Would Virtual Fans on Smackdown work?

[burdette25159]

Inspired by this article: awfulannouncing.com/fox/virtual-fans-noise-mlb-on-fox-broadcasts.html

Fox Sports has been using artificial crowd noise for games played without fans (as part of the MLS is back tournament) but for their MLB broadcasts this season, Fox is going to rev it up big time by not only including fake crowd noise but adding CGI spectators. Smackdown just so happens to be on Fox, would you be interested in seeing "virtual fans" on Smackdown?

And yes, I have put in 2 "yes" in the poll, one for supplementing the WWE talent "Playing" the role of fans and another for an All "Virtual fan" audience.

[warden]

Bring back the seagull pops with said cgi crowd and you have yourself a deal

[Final Countdown Jones]

If it would make WWE shows look like a cheesy CGI action movie from the early '90s and they're all interchangeable polygon people made up of like one colour and contrast-heavy spots of light focus, I'm all for it. It beats WWE shows looking like they take place in a backlot soundstage inside of a theme park that shut down three years ago because of child molestation scandals.

[Susan "Poison" Candy]

Watch them use footage from old crowd shots from when they would go to small arenas during the Federation Years and try to pass them off as what's going on right now

[warden]

Jul 23, 2020 23:20:10 GMT -5 Susan "Poison" Candy said:

Watch them use footage from old crowd shots from when they would go to small arenas during the Federation Years and try to pass them off as what's going on right now

I would dig that as long as we got to see that kid crying when macho and liz got back together every week

[evilhomer]

I think this is Vince's wet dream, complete control of the audience's reaction. It's an idea that is utter shite to start with and would be laughably bad when it gets WWE'd, I hope they go for it.

[prettynami]

I'd much prefer they add bad CG blood like straight from the original mortal kombat. And little CG explosions... Yes... Explosions would do nicely.

[BatPunk]

I would love to see giant screens showing avatars being controlled by people at home a la Black Mirror - Fifteen Million Merits.

[06vwgti]

Brings back memories of smackdown and sunday night heats piped in cheers

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

Instead of fake crowd noise or developmental talent, they should just release boxes of chickens into each crowd area. That'd spice things up.

[rnrk supports BLM]

It should be all Vince McMahons in the crowd. Every single one, bodies of different ages and genders, but with Vince's head grafted on. And they do his corny fake laugh from '90s commentary, and chant "GOOD SHIT PAL" when they like what they see.

[Z-A Sandbaggin' Son of a b!%@h]

They have the perfect opportunity to do something like that. Tape it early. Put up some green screen. Seems so easy to say yes to. Should have been doing this from the beginning. Not like they don’t have tons of footage of crowds. And even putting the video game crowd in would work. Add some sound and maybe something other than the blandness that’s is wwwe.

I can’t figure out why the way AEW does it works so well for me. But the WWE thing just doesn’t work

[Deleted]

We only need Xia Li, Bugenhagen, and Shotzi.

[Moppy]

Yes, but only if all the virtual 'fans' are actually CGI Big Dogs like Roman's PPV entrances.

[Deleted]

Jul 24, 2020 1:33:51 GMT -5 Z-A Sandbaggin' Son of a b!%@h said:

They have the perfect opportunity to do something like that. Tape it early. Put up some green screen. Seems so easy to say yes to. Should have been doing this from the beginning. Not like they don’t have tons of footage of crowds. And even putting the video game crowd in would work. Add some sound and maybe something other than the blandness that’s is wwwe.

I can’t figure out why the way AEW does it works so well for me. But the WWE thing just doesn’t work

Part of it is that AEW has both heels and faces in the crowd so you get a "smark" reaction to things happening in the ring, not to mention they can use wrestlers in the audience to build up future matches or storylines.

Meanwhile, WWE explicitly has Performance Center trainees in attendance (with a few exceptions), and they're required to react the exact way WWE wants people to at any show, where every face is cheered & every heel is booed, despite that not happening outside the most casual of towns. And if someone gets into the fan area, they just stand around like idiots as they're not supposed to get heat on themselves. Lastly... Everyone has to stand at all times.

That's just my take, of course.

[Wieners=$$$]

I would love to see a bunch of monitors and screens set up as the crowd, with fans doing facetime as they watch at home.

If for nothing else, a visual of a Heel, let's say Adam Cole, arguing with a fan and then turning off their screen, as he yells for security to escort them out of the building.

But yes, holograms of fans, or "holofans" will/should be a thing, but first, Vince needs to know what's a hologram.

[Deleted]

How about we turn the whole WWE Universe instead into Virtual Reality! You be the superstar. Challenge Undertaker into a Hell in a Cell match! Meet John Cena or The Rock in once in a lifetime match up! Do you have what it takes to crack the horrific case alongside Kurt Angle in the Camp WWE?

[Deleted]

But seriously, it would look like this. Thankfully, you would have the option to turn the crowd off via remote control.

[bob]

only if they used those crappy ones from the AWA's dying days

[Deleted]

Not only does this sound terrible, it makes me less excited for the MLB return.