It wasn't as quiet as you would think. Even in a large, nearly-empty arena, with the crowd cheering from home and the players screaming on the pitch, I still had to yell down the press row to my socially-distanced colleagues just to ask a question or make an observation.
I saw only a handful of faces yesterday, all obscured by masks, many of whom I haven't seen in person in many months. It was good, comfortable, to be back inside Red Bull Arena, going through the madness that is matchday, but with only the musical playlist as accompaniment. No buzz of fans, no orders being taken or given at concession stands, not even a trumpet to be heard. Pre-match was, in a word, bizarre.
But once we got closer to kickoff, things started to feel a little more normal. Our in-arena crew ran through the same pregame rituals we normally see and hear before matches begin, albeit only for the eyes of a dozen or so media members, photographers, videographers, staff, coaches and players. It was loud. It was real. We were going to witness a soccer match, in the best soccer specific stadium, in front of our very eyes.
Then it went quiet. The players took a knee as the first whistle blew, reminding us all of the injustices we are trying to fight, with some raising a fist in solidarity with the ongoing protests. It's a moment that stirs a lot of emotion, and it felt even more pressing within the absolute silence that accompanied it.
The next whistle broke that silence, and chatter immediately began, both from the players on the field and those on the bench, with overflow of players into the press box and stands to better distance from teammates. Following that, via the integration of a tool to have fans cheering from home, raucous noise spilled into every row of the arena. It felt normal.
The staples returned, with Bulls on Parade echoing throughout (following the video review) for the long goal of the match. The celebration, with the delay, was more muted than we've come to expect and see, but it was a celebration nonetheless. High fives and hugs for the players within the white lines, fist pumps were mostly spotted among the players and coaches along the sidelines. Another reminder of our socially distanced times.
Postgame, also, was different. No fans to salute in person. No normal press conference. No locker room interviews.
But, soccer returned. At home. With three points.
All in all, a good night.
