Virtual vs. real life, Joshua Mayne

Virtual vs. real life

Just like the rest of the world, the sport industry had to pivot when COVID-19 struck. Joshua Mayneexplores the pros and cons of virtual sport versus its real-life counterpart before the pandemic.

Unearthing new sport

FOR THE INITIAL FEW months of the pandemic, almost all of the world’s major sporting leagues were suspended. This lack of live sport saw desperate sports fans use dodgy live streams to watch any form of competition they could find. Whether this was Belarussian football, -

Russian table tennis or international e-sports, fans needed a sport fix.

Broadcasters consequently listened to their viewers and brought them access to some of the few sports still in action. Optus Sport, for example, gave Australian fans access to the K-League and J-League in Korea and Japan respectively while the English Premier League stayed out of action. Despite the eventual return of topflight European football, this pandemic opened the eyes of many dedicated football fans looking to quench their thirst for the round ball.

Whether these unconventional sports and viewing methods will remain after the pandemic ends is yet to be determined. But we can be sure that sports fans across the world learnt or watched something new during lockdown.

Creative fan engagement

Although most professional sporting leagues are back in action, the majority of games are still being played behind closed doors. Fans understandably want to interact with their favourite team, so event organisers have had to get creative.

Arguably, the NBA has been the most successful, introducing a virtual fan wall on the side of the court in Orlando. They select fans, link them together in a video call, and project them on a giant virtual fan-wall courtside. Besides having the opportunity to get your face on national and international broadcasts, this has given fans the ability to interact with their team in these unprecedented times.

The necessity of social media in this globalised sporting world has also been highlighted. Online media has transitioned from being a supplementary way to engage with your team, to one which is essential. These online platforms have connected fans to players, teams, and the sport in general. There has certainly been an increased feeling of international community since following sports has become ‘virtual’.

Sport needs ‘real-life’ fans

Despite technology providing viewers with a remarkable virtual experience, this pandemic has shown us that sport is not the same without spectators. Despite the flood of online support for sports teams, it still feels like something is missing. No amount of simulated fan noise or personalised mannequins in the stands have been able to replace a live crowd. This is, however, a much better option than mistakenly putting sex dolls in your stadium, as Korean football team FC Seoul learnt the hard way…

The atmosphere of a stadium full of passionate fans is not easily replicated. There is this unique sense of community when you sit amongst like-minded sports fans in a stadium. Reclining in your lounge chair as you eat takeaway has its benefits, but it is simply not the same. New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter perfectly summarises the theatre that is created at a sports game.

“I've never been an actor on Broadway, but it feels like you're on a stage when you play at Yankee Stadium. And that's the feeling I've always had.”

It has also been noted that playing in empty arenas and stadiums has potentially nullified the home ground advantage. The Conversation has highlighted how in European football the home team wins 46 per cent of the time with a crowd. However, without fans in the stands, they win only 36 per cent of the time. This is due to a few factors including crowd pressure on the referee, and the mental boost of supportive fans.

There may well be an imaginary asterisk next to teams who are fortunate to win a trophy this year. As legitimate and impressive their success may be, it will be difficult for some to ignore the fact that they played their winning game with no-one truly watching.

Where to now?

This pandemic is not going away any time soon, and sport will have to continue to adapt. There is no certainty about when fans will return to stadiums, nor is there a clear path back to ‘normality’. What we do know, however, is that the continuation of live sport is a priority across the world. Whether it should be considered so important in the midst of a global pandemic is still debatable, however.

Professional sport may not be a necessity, but as far as non-essential activity goes, this is as important as it gets. This year has shown us that the world still goes round without sport, but its return has made life better for many.

Pictures: Lisseth Portillo