For the neutral fans, the biggest question about the return of the 2019/20 Premier League season is whether artificial crowd noise will be included or not.
After all, both the Bundesliga and LaLiga have featured artificial crowd noise that has arguably helped to enhance the television broadcasts, making games sound more exciting.
For fans of Premier League clubs tuning in to watch the restart of the games on U.S. television, NBC Sports has decided to feature artificial crowd noise on television (or, as the Premier League, is terming it: ‘atmospheric-enhanced audio.’) Viewers who only want the natural sounds from the stadium, along with the commentary, will be able to select that choice on the games that stream across NBC Sports Gold, the NBC Sports App and Peacock.
“The Premier League and all the host broadcasters in the UK are all doing [the artificial crowd noise] the same way,” explained Pierre Moossa, coordinating producer for NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the Premier League. “It’s being produced and done via EA Sports that has sampled 92 different ways of cheering. [All of the audio] has been sampled from specific matches. So if you’re watching a Liverpool match from Anfield, the crowd will be sampled from Liverpool from Anfield in a match. So ultimately, it’s the most authentic way of enhancing the audio.”
Asked whether NBC Sports sees the resumption of the Premier League as an opportunity to increase its viewership, Moossa said, “With 35 games in 40 days, and with it being one of the first team sports that’s coming back, it is an opportunity to introduce the Premier League and to introduce what makes the league so special to a much broader audience. I think people are very much excited about the return of sport. And I think you’ll find a lot of people sampling the Premier League for the first time that may not have sampled it before.”
SEE MORE: Schedule of Premier League games on US TV and streaming
With so many people working from home these days, Moossa added that there isn’t as big as a difference between weekends and weekdays anymore which could help the league become more of a routine for people (and new viewers) to watch from home. “Ultimately, [the broadcasts of the Premier League on TV could] help people feel and appreciate what makes the Premier League so special.”
Inside the studio, NBC Sports will be following safety guidelines. “We’re still going to have talent in the studio, Arlo White and the commentary teams, intelligent analysis, in-depth highlights and we’re going to cover the Premier League like we have done in the past,” Moossa said. “Behind the scenes, it’ll be a little bit different. We’re going to produce the shows as safely as possible following all of the universal health and safety guidelines and protocols. For the viewers at home, they really won’t notice much of a difference.”
For the games, Arlo White and the NBC Sports commentators will be announcing the matches from inside the stadiums. In contrast, the Bundesliga had their commentators announcing games from studios and their own homes in some cases.
The resumption of the 2019/20 Premier League begins on Wednesday, June 17 with the broadcast of Sheffield United against Aston Villa followed by Manchester City versus Arsenal. Both games will be live on NBCSN.
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Greg
June 17, 2020 at 1:20 pm
Can someone (Chris?) please tell me as an NBC Sports Gold subscriber who doesn’t pay for cable (and therefore doesn’t have access to NBCSN) – where are all the NBC Sports Gold Games???
There are supposed to be 140 exclusive games, we still have 25% of the season left, so there should be about 30-35 games left? Where are they?
Christopher Harris
June 17, 2020 at 2:43 pm
The Premier League and NBC Sports haven’t announced the schedule of games for July 3rd through the end of the season so there are still a lot of games that could be made available on NBC Sports Gold.
Jack S.
June 16, 2020 at 6:24 pm
Not really a fan of the crowd noise myself. I kinda like being able to hear the players yelling at one another (and the ref) and being able to understand it for a change.
Jesus
June 16, 2020 at 5:48 am
Gaffer, do you know if the matches are going to be shown with simulated crowd noise or not. Sky UK is showing matches with simulated crowd noise on one channel on no crowd noise on another channel.
Christopher Harris
June 16, 2020 at 8:35 am
The article above answers your question.
