# Fox Sports to add virtual crowds to MLB ballparks



## President Joe Biden (Jul 23, 2020)

Archive



> Fox Sports announced Thursday it will include computer-generated fans in otherwise empty stadiums for its telecasts this season, starting on Saturday.
> “We believe that what we’re doing is creating a natural viewing experience,” said Fox Sports Vice President Brad Zager. “Sports is supposed to be an escape and when people have that escape we want it to feel as normal as possible when there’s very little normalcy, like a crowd at a baseball game on a Saturday."
> "We’re not looking to fool everyone. We know it is a virtual crowd. But we also know how jarring watching a game in an empty stadium is on TV," Zager added.
> 
> ...



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## Meat Target (Jul 23, 2020)

This actually makes me sad. Never before have we been so connected yet so isolated.


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## Reverend (Jul 23, 2020)

There was nothing better than watching football with the sound of the crowd turned the fuck off.   It was fantastic, got to hear more of what goes on in the huddle, got to hear the crashing of players into each other, and not the degenerate mouth breathing yowls that the fans do absolutely nothing but annoy the fuck out of me.


Sooner they can filter out everything but the players and sounds on the field the better.


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## гape (Jul 23, 2020)

can they animate a baby getting crushed by a flying bat? i didnt think so


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## kcbbq (Jul 23, 2020)

As long as it is comically simulated, like the crowds in NES sports games that'd be cool. 

Fake crowd noise pumped in for the players is silly enough, but crowd noise has been part of these games for ages and part of the challenge for visiting teams. 

So much about this is half-assed, but bread and circuses....


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## FaramirG (Jul 23, 2020)

The Rays have been playing in empty stadiums for years, why did Fox wait until now to implement this?


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## Hollywood Hitler (Jul 23, 2020)

Call me crazy, but selling tickets to actual living fans, who will buy over priced merch, would make the MLB more money than CGI fans.


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## DidYouJustSayThat (Jul 23, 2020)

SojuDrnkr said:


> Call me crazy, but selling tickets to actual living fans, who will buy over priced merch, would make the MLB more money than CGI fans.


Just wait, the ability to place your avatar on the stadium and micro transactions for its emotes and clothing are the logical next step. $5 for participating in a wave, a dollar for a cheer.. - the possibilities are endless.


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## RA-5C Vigilante (Jul 23, 2020)

Oh god I hope its even worse than the canned audience the Barclays Soccer games have had that totally aren't awkward and make it even worse to watch


freshjapanesestyleudon said:


> can they animate a baby getting crushed by a flying bat? i didnt think so


That is too entertaining for modern baseball


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## Exterminatus (Jul 23, 2020)

These places are going to such stupid lengths for a virus that has like a 98% survival rate, it really is clown world. Even with the spikes from all the idiots out rioting, it's just prolonged madness.


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## Jimmy Durante's Ballsack (Jul 23, 2020)

I live in an area with excellent color commentary on the radio. When I watch my local sports teams I mute the TV/stream and turn up the radio broadcast. The crowd is irrelevant to me. That it will be faked makes me hate the end product even more.


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## REGENDarySumanai (Jul 23, 2020)

This is beyond sad and pathetic. There are no words on how confused I am right now.


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## Coffee Shits (Jul 23, 2020)

REGENDarySumanai said:


> This is beyond sad and pathetic. There are no words on how confused I am right now.


The show must go on.

Ah, who am I kidding? It's saving money on janitors and concession stand workers because wE'Re kEepInG yOU sAfE.


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## MuuMuu Bunnylips (Jul 23, 2020)

This is right up there with adding a glow effect to hockey pucks in televised games because Americans were too lazy/stupid to follow the action.


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## Idiotron (Jul 23, 2020)

From what I've read, ticket sales from MLB games generate $10 billion per year more or less.
30% of their total revenue.
How much revenue will the CGI fans be generating?


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## ToroidalBoat (Jul 23, 2020)

This is a crappy cyberpunk dystopia story.


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## Bland Crumbs (Jul 23, 2020)

FaramirG said:


> The Rays have been playing in empty stadiums for years, why did Fox wait until now to implement this?



I just kind of figured this was standard for MLB for years. Everyone looks the same in the crowd and I cannot buy that people would repeatedly watch grown men scratch their balls for 12 hours.


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## FaramirG (Jul 23, 2020)

Bland Crumbs said:


> I just kind of figured this was standard for MLB for years. Everyone looks the same in the crowd and I cannot buy that people would repeatedly watch grown men scratch their balls for 12 hours.


