FOX debuts virtual fans at Wrigley Field for Cubs-Brewers broadcast

With the MLB regular season officially starting, the Cubs–Brewers broadcast on FOX is doing whatever it takes to emulate what a real baseball game would feel like.

Because of the fact that MLB games in the 2020 season will be played without fans, everyone involved will have to make their proper adjustments to the new reality, or in this case, virtual reality.

As the Cubs and Brewers square off for their opening series in 2020, FOX’s broadcast team is experimenting with having its own version of fans in the stands, even if they are not real.

In the blink of an eye, FOX can put a capacity virtual crowd in Wrigley Field that looks like something straight out of MLB The Show. With the ability to control which team the “fans” are rooting for and the emotions they show, FOX is trying to give its viewers some semblance of what the ballpark would look and sound like were we not dealing with a pandemic.

This is not the first time that MLB has gotten experimental. Some teams have resorted to using cardboard cutouts of fans to place in seats as well. In addition, teams are pumping in fake crowd noise straight from MLB The Show.

While this is all in great fun in such a weird season, nothing will ever truly compare to actually watching a game in person. For the players, fans and broadcasters, there is a certain adrenaline rush that comes with witnessing all the big moments that can happen at any given time.

For now, we will just have to live with whatever the league is trying. Cardboard cutouts, virtual fans and fake noise just come with the territory for now. For FOX, it is the right time to experiment with not having fans in order to visually appeal viewers from home.