Covid-19 changed the entire world. Just think about ordinary things you’re used to do on a daily basis. A lot of those things aren’t normal anymore. Shaking someone’s hand when you see them is one example. I truly believe it will take a lot of time before things go back to normal again. This virus resets our minds and we will think longer before we do something in the future. Going to the stadium is one of those things. It was always a normal thing to go to a football stadium with family and friends. Supporting your favourite team together with thousands of other fans. These days the stadium are empty, but football comes with creative solutions for this matter.

Some creative solutions

There are currently two creative solutions that the top leagues are using. Here are my favourites!

Stadium noises

The first match I watched during the lockdown was the match between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04. The first thing I noticed was the sounds whenever a player kicked a ball. This was very distracting and annoying. People at the Bundesliga noticed this too and they decided to use stadium noises for the television viewers. Every match there is someone behind the scenes who adds sounds for the television viewers. These Fifa20 sounds give really something extra.

Fans projected in the audience

Spanish football returned this week and they added something extra next to stadium sounds. They project fans into the stands. Somehow it’s easier for the eyes this way. You don’t have to watch the empty stands, but it really gives an idea the stadium is filled. Not all cameras have the fans projected, so with some camera angles the fans suddenly disappear. But it’s only the first week, so things will improve over time. The next step for me is to try and get some fans into the stadium. There must be ways of getting some fans in the stadium without harming the social distancing rules.