During Covid lots of sorts were broadcast without any spectators. I found that it increased my viewing pleasure. No screaming crowds trying to make the most noise with drums (soccer), no altercations, no people throwing things or making annoying noices (MMA), no crazy people next to the road pushing cyclists.
Just the people doing the sport, I can hear them shout, swear and get punched. I can see bike racing without fear a crazy fan will jump in front of the pack for a photo for their grandma.
I don’t need an audience to get hyped or to distract everybody with jeers and racist shouting. For me the fans are the worst part of the sport. I don’t enjoy watching them, I want to see the athletes doing their thing.
You’re not entirely wrong but the best moments of sports have an incredibly engaged crowd. I’m a baseball fan so my experience is limited to that realm, but there are some truly special moments that are amplified by the crowd.
The first that come to mind: The Yankees first home run after 9/11; the Red Sox winning the world series for the first time in 86 years; the Cubs winning after 108 years.
Wish I had more diverse examples but those are some really incredible ones from recent history.
I don’t think there’s a wrong or right, that’s why I posted it here. So I think you are right that crowd reaction do amplify feelings, it’s just that I realized I’m not particularly fond of or taken with that effect.
Without the noise of the crowd I feel like I’m more immersed as I hear the grunting and yelling of the athletes.
But I realized that that’s not the regular opinion, I’m not saying you are wrong, just that I noticed I was enjoying something differently then most.