NFL makes changes to stadium crowd noise audio requirements
After two weeks, the NFL is adjusting its rules and regulations regarding the playing of artificial crowd noise in stadiums.
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the league will no longer mandate that stadiums with 2,500 fans or more in attendance play the crowd noise. Stadiums with fewer fans than that will be allowed to play the audio up t decibels, an increase from the previous limit of 70.
The NFL informed clubs of several updates to the in-stadium audio policy, including allowing stadiums with fewer than 2,500 fans to play curated audio (the “murmur”) up to 80 decibels and no longer requiring stadiums with 2,500 or more fans to play curated audio at all, I’m told.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 25, 2020
This is definitely a process of trial and error. The NFL doesn’t want to be intrusive with the crowd noise. It also has to balance that with the fact that some stadiums do have real fans making actual noise. The league would prefer that not to create any sort of advantage that other teams don’t have.
Some coaches definitely hate the noise. It doesn’t seem to have seriously impacted any games, though. The league appears fairly satisfied with how it’s performing.