MUMBAI: With no official word yet on whether there will be any fan presence during the upcoming Indian Premier League, IPL franchises are thinking outside the box to get some kind of crowd involvement in the matches.
As per a report by ANI, some franchises are looking into playing pre-recorded footage of crowds as well as cheerleaders from big screens across the stadium. “The stadiums will be empty as everyone is looking to ensure that health protocols and bio-bubble regulations are strictly followed. So, it was decided that while some teams will record the reactions of cheerleaders, which will be played out for every four, six or wicket, other teams have decided to create small videos of fans cheering for them and those will be played out while the cricketers are battling it out in the middle. While fans will feel they are getting to be a part of the action in their own little way, players will know that they are being closely followed by their fans even though they are not present live in the stadium. There is nothing more special for cricketers than to see fans cheer them on and motivate them,” an IPL official told the news agency.
It’s unclear at this point as to how the BCCI will make this work, as the details are still being ironed out. It’s likely that the authorities will leverage social media platforms as well as the official IPL app to help fans voice their support virtually. Though it’s unclear how the players will react to fake crowd noises during matches. While this situation certainly new for everyone, international sports matches over the past two months have shown that this is possible.
