of the game, really. It's not as good without them.

That said, I hate the piped-in crowd noise and I think the cardboard cutouts in the seats are eye-rollingly stupid.
 
I tried, but it is just too damned weird, and I hope the players and owners now understand how much the fan brings to the game.

The cutouts were the joke that gets told a few dozen times too many.
 
I do not miss one bit the folks who scream "Get in the hole!" after every tee shot.

Haven't missed them at regular Tour events but the U.S. Open wasn't the same without fans and The Masters will be really weird without them.
 
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Doesn’t bother me either. The fake crowd noise does though.

During the summer, I’d watch EPL matches on the NBCSN app without it. It was cool hearing the players talking on the field. I realize the US networks are using the fake crowds to cover up the F-bombs, but I wish they could provide a nat sound option.
 
We’ve got our taste of pro sports without fans. What are your thoughts?

personally, I really loved the NHL without fans. Another one that I don’t mind is MLB without fans. I definitely do not miss the idiots reaching for a ball while it’s still in play. That drives me bonkers.

thoughts?
Fans are slowly returning. There were fans at the Rays-Astros game last night.
 
Really don’t like baseball or basketball without fans. Hockey and football, I’ve been ok with.

Whoever was doing the fake crowd noise for the Rays-Astros was on their game yesterday, right down to the “ooooooh!” when a batter was hit by a pitch. Done well, with baseball particularly, the noise adds something to the game. Done poorly, it’s like a bad laugh track, and as expendable.
 
I didn't think I'd like the fake crowd noise, but it makes it sound like baseball. I throw a lot of games on in the background as I work from home and the silence would have been weird.

The cutouts were silly, but since most raised money for charity, I was OK with them. And it was fun to see them occasionally get drilled by a ball.
 
I've been in the Trop with 1,000 other arms and legs for a Thursday 'Businessman's Special' and thought it could never be more dismal than that.

Sports were meant to be performed in front of people, live. This goes back 2,000 years.
 
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