Canned enthusiasm

by mschofer on Mar 8, 2008 1:08 PM PST

I watch teams from out of town and they have the same pomp and circumstance we have in our place...

I believe Golden State even used one of the same intro songs that we do to get the team and fans fired up during introductions. The Blazers announcers where ducking the same T-shirts we hurl at our games.

I don't think crowd noise is as much a factor as one might think. When a team needs a stop the chant is Dee-fense and the opponents know its coming and its easy to as adjust and get into the flow...

It would be kind of neat to see the crowd do some spur of the moment cheering. The closest thing I came to seeing that is when Martell went crazy and started blowing kisses to the fans...Its really fun when the players acknowledge the crowd...This is why Martell has always been my favourite player...

Thats what I love about Timbers games. Not quite the masses but the spontaneous cheers and over all chaos is tough to adjust to...And the players acknowledge the fans after the game and shun the fans when they are out of line...

And I am not even commenting on tricycle races during time outs...

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I disagree

I am a Portlander living in Boston right now. I have noticed that the Celtics fans respond almost exclusively to the canned stuff and have very little cheering spontaneity. Despite the various arena antics fans in Oakland, Portland, Toronto, etc. excel because they cheer on their own and know when to make noise without being told by the jumbotron. After experiencing games in Portland and Boston this year I am thoroughly convinced of this.

by erastus25 on Mar 8, 2008 1:21 PM PST reply actions

I think..

...things are a little overproduced in most stadiums. But what do you do? It's what fans expect.

I noticed last night watching The Bucks game that they played almost the exact same musical intro's that we do. The exact same songs.

I don't know if it "companies" being paid to operate stadiums and produce game amotsphere that has standardized the "product". Big games, and motivated crowds can make it all inmaterial. I like it when things get so loud that nobody cares about what is being played, flashed or tossed into the crowd. That's when things are really "rocking".

I'd like to see a slight step back from the produced atmosphere. But I think it's unlikely. I think it's become a generational difference. Fans younger than me expect the smoke and mirrors. They would probably be upset if it wasn't offered.

I far prefer it when the game and the players have created the frenzy in the crowd as a result of what is happening in the game as opposed to simply very loud music and flashing prompts from a giant scoreboard.

"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"

by Krang on Mar 8, 2008 1:30 PM PST reply actions

The similarities are amazing.

The same music, similar promotions, the same hype. . . My theory is that the NBA has licensed a whole bunch of music (right down to the Outlaw/David West "basket ditty") and that the arena producers are free to pick and chose from the list. I wouldn't be surprised if all of the producers get together in the off season and exchange ideas for promotions, etc.

Yeah, it's overproduced and canned, and it's a real drag when the canned stuff drowns out the "real" chants. But it plays a role and gets the crowd fired up. The Garden's reportedly a tough place for opponents because of the crowd noise -- it can mess with on-court communication.

by Corvid on Mar 8, 2008 2:21 PM PST reply actions

Football vs. Basketball

i think environment and fan noise plays a much bigger impact in football games than basketball.

NBA basketball environment is also much different than college basketball. I think in the NBA they want to emulate the college atmosphere of craziness where the fans really get into the game b/c they are so close to the action. But it is hard to do when it costs thousands of dollars to get those prime seats

Travis Outlaw drops the sledgehammer on Daequan Cook for a dunk so vicious, it's illegal in 48 states.

by BlazerBandit on Mar 8, 2008 9:25 PM PST reply actions

New fans

I suspect much of the canned theatrics is aimed at first time or infrequent attendees. Teams may feel it's okay to slightly annoy frequent visitors in order to promote excitement in the "new blood".

i.e. Blaze's stale trampoline dunks at the end of EVERY third quarter aren't meant to impress the season ticket holders.

by Engineering Problem on Mar 10, 2008 12:34 PM PDT reply actions