Health and Healthcare Systems

This app lets sports fans cheer out loud in the stadium when watching remotely

Soccer Football - Tokyo 2020 Olympics Test Event - Emperor's Cup Final -  Vissel Kobe v Kashima Antlers - National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - January 1, 2020. General view of the stadium before the match.  REUTERS/Issei Kato - RC2W6E9NUKOH

Sport is resuming around the world, but it won't be the same as before. Image: REUTERS/Issei Kato

Kate Whiting
Senior Writer, Forum Agenda
Share:
Our Impact
What's the World Economic Forum doing to accelerate action on Health and Healthcare Systems?
The Big Picture
Explore and monitor how Japan is affecting economies, industries and global issues
A hand holding a looking glass by a lake
Crowdsource Innovation
Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale
Stay up to date:

Japan

  • Sports fixtures around the world are resuming after coronavirus lockdown – but without fans in the stadiums.
  • An app trialled in Japan allows smartphone users to cheer – or jeer – remotely during a match.
  • Technology innovation in sport will take off following the pandemic, predicts the COO of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the US.

When the first J-League match kicks off on 4 July, Japan’s top-flight soccer teams will be playing to empty stands. But viewers at home may still be able to cheer – or jeer – remotely.

In May, a new app which plays fans’ claps, cheers and chants out loud into the stadium was tested at the 50,000-seat Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa – one of the biggest in the country.

Have you read?

Developed by musical instrument makers Yamaha, the ‘Remote Cheerer powered by SoundUD’ app was connected to 58 speakers around the stadium to try to recreate the atmosphere of a normal match.

During the trial match between J-League clubs Shimizu S-Pulse and Júbilo Iwata, users in various remote locations sent cheers, applause, jeers and club chants into the stadium via their smartphones.

sport technology app japan football soccer events cheering crowds leisure entertainment Coronavirus china virus health healthcare who world health organization disease deaths pandemic epidemic worries concerns Health virus contagious contagion viruses diseases disease lab laboratory doctor health dr nurse medical medicine drugs vaccines vaccinations inoculations technology testing test medicinal biotechnology biotech biology chemistry physics microscope research influenza flu cold common cold bug risk symptomes respiratory china iran italy europe asia america south america north washing hands wash hands coughs sneezes spread spreading precaution precautions health warning covid 19 cov SARS 2019ncov wuhan sarscow wuhanpneumonia  pneumonia outbreak patients unhealthy fatality mortality elderly old elder age serious death deathly deadly
Users of the Remote Cheerer app tap their phones to make a sound in the stadium. Image: Yamaha Corps

Fans could also choose the part of the stadium to which their audio was delivered, allowing them to support players after a goal, as if they were in the stands behind it.

Building atmosphere

“The shouts of the fans are an essential element of the match atmosphere,” said Junpei Takaki, from the sales division of soccer club S-Pulse.

“As a former professional football player myself, I know how emboldening the support of the fans is to players on the field. S-Pulse is eager to continue to make the most of the club’s resources in order to assist with the development of this system.”

The system could also be used when Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) begins its postponed season on 19 June, also without fans present.

Loading...

When Germany’s top soccer league, the Bundesliga, resumed matches on 16 May, the lack of crowd noise meant you could hear the goal hitting the net and the conversations of players.

Engineers added “carpet audio” from earlier matches to give viewers at home a more realistic experience, dropping in roars after goals.

“This was the only idea that we thought could be most respectful to the fans,” Alessandro Reitano, vice president of sports production for Sky Deutschland, told AP.

“To be honest, it’s a major success.”

Sport goes hi-tech

The tech transformation of sport doesn’t stop there. As Japan’s 5G network is developed, it could enable a more immersive experience for fans.

With multiple cameras installed in stadiums, virtual reality video technology could allow spectators at home to control how they watch a match.

It’s something the SoftBank Hawks, the reigning champions of the NPB, are considering introducing at their Fukuoka PayPay Dome, according to Kyodo News.

“Our challenge is how to connect with fans without having spectators,” a SoftBank spokesperson told the news agency. “We want people in remote areas to experience realistic images by making use of state-of-the-art technology.”

Soccer Football - Bundesliga - 1. FC Union Berlin v Bayern Munich - Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, Berlin, Germany - May 17, 2020   FC Union Berlin substitutes wearing face masks maintain social distance in the stands, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)  REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke/Pool    DFL regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video - RC2GQG92RH63
Substitutes from FC Union Berlin wear face masks and maintain social distance in the stands. Image: REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke/Pool

When the US National Basketball Association (NBA) restarts its postponed season in late July in empty basketball courts, similar technologies could boost the home viewer experience.

Coronavirus has permanently changed the relationship between sport and technology, according to NBA deputy commissioner and COO Mark Tatum.

“There’s no doubt that technology has been incorporated into the sports viewing experience forever, whether that be broadcasting games in virtual reality, or 3D, and all kinds of different technologies,” he said in a recent interview with the World Economic Forum.

Discover

What is the World Economic Forum doing to manage emerging risks from COVID-19?

“Coming out of this, we are continuing to explore unique and innovative ways to present our game… We are thinking about how we could use technology and innovation to create engagement between the fans who are watching at home and the in-arena experience.”

Why fans matter

Besides the huge economic benefits of fans paying to watch games live, having supporters in the stands actually helps the home team, according to a recent study from Reading University in the United Kingdom.

Researchers compared European football matches played behind closed doors and those with fans attending, and found there was less of a home advantage without supporters. Home teams won 36% of matches played in empty stadiums, compared with 46% when fans were present.

On 17 June, the UK’s premier league football season resumes, when Aston Villa take on Sheffield United behind closed doors. But it remains to be seen how the lack of fans in the stadium will impact the game.

Loading...
Loading...
Don't miss any update on this topic

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

Sign up for free

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Related topics:
Health and Healthcare SystemsEmerging TechnologiesArts and Culture
Share:
World Economic Forum logo
Global Agenda

The Agenda Weekly

A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda

Subscribe today

You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. For more details, review our privacy policy.

How digital innovation is reshaping healthcare in the Middle East

Dr George Cheriyan

October 8, 2024

About us

Engage with us

  • Sign in
  • Partner with us
  • Become a member
  • Sign up for our press releases
  • Subscribe to our newsletters
  • Contact us

Quick links

Language editions

Privacy Policy & Terms of Service

Sitemap

© 2024 World Economic Forum