Loudness in Michigan Stadium

Submitted by UMxWolverines on
A reply on the other thread about the capacity of the stadium after renovations mad me want to make this thread. The reply was by Blue Blue Blue. He said that he doesn't find Michigan Stadium to be a loud stadium. He said that upper decks are what hold in noise. He said that it has ne'er been loud enough that he couldn't talk to the person next to him. Well sir, I'd have to say you're wrong. Last year during Western Michigan, I couldn't hear my cousin next to me and he couldn't hear me. What I'm trying to say is, it is not the shape of Michigan Stadium. It's that more people need to participate and I hope they do this fall...

Dread-Our_Dreads

July 8th, 2010 at 11:59 PM ^

This reminds me of a time that I saw...A reply on the other thread about the capacity of the stadium after renovations mad me want to make this thread. The reply was by Blue Blue Blue. He said that he doesn't find Michigan Stadium to be a loud stadium. He said that upper decks are what hold in noise. He said that it has ne'er been loud enough that he couldn't talk to the person next to him. Well sir, I'd have to say you're wrong. Last year during Western Michigan, I couldn't hear my cousin next to me and he couldn't hear me. What I'm trying to say is, it is not the shape of Michigan Stadium. It's that more people need to participate and I hope they do this fall...

BoBo24

July 9th, 2010 at 7:33 AM ^

I don't mean to be a grammar nazi, but ...

I love it when people say "I don't mean to xxx, but .." and then do it anyway.

This is not about the grammar police. It's about having a backbone. Either you care about something or you don't. If you do care, don't apologize for it. And, if you don't care, don't do it.

Swenet1111

July 9th, 2010 at 12:53 AM ^

I love the Big House more than any stadium I have ever been to. But I have to say, our volume level doesnt compare to the newer stadiums that are designed to keep noise in. 

On this site, http://www.ruxxe.com, the author says says (probably a slight exaggeration in my opinion) that:

Autzen's 59,000 strong make the Big House collectively sound like a pathetic whimper.

But the truth is, especially before the upgrades, The Big House was in no way designed to keep sound in. It has been a bit better with the upgrades though. 

jb5O4

July 9th, 2010 at 12:54 AM ^

Unfortunately architecture does play a role in building up sound. I've been to a meaningless Saints game in the Superdome and many a great game at LSU. Saints games are alot louder because the dome holds the sound in.

MDTCaptain

July 9th, 2010 at 5:11 AM ^

Sound in the stands and sound on the field are VERY different.  For the 2003-2005 seasons, the ONLY game that I even noticed loudness from the stadium (besides singing along with the band) was the 2004 MSU game 4th quarter and OT.

It sounds a lot louder in the stands than in the hole that Yost dug.  

section44

July 9th, 2010 at 8:25 AM ^

I actually disagree. I think it is louder on the field. There have been many times where my opinion of the noise during a game was that it was very quiet. Then you read the paper the next day and the opposing qb said how loud it was.

Yes, many players have commented how quiet the stadium is too but those were under obvious circumstances....like nobody cheering.

ZooWolverine

July 9th, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^

Based on conversations with others, I think it gets louder as you get down lower in the stadium with the new renovations.  That, and the fact that Clausen clearly had trouble hearing and communicating on the field last year (which I've never really seen before at Michigan Stadium) convince me that it is louder on the field than in the stands.

HoldTheRope

July 9th, 2010 at 6:20 AM ^

I wish the Big House would get louder too, but IME it gets loud when it needs to for the most part. Even the loudest of stadiums don't get loud for the cupcakes. The problem is, other than acoustics, what can you do to fix the loudness problem? You can only tell people so many times to stop jingling their keys...

Notre Dame and Western last year were loud throughout the entire game. If we could do that consistently that would be great. It seems to me that the Big House crowd is very quick to get down and stop making noise once things start to go wrong. It's precisely when we make mistakes (e.g., turning the ball over in our own territory) that the fans NEED to make noise. I hate to say it, but I went to the Iron Bowl this year and it was probably just as loud and probably louder than any Michigan game in '09, and that's with about 20,000 or so less folks. There's no doubt in my mind that the Big House can be an intimidating place to play. Just watch any WolverineHistorian video from ten or twenty years ago and it sounds a lot louder than it does now.

Winning will certainly help the issue somewhat.

Blue Blue Blue

July 9th, 2010 at 9:48 AM ^

but having been in many different stadia, in many different sports, it is not a super loud place, even when fans are cheering.  the new luxury boxes keep lots of noise in, but with a nasty echo.......you can hear most PA announcements twice.