We’re going to switch gears here a little bit to talk about the collision between virtual and actual sport, and how the former can help the latter get back on track in the absence of fans. The Associated Press writes that crowd noise for soccer matches in England and Spain will come courtesy of Electronic Arts, maker of the popular sports video game franchise based on FIFA as well as the Madden NFL series.
Per the report, the media partners for sports organizations began approaching EA Sports about the use of ambient sound from their games to resemble some sense of normalcy in the pace and energy of play. So networks are gaining access to a library of more than 800 cuts which are customized according to the home venue.
A separate AP story ponders what the game atmosphere in North American sports will look like during the pandemic. Perhaps EA will bring its archive to NFL broadcasts in the fall. One thing is certain: the way we consume sport is changing out of necessity.