South Korean baseball club Hanwha Eagles has unveiled robot fans to cheer the crowd in what is being termed as one of the most novel ways to improve atmosphere at their matches.
The bots can cheer, chant and perform a Mexican wave, and will also have an LED placard which can be held up to spell out messages.
Some movements of the robots can also be controlled over the Internet by supporters who are not able to get to the stadium. They can also upload their faces for that personalised ‘touch’.
Experts say that ‘fan attendance’ is the key factor for professional clubs today and more so for Hanwha Eagles, which has more than 400 losses in the last five years.
But it’s the control of robots over the net which has caught the attention of fans. One fan spoke about potential scenarios of misbehavior and hooliganism.
The virtual reality plans seem far-fetched for now, but in near future stadiums and arenas will offer an enhanced fan experience through simple technology additions as wi-fi.
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