Most of us baseball fans are so used to the sounds of a ballgame that we think nothing of it when fans start to fantasize about a particular game. When we listen to the ball game on mute, we almost expect to hear the radio announcer’s voices; especially if it’s a home run! There’s something about a baseball announcer’s voice that adds to the excitement of the game.
But nowadays, professional baseball games have a different feel due to the pandemic. Gone are the days of thousands of screaming fans and roaring announcers. Instead, television broadcasts of the games are accompanied by eerie silence, with just the players’ voices and the sound of the bat as a backdrop.
This season, most Major League Baseball teams are allowing a limited number of fans in the stands, and it’s necessitated a bit of creative thinking when it comes to the broadcast. MLB announcers are stuck in the booth, without the benefit of the crowd, and the teams have had to come up with innovative solutions. Some teams have opted to bring in an announcer to provide commentary, while others have chosen to bring in artificial noises to add a bit of life to the broadcast.
The most innovative solution so far appears to be the Houston Astros, who have a robot announcer at the game for broadcasts. Yes, you read that right. The Astros have a robot doing play-by-play. The robot, named Orbit, has been a part of the Astros’ organization since 2013 and now he’s taken his rightful place in the booth. Orbit has a truly unique voice and adds a much-needed level of energy to any broadcast.
The Astros aren’t the only team embracing the robot announcer technology. The Toronto Blue Jays have a similar system in place, although their robot announcer is more of a ‘virtual fan’. The robot’s voice is provided by a real human voice actor, so it still has some authenticity to it. Other teams are experimenting with crowd noise, and some teams are simply relying on the play-by-play what do color of laces mean in signed mlb baseballs the human announcers from the booth.
It’s amazing how long are mlb ganes technology has enabled us to still enjoy the sport we love in this strange time. While it’s not quite the same without the roar of the crowd and the familiar voice of an announcer, having a robot in the booth or some artificial crowd noise really helps add a bit of life to the broadcast.
On the other hand, some teams have opted to forgo a live announcer altogether. Instead, teams are relying heavily on highlights packages and analysis from broadcasters in a studio elsewhere. This type of broadcast may be easier to generate but it lacks the excitement of a game with a live announcer.
Teams have had to become creative to keep the fans engaged, from animated fans in the stands to virtual concession stands. But no matter the solution, having a live announcer at the game adds an extra level of excitement and energy. It is a reminder of the heritage of the game and the connection between the team and the fans.
Getting back to that feeling of a game day experience is one of the reasons why teams are so eager to have an announcer at the game. The energy of the game is missing without a live announcer, and the broadcasters play an important role in bringing it back. It’s a tough challenge, but MLB teams are doing their best to make us feel like we’ve never left the ballpark.