Mannequins banging drums, cut-out crowds (including dogs), but real cheerleaders ... Taiwan baseball season is up and running - in pictures

Empty stadiums but Taiwan goes against the global trend amid the coronavirus

Cardboard cutouts of fans prior to the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers. Getty

Taiwan's 2020 baseball season kicks off behind closed doors. Only 30 reporters were allowed to cover the game between the Chinatrust Brothers and Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions which was broadcasted live. EPA

Cheerleaders dance during the opening match of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) at the Taichung International Baseball Stadium. AFP

A broadcaster operates a camera during the match between Uni President Lions against Chinatrust Brothers. AFP

Cheerleaders dance during the opening match of the Chinese Professional Baseball League at the Taichung International Baseball Stadium. AFP

Press can only interview players from behind the red line. Getty

Cardboard cutouts of fans prior to the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers. Getty

Cardboard cutouts of fans prior to the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Getty

Cardboard cutouts of fans, and a dog, before the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers at Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Getty

Staff work on one of a dummy replacing fans at the first professional baseball league game of the season at Taoyuan International baseball stadium in Taoyuan city, Taiwan. Reuters

Dummies replaced fans. Reuters

With cardboard cutouts replacing the crowd – but real cheerleaders on the sidelines – Taiwan swung into a new baseball season, bucking the global trend for scrapping sport during the coronavirus.

Despite its proximity and trade links with China, Taiwan has so far managed to keep a lid on the pandemic.

And on Sunday the island's 31st baseball season got under way with Chinatrust Brothers taking on the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in Taichung.

The games are being played to empty stadiums with fans being told to stay away.

But players are still travelling across the island for fixtures that are broadcast live.

On Saturday, Rakuten Monkeys unveiled robotic mannequins and cardboard cut-outs of fans dressed in home colours and caps at their stadium in northern Taoyuan county.

Some of the robots even banged on drums from the empty stands.

The mechanical stand-ins were ready to cheer Rakuten against Chinatrust Brothers for what would have been the first game of the season on Saturday, but heavy rain led to its cancellation.

Baseball is the most popular sport in Taiwan with about 240 games scheduled for the coming season.

"We are the first pro-baseball league to start playing in the world," during the pandemic, the league said in a statement.

"We welcome everyone to follow the new 2020 season and to relax from their tense lives because of the outbreak."

Unlike most other places, Taiwan's national basketball and football leagues have also continued to play, albeit behind closed doors.

Some fans have expressed concerns about the safety of those on the field.

"How can the players keep social distancing? What can we do in the event of cluster infections? Please stop this farce," read one post on the baseball league's Facebook page.

"Why are they still holding the games without audiences? The US Major League Baseball and even the Olympics have been postponed," read another.

Others were happy the games can go on, even in closed stadiums.

"It's great we have baseball games to watch," read one social media comment.

"We can probably set a precedent for professional baseball leagues abroad," read another.