Major League Baseball’s decision to pipe crowd noise into stadiums isn’t sitting well with at least one player.
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto is not a fan of the idea, and thinks whoever came up with it definitely isn’t involved in the on-field competition.
Joey Votto is not a fan of the fake crowd noise: "I'd guess someone not in uniform" came up with it. #Reds
— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) July 21, 2020
MLB is using crowd noise from the “MLB The Show” video game to enhance the experience in games without fans. However, unlike how some other sports have handled simulated crowd noise, MLB will pipe the noise directly into stadiums using sound systems instead of simply applying it to the TV broadcast. If it’s not realistic or sounds strange, it could be a distraction to players like Votto.
The Reds’ first baseman has been pretty outspoken about some aspects of MLB’s shortened season. He’s not the only one who’s not keen on the crowd sounds, either.