MLB has more action ("in play" content) than the NFL with fewer commercials and roughly the same broadcast time per game. The NFL has just filled up the dead time with commercials to such an extent that they had to introduce mandatory breaks specifically to show commercials. I cannot buy that people would repeatedly watch ads saying "buy a Ford, you pussy. You don't want to buy a Ford? What are you, a bitch?" for 2 full hours to get literally 11 minutes of actual football, but somehow it still happens.

Football has just done a flawless job of selling everyone on their gimmick. Any moment of dead time in the other sports (baseball/basketball/hockey) is a cardinal sin. But if the NFL takes a literal tv timeout, it's all good.


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## dunbrine47 (Jul 23, 2020)

I'm just waiting for the interns to fill the seats with things ranging from blow up dolls to stuffed fursuits.


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## Cast Iron Pan (Jul 23, 2020)

Meat Target said:


> This actually makes me sad. Never before have we been so connected yet so isolated.


MLB players are probably all going to be sporting BLM (convenient anagram) crap. They'll kneel for the national anthem and twerk for {random rap song}. I hope the lack of attendance chokes hundreds of millions of dollars out of them.

^--- draft from hours earlier.

*Now 30 minutes ago:*


			https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1286441177051549701
		





Your browser is not able to display this video.



That's right, get on your knees you whimpering simpering punks.

"It was before the anthem! They only sucked the dicks of an illegitimate marxist anti-white anti-American terrorists organization during a moment silence, it's totally cool."


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## Jonah Hill poster (Jul 23, 2020)

“Computer generated fans in a baseball stadium”

It kind of reminds me of this






Under appreciated baseball game by the way


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## Meat Target (Jul 23, 2020)

Cast Iron Pan said:


> MLB players are probably all going to be sporting BLM (convenient anagram) crap. They'll kneel for the national anthem and twerk for {random rap song}. I hope the lack of attendance chokes hundreds of millions of dollars out of them.
> 
> ^--- draft from hours earlier.
> 
> ...


That makes me want to fucking bite someone in the throat. 

I grew up watching and playing baseball in the post 9-11 world. It was my life as a kid. Dad playing ball with me and my brother till daylight was gone. Watching the Royals win the pennant, then the World Series the next year.... so many happy memories. Baseball was often my escape from the then-burgeoning Clown World. 

Now I can't even have that. Even with Jackie Robinson's number universally retired and him having a day dedicated to #WeAreAll42, well-deserved recognition of Negro Leagues players and their talent in spite of segregation, and players of every race, color and creed....

IT'S STILL NOT FUCKING ENOUGH FOR THESE BOLSHEVIK SONS OF WHORES!!!!


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## FaramirG (Jul 23, 2020)

Meat Target said:


> That makes me want to fucking bite someone in the throat.
> 
> I grew up watching and playing baseball in the post 9-11 world. It was my life as a kid. Dad playing ball with me and my brother till daylight was gone. Watching the Royals win the pennant, then the World Series the next year.... so many happy memories. Baseball was often my escape from the then-burgeoning Clown World.
> 
> ...


Why do you care? Why does taking a knee during pregame warmups which you would otherwise not have paid any attention to upset you? If you're part of the military, I get it, they take that stuff very seriously and I've seen people on military bases, even out of uniform, literally drop what they're doing to stand at attention and salute when the anthem plays, but if you're part of the other 99.999% of the US population, why does it bother you? 

When you're at home watching a game and the anthem is playing pregame, do you stand with your hand over your heart? Or do you just go get some snacks like everyone else?


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## Meat Target (Jul 23, 2020)

FaramirG said:


> Why do you care? Why does taking a knee during pregame warmups which you would otherwise not have paid any attention to upset you? If you're part of the military, I get it, they take that stuff very seriously and I've seen people on military bases, even out of uniform, literally drop what they're doing to stand at attention and salute when the anthem plays, but if you're part of the other 99.999% of the US population, why does it bother you?
> 
> When you're at home watching a game and the anthem is playing pregame, do you stand with your hand over your heart? Or do you just go get some snacks like everyone else?


This is unprecedented in baseball. There are things that need to be kept separate from politics. Sportsball is one of them.

No, I was not in the military, but my grandfather and great uncle were. My great uncle was killed by Nazis in the Battle of the Bulge, and my Grandpa was wounded by a ChiCom in Korea.

