Rece Davis reveals what College GameDay has been like without fans
ESPN’s College GameDay is set for a unique show this weekend, originating from Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament. As second round play is slated to be completed early Saturday morning, College GameDay will begin at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and move to ESPN when coverage of the Masters finishes.
The show will emanate from the Par 3 course at the iconic venue. Augusta, Ga., is the 91st different city to host GameDay and joins Times Square, Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort, Bristol Motor Speedway, Independence Hall, Downtown Fargo, Sundance Square, Wrigley Field, Beale Street and the USS San Diego as non-traditional football locations to host the show.
As has been the case throughout the season, Saturday’s “GameDay” will be without fans in attendance. On a recent media conference call, host Rece Davis was asked to describe this season’s fan-less GameDay shows.
“It’s been different for sure,” Davis said. “I think the number one thing that we’ve all noticed is that when you have normal situations in the crowd, you get instantaneous feedback, good and bad. Whatever you say, if you say something good about your host rival or something they don’t like and you get booed, and if you say their teams good, then you get cheers. There’s a certain adrenaline and rush it goes along with it, and I think there’s a great energy that comes from having a show in a setting like that when you’re surrounded by, in some cases you know 25,000 people, you know, depending on the venue.
“They pulled in Washington, you know, James Madison different places like that we’ve had huge crowds and it’s exhilarating and there’s a lot of energy. And so, you miss that. I think the show sounds different in the background because of it sort of like when you watch games now and you hear the fake crowd noise behind it you know it. I think the show sounds a little different, but the discussions not different. The one thing that I’ve noticed is that once we once we get engaged in a conversation I don’t notice the difference until I go back and review the show and I don’t hear the reaction. And you also don’t have the spontaneity of being able to you say something they boo and kind of react to and have a little fun with it and then move on. That part’s gone. But I think the discussion and the interaction. And the chemistry has been the same, you just miss that little bit of instantaneous energy.”