MLB Teams Crank Up Volume to Battle Fans' Cellphones — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Louisville Bats held their fourth "Nothing Night" on July 8, stripping the Triple-A ballpark of all music, DJs, and effects to showcase only traditional sounds — ending with Michael Chavis's walk-off grand slam.
- Yankees added speakers near the dugouts in 2022 and behind home plate in 2023, then introduced an in-house DJ for every 2024 home game, with input from captain Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Anthony Rizzo.
- Yankees officials calculated only 17.2% of pitches resulted in balls in play last season, down from 19.7% in 2009, prompting the franchise to fill idle time with chants, sound effects, and music drops to compete with fans' phones — which spokesperson Jason Zillo likened to "my precious" from "The Lord of the Rings."
- Dodger Stadium has become famous for its earsplitting volume; broadcaster Joe Davis blamed a "dead center bank of speakers directed right at you" for amplifying the two-time defending champions' atmosphere beyond what other parks produce.
- Mets unveiled a 17,400-square-foot jimbotron at Citi Field in 2023 and now feature live DJs, dancers, and a "Mid-6th Mayhem" segment that turns the ballpark into a nightclub mid-game regardless of score.
- Players are split on the shift: 42-year-old Max Scherzer and Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino welcome the energy, while Pirates ace Paul Skenes said he has to raise his glove to hear PitchCom, and Mets lefty Sean Manaea admitted "sometimes it can be a little too much."
Why it matters: The Yankees' 17.2% balls-in-play stat exposes the underlying anxiety driving the arms race: with action gaps widening across baseball, franchises feel compelled to manufacture engagement rather than let the game's natural rhythms breathe. For traditionalists — and even some players — the result is an in-person experience that increasingly resembles a concert or nightclub more than the ballpark their parents remember.
Ask SkimNews
