“I have never had so many conversations with strangers at a sporting event.” At the Masters Tournament in Augusta, one of the most prestigious golf tournaments in the world, spectators enjoy a unique experience. No cell phones here. They are prohibited and have never been authorized in order to preserve the atmosphere of the tournament. And the rule is taken very seriously.
This year again, a person was excluded for using their phone. An assumed firmness which contrasts with usual uses, smartphones having taken an important place in our daily lives, particularly during cultural and sporting events.
Why do we need to take photos during these moments so much? “The selfie is a form of certificate of presence,” analyzes Vincent Timsit, doctoral student in sociology at l’EHESS. Since presence is rewarding, it becomes a certificate of value.” He sees it as a logic of validation for the viewer. An aspect which is similar to that of “finality”. “When we go to a concert or a match, the intention is perhaps not only to go see the players or the artists,” he explains. What becomes more important is going to a particular event. »
“No phone” even in the stadiums
It’s not just on the golf course that we don’t want phones. In stadiums too, supporters encourage limiting their use. This is the case at Red Star FC, where posters ask not to take out your smartphone in the stands. Why ban? “The phone completely corrupts the vision of the game and prevents you from being 100% invested in the atmosphere,” explains Farid*, supporter of the Parisian Ligue 2 team. And it can bother others, in addition to those who don’t necessarily want to be filmed. »
He describes an “undeniable” effect on social interactions since the implementation of this instruction. “Before, when goals were scored, many took out their phones. Now, we mostly see people jumping and singing. There is more spontaneity. And the concentration on the game is multiplied. The ambient experience is incredible when you don’t have a phone around you. » He specifies that this desire comes from the supporters themselves, not from the clubs. “Managements have no real interest in banning. The more images there are on the networks, the more it communicates to them,” he says.
Before adding: “These are informal rules, with self-control. If someone takes out their cell phone during the match, spontaneously and in an educational manner, the neighbor will tell them that we don’t film here. » Farid is lucid about the limits of a possible large-scale official ban. “In a stadium with 5,000 seats, like ours, it’s manageable [après les rénovations, la capacité sera doublée]. At the Vélodrome, with 60,000 seats, it’s another problem,” he observes.
A real weariness of artists
The phone is no longer welcome on the dance floor either. DJ Bob Sinclar called audiences “completely dead” in a video posted in 2024 on Instagram. “Live in the moment, friends!” Don’t take your phone out for two hours,” he said, in The question box. “All the videos that I was able to take during concerts, I never watched one again,” added, at his side, his daughter, Paloma. Thus, in more and more clubs, customers are asked to cover their lenses with a sticker, under penalty of being refused access. A way to encourage disconnection, the right to forget, and to have fun without looking at yourself.
Faced with walls of telephones, artists took more radical measures to recreate a direct connection with the public and preserve the element of surprise for those who have not seen the show. Thus, Jack White, Alicia Keys, the group Ghost and comedians like Florence Foresti or very recently Artus have imposed telephone-free events.
The effects of a phone-free experience
Specialized companies quickly positioned themselves in this growing niche. Phone Locker is one of the companies capable of offering a “phone-free” experience. The principle is “simple”. At the entrance to the room, spectators slip their phone into a pocket locked by a magnetic system. They keep the device with them, but cannot use it during the event. “When they want to leave the premises, a staff member unlocks the pouch. And there you have it! », says Adam Proops, general manager of the company. He assures that the organization is “well-established”, “even for large-scale events, with thousands of people”. “The process is easily scalable and feasible,” he assures. So we only have positive feedback. »
The idea was born six and a half years ago, in Australia, to combat distraction in class. The concept quickly spread to other areas. “We received requests from a Buddhist monastery, a theater, VIP events… says Adam Proops. We also worked on TV shows like The Masked Singer. And even with the armed forces. It’s not just children who have trouble dropping out! »
On the spectator side, they “appreciate the event much more”. “It takes them back twenty or thirty years, when we really went to see an event for artists,” he says. We sometimes pay more than 100 euros for a ticket, we are supposed to go there to have fun, not to film ourselves…” And on the artist side, success is also there. “It increases their energy level. It works both ways,” he says.
Like Red Star FC fans, Masters spectators describe “timeless” moments. “It forces you to really let go, to become aware of the environment around you,” writes one Internet user. For Alice, the Ghost show was “the best concert in [sa] life “. “Not having your phone is incredible, I was able to enjoy the show with my friend without a screen and Wow. “, she wrote on X.
Practices go with uses
But then, if the idea is so appealing, why not ban phones at all big events? For Vincent Timsit, doctoral student in sociology, there is no good or bad practice. “There are people who prefer to be quiet, others who come specifically to take photos, those who feel it is impossible to do and see everything, and a whole bunch of other levels in between,” he says.
In the 2010s, certain museums, such as the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay, tried to restrict photos in their rooms, facing visitors who were more busy capturing the works than looking at them. Initiatives which were quickly abandoned in the face of numerous negative feedback. Then, practices were adapted to uses, as noted in culturally your site. From now on, the Louvre plans to build a room entirely dedicated to the Mona Lisa, encouraging the practice of photo tours. And generally speaking, museums encourage sharing on social networks to promote the places.
All our topics on smartphones
“It shows how complex this subject is,” says Vincent Timsit, recalling that it is not his role to say what should be done or not. “It all depends on your point of view, where you stand, economically, aesthetically, socially,” he adds. For those interviewed, the answer to this phenomenon is not necessarily found in a regulation to follow but in “a collective awareness of how we want to live in the present moment”.
*The first name has been changed at the request of the interviewee.
Leave a Reply