In some countries, the football championships are resumed, but behind closed doors. So Japan is testing an application to still set the mood in empty stadiums. Supporters can interact and encourage their favorite team from their sofas.
With closed-door games, this is the kind of clamor that you won't hear for months. So to bring back a little atmosphere in the stadiums, we are working on an application which allows supporting teams from a distance.
It's very simple: you have to imagine a screen with buttons to applaud, encourage or boo. When pressed, a pre-recorded sound is reproduced in the stadium, where we would have sat. This allows you to follow a match behind closed doors from your sofa, while creating the atmosphere at a distance. The more people who participate, the more noise there will be and the more it can galvanize a team or, on the contrary, suffocate it.
In Germany, we noticed that before the closed doors, there was a majority of home wins. Since then, there have been many more away wins. Which tends to prove the impact of the supporters.
There are only pre-recorded sounds, or can we add what we want?
No, it is only pre-recorded. It would be too tempting to add bird names, insult the referee or put on vuvuzela. But the sound bank can still be personalized for each match. With, for example, the fields of the supporters or the names of the star players.
Is it already in use somewhere?
Yes, it is currently being tested in Japan to prepare for the resumption of the championship. They want to verify that there is not too much lag with the live broadcast, otherwise it would be cacophony. And if it is conclusive, the idea will certainly be taken up in other championships, even for other types of events. This would add a little atmosphere before the spectators return to the stands.
The application is called "Remote Cheerer". It is developed by the sound subsidiary of Yamaha.