Credit: Daniel A. Varela

In a partnership with Sony, MLB will fill stadiums with canned cheering.

At several points during the conversation about resuming games during the pandemic, Major League Baseball players have admitted that the game isn’t quite as fun without the cheering of the crowd to hype things up. Even if they were to just use a stock cheering sound, it would get pretty old to hear the same pitch and tone of cheering for every single play. As it so happens, however, the League already has access to a source of high-quality, variable cheering sounds: their own licensed video games.

Cribbing a trick from several football leagues across the pond, sound engineers at MLB stadiums will utilize crowd sounds from the officially licensed MLB video game series, MLB The Show. San Diego Studios, a branch company of Sony Interactive and the creators of the series, compiled a library of 75 different crowd sounds and effects from the games for the League to play through stadium speakers, of which there are no shortage of in any big venue. With a combination of stadium announcers, the simulated crowd, and walk-up theme music, they may be able to replicate the hype and excitement of a stadium without putting spectators at risk.

“There was some reticence when you first talk about crowd noise in an empty ballpark because you don’t want to do something that is distracting,” said Chris Marinak, MLB’s executive VP of strategy, technology, and innovation. “It is heard in a way that is natural with the play of the game and on field. The sounds do match what is happening.”

Credit: San Diego Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment

The sound library has already been tested during training camp intrasquad games, and according to the players, it’s working pretty well. “You’re still focused on the game, but that noise is very helpful. I could tell the first few scrimmages with pure silence was tough for some guys,” Brewers infielder Eric Sogard said said. “You could hear the other dugout talking, and it was kind of awkward.”

The League is planning to employ the sound library when the season kicks off next week. If you’re watching on TV from home, you’ll be able to hear the simulated crowd as well.