Azer
June 13, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Same old, same old. I don’t expect NBC/EPL coverage to change at all. We’ll be watching commercials running on the screen. A three men commentary booth, etc. We might get good analyses/news but that’s about it. I’ll take the Sky Sports/ PL production video anytime over NBC. I’ll tune in to see the embarrassment from the video/production crew. I’ll still try to enjoy the game but it’s going to be hard. No commercials on the screen when watching the Bundesliga and other leagues.
MAHLUF
June 15, 2020 at 11:57 am
Good thing that you’ll be tuning in despite your obvious unrelenting bias!
cliff kobland
June 13, 2020 at 6:21 pm
Two things. One, it seems from your article, the pre & post shows NBCSN shows will be conducted from the UK as you noted Arlo White is hosting, unless he’s returning to the States, staying in England to commentate. While I’m a Becca Lowe fan, I just want football back although I fear we may be disappointed by the quality of the games & the number of injuries. (I was for going the Belgium & French route and start fresh next August.) If the pre/post emanates from UK, have any idea of what happens to Kyle and the 2 Robbies?
Item 2. Often find the UK lives up to its reputation of being reluctant to mess with tradition, to innovate. VAR is a perfect example. Whereas most other nations realize the on-field ref “owns” the game, he should not be allowed to pass along critical decisions to some other pair of eyes possibly 100s of miles away. The referee is on the field and should have a feel the game that the VAR ref cannot. The VAR ref should ONLY alert the on-field official of a POSSIBLE infraction either called or missed and it should be his responsibility to confirm or correct by using the sideline monitor. In Spain, Germany,Turkey, et al the refs are rushing over to the monitor to judge for themself. After all, it’s their game. They put their signature on the official game card. In the UK, they stand around, picking at their arm hairs, counting the crowd as someone else does his job. Shameful!!
Likewise is the news that NBC will not allow US soccer fans the option that the much more innovative La Liga has installed. a system by which you can get the phony, generated crowd noise by doing nothing, or listening to the real sound from what’s going on by simply using your SAP switch. Would appreciate getting the same choice from NBC/PL but then again the PL is not known as a leader in offering avant-garde ideas.
Christopher Harris
June 13, 2020 at 8:35 pm
Cliff, the NBC Sports talent (Rebecca, The 2 Robbies and Kyle) will still be in the studio in the US, so that won’t change.
ELSA
June 12, 2020 at 9:14 am
The Minnows (Saarbrueken) v Leverhusen match earlier this month provided a refreshingly intimate and authentic viewing experience, with NO fake audio – hence able to hear both the announcers AND the players and reps shouting back and forth. – very lively. Also enjoyed the small pitch with closer camera work, etc. This the perspective of a new fan in the US.
Rick
June 11, 2020 at 11:16 pm
NBC needs to promote this more with internet ads, radio and TV ADS.
John G.
June 11, 2020 at 6:09 pm
Arlo is pushing his social agenda on his Twitter feed as stridently as any of the SF Bay Area sportswriters. The word “racism” is his ticket to express all sorts of political opinions. He’s becoming another Gregg Popovich… someone whose politics drowns out everything else he has to say.
Greg
June 13, 2020 at 10:24 am
Glad I’m not the only one to notice this, not a good look.
Brian
June 11, 2020 at 5:55 pm
It’s one thing if it’s done within the stadium by the club and the broadcast picks that up, as a handful of Bundesliga clubs have done, but quite inauthentic if it’s added by the TV production. NBC and the other broadcast partners should seriously consider reversing the feeds. (I.e., if you really want the added noise, tune to the streaming platforms. Leave the authentic feed for linear television.)
TheOriginalTom
June 12, 2020 at 11:53 am
I don’t this it is in the stadium by the club. I think the fan noise is added to the broadcast. I didn’t think I’d like but I found that I did.
Jon
June 17, 2020 at 7:06 pm
I was surprised to like the fan noise too. If you aren’t looking at the empty stands at the edges of the television picture it has the feel and energy of a regular EPL broadcast.