At Louisville Slugger Field, the Triple-A Bats staged a "Nothing Night" — no DJ, no walk-up songs, no sound effects — offering a stark contrast to modern baseball's escalating soundscape. Vincent Zielen, the Bats' marketing director, acknowledged the sport now resembles "Savannah Bananas on steroids" as teams chase engagement.

The shift reaches the majors. The New York Yankees added speakers near dugouts and behind home plate in 2022-23, hired an in-house DJ, and amplified music between pitches. Aaron Judge and other veterans pushed for a louder, more intimidating atmosphere. Spokesperson Jason Zillo noted only 17.2% of pitches produced balls in play last season — down from 19.7% in 2009 — forcing teams to battle fans' phones on 83% of pitches.

Dodger Stadium sets the volume benchmark, with directional speakers blasting toward home plate. Max Scherzer, 42, welcomes the noise: "Make it louder." The New York Mets unveiled a 17,400-square-foot jumbotron and "Mid-6th Mayhem" light shows at Citi Field, while Tropicana Field's restored system now rivals Chavez Ravine.

Not every park follows. Wrigley Field and Fenway Park retain traditional organ-led presentations, though both added LED lighting. Pirates starter Paul Skenes summed the divide: "I don't care, but I do notice it."