My father and I were almost never born because of Communist expansion. Seeing one of my favorite forms of Bread and Circus kowtow to the very same Communists is a damned insult. And it's even more of a damned insult that, if I object to it, I get labeled as the very same Nazis that killed a blood relative of mine.

I'm fucking done with sports. I hope the sportsball commissioners, owners, coaches, and players all remember what Good Allies they were to the rage mob as they're being guillotined.


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## Iron Hamster (Jul 23, 2020)

Watched 2 clips on ESPN. Eaton and Stanton home runs with the piped in sound. Couldn't tell no fans by the sound.


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## Wazzupnerds (Jul 23, 2020)

FaramirG said:


> Why do you care? Why does taking a knee during pregame warmups which you would otherwise not have paid any attention to upset you? If you're part of the military, I get it, they take that stuff very seriously and I've seen people on military bases, even out of uniform, literally drop what they're doing to stand at attention and salute when the anthem plays, but if you're part of the other 99.999% of the US population, why does it bother you?
> 
> When you're at home watching a game and the anthem is playing pregame, do you stand with your hand over your heart? Or do you just go get some snacks like everyone else?



Oh geez your gonna make the boomers mad with this one. Im sorry, I get patriotism and all that, and every generation in my family has had someone serve, but Jesus Christ, they are kneeling during a song. You guys act like the people you make fun of  over a fucking song.



Iron Hamster said:


> Watched 2 clips on ESPN. Eaton and Stanton home runs with the piped in sound. Couldn't tell no fans by the sound.



Yeah it's strange with the phantom crowd noise, its scary good sometimes during pop ups.


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## Cast Iron Pan (Jul 23, 2020)

Meat Target said:


> That makes me want to fucking bite someone in the throat.
> 
> I grew up watching and playing baseball in the post 9-11 world. It was my life as a kid. Dad playing ball with me and my brother till daylight was gone. Watching the Royals win the pennant, then the World Series the next year.... so many happy memories. Baseball was often my escape from the then-burgeoning Clown World.
> 
> ...





			https://twitter.com/ColumbiaBugle/status/1286473949862404099
		



> The game is currently delayed as a massive thunderstorm pummels Washington, DC.


*MLB: *If there's anything wrong with sucking communist dick before baseball may god strike me down!
*God: *lol k


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## Wazzupnerds (Jul 23, 2020)

Cast Iron Pan said:


> *MLB: *If there's anything wrong with sucking communist dick before baseball may god strike me down!
> *God: *lol k



Stop being this gay over kneeling, fucking hell

Didn't Jesus say to turn the other cheek?


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## Cast Iron Pan (Jul 23, 2020)

Wazzupnerds said:


> Stop being this gay over kneeling, fucking hell
> 
> Didn't Jesus say to turn the other cheek?



No, don't think so. He talks a lot about wielding swords and whipping bankers, but nothing about cheeks that I can recall.


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## Wazzupnerds (Jul 23, 2020)

Cast Iron Pan said:


> View attachment 1469097
> No, don't think so. He talks a lot about wielding swords and whipping bankers, but nothing about cheeks that I can recall.



A summary: NO I WONT STOP BEING GAY BECAUSE THOSE JEEEEEEEWWWSSSSS

Stop being gay


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## AnotherPleb (Jul 25, 2020)

Wazzupnerds said:


> Stop being this gay over kneeling, fucking hell
> 
> Didn't Jesus say to turn the other cheek?


smugatheistreply.jpg


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## Wazzupnerds (Jul 25, 2020)

AnotherPleb said:


> smugatheistreply.jpg



not an atheist lol


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## MrJokerRager (Jul 27, 2020)

FaramirG said:


> MLB has more action ("in play" content) than the NFL with fewer commercials and roughly the same broadcast time per game. The NFL has just filled up the dead time with commercials to such an extent that they had to introduce mandatory breaks specifically to show commercials. I cannot buy that people would repeatedly watch ads saying "buy a Ford, you pussy. You don't want to buy a Ford? What are you, a bitch?" for 2 full hours to get literally 11 minutes of actual football, but somehow it still happens.
> 
> Football has just done a flawless job of selling everyone on their gimmick. Any moment of dead time in the other sports (baseball/basketball/hockey) is a cardinal sin. But if the NFL takes a literal tv timeout, it's all good.


This approach revolutionized soccer since the 1994 World Cup was the first time people scare score tickers on the top.


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