The Memphis Grizzlies were victorious against the Brooklyn Nets for their first home win of the season on Friday evening (1/8/21). With a final score of 115-110, this game was in their favor. In the Grizzlies’ previous game against Brooklyn, they won 116-111, but it cost them the injury of NBA Rookie of the Year, Ja Morant. The roster for Friday night’s game at The FedExForum was similar to the past few games. Both teams were missing key players: Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for the Nets and Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. (among others) for the Grizzlies.
With COVID-19 protocols still in place, the arenas have been almost empty, with no fans allowed in the seats. How does “no fans present” affect the athletes and the game as a whole? I was in attendance for Friday night’s game, and I have three key takeaways from the game in an empty arena.
My first observation and takeaway from being present is that you can hear everything. The FedExForum seats 18,119 fans, and without those fans, there is a lot of silence to be filled. Home court advantage takes place when a team is playing on their home court with their fans rooting for them. Fifty percent of the advantage comes from having a noisy crowd present because they typically get louder when opposing teams require communication with each other. Without the crowd present, it becomes a lot easier for the opposing team to pick up on plays being called from the sideline, as well as the communication between teammates. When this occurs, the element of surprise is lessened because players can hear and predict what is coming next and react quickly and efficiently. With no real crowd noise or energy, the defense can hear the location of their opponent without having to keep their eyes locked on them the entire time. This can be a good thing because it gives the defender time to strategize and react accordingly to prevent an easy bucket on their opponent. The FedExForum did their best to input fake crowd noise and cheering, which was beneficial for the time being, but nothing will compare to the sounds of joy and excitement from real fans and is most definitely missed by everyone within the organization.
My second observation and takeaway is that the players have to create the energy within the arena. These players thrive off of the community and energy that the crowds bring into the arena, and the fans are an essential aspect of the game. The atmosphere within the empty arena could have been dampened, without the crowd, but remained present thanks to the mindset these athletes have set to bring the energy into the building. The absence of fans makes it is difficult to be excited about the games. Therefore, teammates must hype each other up and create a lively atmosphere for those on the court to play in order for it to feel more thrilling than the “pick up game” setting. The bench players hold a big role in the game because they are the ones mimicking the interaction between fans and players on the court. They must be completely locked in and engaged throughout the entire game.
My third and final observation and takeaway from Friday’s game is plain and simple. The show goes on. With a crowd or without, the entire National Basketball Association has done an impressive job at making these games feel as normal as can be amid a global pandemic. Games are being scheduled and played, TV stations are broadcasting live, players are training, coaches are coaching, media teams are taking/posting photos and videos, and hosts are doing their best to ensure that there is an apparent fan-player and fan-team connection. Everyone is putting in extra effort and approaches to lift people’s spirits in such a dark time. This was highly apparent within the Grizzlies’ team. The determination within this widely loved organization is what makes everything possible. Certainly, there are a few bumps along the way, such as games being postponed due to players testing positive for COVID-19 or teams getting stuck in cities due to an outbreak, but all in all, the job is being done and in the best way possible considering the circumstances.
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