Delighted they may be but sports fans in England are now faced with a major dilemma. It probably will not make that much difference when MotoGP at last returns to our screens on July 19, but football fans in particular have a big choice to make. Background animated canned crowd noise or comments from players and Managers that remind me of many a cold wet Sunday morning league game at Cutteslowe Park in Oxford?
Like most I have tried both. At first no crowd noise and telling myself how interesting it was to hear the players shouts, claims and in some cases screams. Managers without face masks barking instructions from the side lines. All very grown up and educational to us football followers. After the first game I switched to the canned crowd noise channel. It was like one of those embarrassing comedy shows where the laughter and applause is popped on as an afterthought to make it feel live. I think the sound comes from the football video games and of course it has not got a hope in hell of replicating the Kop or the Holt in full cry. Is there a person sitting in a little studio, probably near Heathrow airport, with his hand ready to press the home or away supporters, foul, penalty or the ultimate home or away goal button? Sounds like a tough job especially with no laughter button that may be well received by Arsenal fans after witnessing their side’s attempts to defend.
I have gone down the canned noise route for now, but my big test is about to come when the mighty Oxford United travel to Portsmouth a week on Friday for the first leg of League One play-offs. There may not be a choice and at least United do not face Fleetwood who play Wycombe in the other play off. When they score at their Highbury home Fleetwood play the Captain Pugwash theme song. United have heard it far too many times and at least we should be spared at Wembley for the final if they both get through.
MotoGP will be much more like the real thing. No canned engine noise needed but just the real thing to get the adrenalin flowing once again. Will the riders miss the crowd noise probably nothing like as much as the media and other spectators? Just turn up at Mugello or as the riders will in three weeks’ time at Jerez as the sun rises over the surrounding hills on the Sunday morning of the grand prix for a wonderful reminder what this extraordinary sport is all about. Ten of thousands of fans have been partying on the hill sides all night and in the morning the flares, flags and air horns greet the gladiators as they arrive in the arena filled with noise and smoke. We will all miss that but when the lights change, nothing will change out on the track, crowd or no crowd.
No noisy celebrations, track invasions or Captain Pugwash but some racing to savour at last.
