TOKYO (JAPAN) – When the coronavirus scare robbed their stadium of cheering fans, Japanese baseball team Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks came up with an innovative replacement: dancing robots.
Before they clashed with Rakuten Eagles during the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) game on Tuesday, more than 20 robots swayed to the team’s fight song on a podium.
Two robots, including SoftBank’s humaniod ‘Pepper’ and others on four legs like a dog, stamped and glided in a swaying motion resembling the dance performed by the Hawks’ fans before games in the 40,000 capacity Fukuoka Dome.
Some of the robots sported Hawks caps and waved flags cheering the team.
Fans lost no time in taking to social media to express their feelings.
“I think this is like a dystopia,” wrote one Twitter user.
Another termed the performance “insanely beautiful.”
Rooted by the robots, the Hawks won 4-3 as they look to defend their 2019 NPB title.
The season, which was delayed by three months, began on June 19. No fans are allowed to watch the games in the stadium because of the pandemic.
Because of the easing of curbs, from Friday, up to 5,000 fans will be allowed to watch professional baseball and soccer matches.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field