Fanless Sports: Which sport would suffer the most?

[Kitaman]

The pandemic could eliminate spectators from sporting events.

Fans cheering loudly and wildly is intoxicating for athletes and equivalent to an emotional and adrenaline type high. With that said we may see empty stadiums, courts and arenas, with players playing without fans.

So which sport (mainly athletes) would suffer from not having fans? Consider also that home team advantage is gone.

I say football because a lot of plays are mundane, and touchdowns which are not frequent, are wildly celebrated. Plus the one or two big plays build momentum through fans cheering.

I think basketball less so because of only 10 players on the court and many players are used to playing competitively without fans.

Baseball to me, can be boring as hell anyway and spectators are usually helpless in determining outcomes, unless one of those rare rallies occurs.

Tennis is quiet sport and car racers can't hear fans when driving. Not sure about hockey, soccer, golf or other sports.

 

[phillionaire]

I hope they don't pump in fan noise if there aren't fans. I wanna hear the trash talking and all the expletives.

 

[the Q]

The home teams for nfl and nba games.

A study like 10 years ago found that the home team got an inordinate amount of favoritism. Hopefully this will end that.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Put me down in the "Fans will be allowed to go to sporting events in the future" column.

 

[Kitaman]

I hope they don't pump in fan noise if there aren't fans.

Or this:

 

[Palatine]

Cornhole. Those big cornhole games haven't been the same without thousands of fans cheering them on, exploding with each shot.

 

[phillionaire]

Or this:
View attachment 54483

I would be ok with a fake crowd if they did this

Yes, Those Were Sex Dolls Cheering On a South Korean Soccer Team (Published 2020)

FC Seoul wanted to add a little festivity to an empty stadium. Instead, it’s apologizing to fans.

www.nytimes.com

 

[CL82]

I would be ok with a fake crowd if they did this

Yes, Those Were Sex Dolls Cheering On a South Korean Soccer Team (Published 2020)

FC Seoul wanted to add a little festivity to an empty stadium. Instead, it’s apologizing to fans.

www.nytimes.com

Lol, I want to know who the genius was whose first reaction was "We should put sex dolls up there."

 

[Fairfield_1st]

We could watch a BCU home basketball game to see the effect on college hoops.

 

[FlippinCrazy!]

Major conference college football and basketball. Teams like UMass already have no fans, so they’re used to it. Home field advantage is now taken away for the teams people actually like

 

[phillionaire]

Lol, I want to know who the genius was whose first reaction was "We should put sex dolls up there."

Or what questions were raised when someone showed up with all of the sex dolls

 

[CL82]

Or what questions were raised when someone showed up with all of the sex dolls

"We got a shipment of what?!... Oh those are probably Jimmy's.. yeah, definitely Jimmy's..."

 

[Kitaman]

I would be ok with a fake crowd if they did this

Yes, Those Were Sex Dolls Cheering On a South Korean Soccer Team (Published 2020)

FC Seoul wanted to add a little festivity to an empty stadium. Instead, it’s apologizing to fans.

www.nytimes.com

I wanted to give you a like, but thought perhaps he's into those things. Just pictured you being the only one in the arena and literally picking up chicks. Not that there is anything wrong with that, just that I'm not.

 

[Waterbury]

Offenses are going to have it much easier when on the road in football, at most stadiums. I say most stadiums because all of the rich old people have priced out the rowdy younger crowd in Foxboro. I'm like the only one yelling.

 

[goskis2018]

I think the sport that will have their entertainment value be least impacted by the lack of fans will be the NBA. The league is so star-driven that while electric playoff crowds will be missed the league itself will have an opportunity to present the playoffs in a very real and intimate way. Watching and hearing LeBron James run a team should be an educational experience for a basketball fan. I'm also hoping for a TV-MA version where we can hear the trash talk being exchanged. For me the sport that will suffer the most will be soccer, yes I'll still watch the games but a lot of the charm to following the sport are the unique fan cultures throughout the continent, many of which are deeper than simply game-day tradition (think politics and regional pride)

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I would think baseball would be least affected. A mostly-empty baseball stadium for an early season game is not going to look all that strange.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Suffering athletically or financially?
Athletically- football...home field means a lot
Financially- all college sports

 

[navery12]

I feel like basketball is the most affected just thinking about a crowd at Gampel after a big basket or for a late game stop/FTs

Baseball - isn't a huge momentum from the crowd sport. You might get the crowd up for a big strikeout in a big game but that's not 90% of games

Football - easy answer since crowd noise can help the defense/force the opposing team to adjust snap counts but feel like the effect is minimal when you have months to prepare and you know you won't have to use a silent count

 

[Kitaman]

I feel like basketball is the most affected just thinking about a crowd at Gampel after a big basket or for a late game stop/FTs

Good point, fans have often been called the 6th player.

 

[the Q]

I feel like basketball is the most affected just thinking about a crowd at Gampel after a big basket or for a late game stop/FTs

Baseball - isn't a huge momentum from the crowd sport. You might get the crowd up for a big strikeout in a big game but that's not 90% of games

Football - easy answer since crowd noise can help the defense/force the opposing team to adjust snap counts but feel like the effect is minimal when you have months to prepare and you know you won't have to use a silent count

Don’t mind that at all. I think that makes football a better product.

 

[auror]

Basketball is the major sport with the largest home field advantage followed by NFL, so it would probably be the most jarring without fans.

The momentum swings or home team runs and effect on referees, etc.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Basketball, Football, Baseball crowds matter.

They have to pipe in the crowd noise if they end up having no fans. People will feel uncomfortable/bored watching it.

 

[the Q]

Basketball is the major sport with the largest home field advantage followed by NFL, so it would probably be the most jarring without fans.

The momentum swings or home team runs and effect on referees, etc.

Yes. That’s why I’m actually looking forward to sports without fans.

It will be a better product.

 

[Hi-Low]

Basketball for sure I think needs fans to feel normal, Football will be weird but will get used to it. Golf and Baseball least affected I think.

I think physically Basketball will also be the toughest sport to get re-started with the very close contact and no way to cover up players in any way. I hope they find a way by Nov.

 

[Jaker]

NFL

 

[FatHank]

I watch a lot of soccer and UFC, both of which are going fanless now.

Watching the German Bundesliga without fans is like watching a closed practice but suited up and playing a game. It is really wierd. UFC is very, very different without fans. The whole televised experience is 100% changed. You hear tons more in fanless matches in the ring, in the sidelines, etc.

I am sure fighters miss the crowd as well as soccer players too. Soccer fans make the atmosphere and so much so in UFC matches. It'll be strange to see a fanless Manchester darby. That will be interesting.

Sports that will miss fans most: football, basketball, baseball, and hockey a close third.