If the NFL can't have Fans: Pump in Crowd Noise
The NFL seems destined to play games this fall. It remains to be seen under what circumstances games will be played, but games will be played. The safest way to resume action is probably to play without fans. Yes, it sucks, but it might be the only way for football to come back. In this article, I'll give you three reasons the NFL should pump in crowd noise if they can't have fans at games.
Viewing purposes:
Fans are apart of the game. The product is simply better to watch if there are fans going wild. If there are no fans the next best thing is to do is replicate that through pumping in crowd noise. I am all for mic'ing up players, but I think a combination of mic'd up players and crowd noise will be the best for viewing purposes. Football just wouldn't be the same without any type of crowd noise.
Adrenaline:
Football is a game of adrenaline. Other sports might be better suited to play without fans, but football isn't one of them. The players themselves feed off the energy from the crowd. The fans watching at home feed off the energy from the crowd as well. It won't be the same playing in an empty stadium, but crowd noise can give off the illusion of a big moment, or a big play. Football is all about the big moments. The big moments are always accompanied by a big roar from the crowd. It's important to keep that aspect of football as much as you can.
Home Field Advantage:
Lastly, what is a home game without home-field advantage? Could you imagine Seattle or Kansas City not having any fan presence? There's a reason why certain teams are so good at home. I concede that pumped in crowd noise won't provide that much of an advantage, but there needs to be some type of advantage for the home team. Without crowd noise, it could feel a neutral site game.
Pumping in crowd noise gives you a taste of normalcy during an unusual time.
