So was it louder???
Of all the commentary on the first game, I've seen nothing talking about whether the stadium was any louder.
This was the first game with the exterior of the addition pretty much completed. Do the new structures have any impact on the noise level? Or are we still the quietest 100,000 people in the land?
September 8th, 2009 at 6:53 PM ^
We sit in section 44 and when they do the M-I-C-H-I-G-A-N cheer you would never hear the section directly to our left. I've also sat in section 4 and we could never hear the section directly to our right.
On Saturday, you could definitely hear them. It wasn't as loud as the other sections that were across or at an angle but much louder than last year.
I can't believe there was not a decibel meter on the sidelines.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:01 PM ^
was incredibly loud during this, I was in section 44 also, and it sounded like they were right in your face yelling "M"!
September 9th, 2009 at 12:27 AM ^
You're right. The M-I-C-H...etc. cheer was a nice "test."
I sit high up in Section 33 (north end zone next to the students). I imagine that sitting up high in the endzone is probably the place where you'd least be able to notice a difference. I noticed SOME difference, just not what I'd hoped for. I'm glad to hear others sitting lower or closer to mid-field say that it's significant, though.
Now if we can just get 'em to put up giant HD screens to replacer the exisiting score/video boards, that'd close up some of that open space behind me and it'd be loud for me too. :)
September 8th, 2009 at 6:54 PM ^
It was noticeable immediately. There was a clear echo during the "Let's Go Blue!" cheer before the game, for instance.
September 8th, 2009 at 9:44 PM ^
Definitely louder, BUT there were not too many opportunities for the crowd to go completely bonkers since the game was in hand in a hurry.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:00 PM ^
As jmblue noted, it was noticeably louder during pregame festivities. Also, I sit in the lower part of Section 4 and when WMU was down at our end, it was very loud. As our end is opposite the student section it is never quite as loud, but I tell you, there was definitely a difference in sound level from last season.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:34 PM ^
Agreed, and I couldn't even hear the band playing hail to the victors before the game it was so loud. I think it even got people a little rowdier in our section. They noticed it was louder and I think people felt like they could finally help the team out more. I hope the trend continues and it's louder for the ND game. The difference is night and day, IMO.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:09 PM ^
Rodriguez was quoted as saying that it was "a bit" louder, so I wonder if the sound reflections didn't actually get back to the field, where it counts?
September 8th, 2009 at 7:20 PM ^
That's odd, I would have thought it would be more than a 'bit'. The glass surface of the side structures are angled inwards slightly, you'd think that would sort of trap more of the sound.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:26 PM ^
I wouldn't over-analyze that sound bite. A few players commented on it being louder.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:27 PM ^
In Saturday's post game press conference RR's "a bit" comment regarding any increase in noise level was, as he said, through the headphones he had on. It was clear RR was qualifying his remarks with the fact he had his headphones on.
I was on the field and it was definitely louder. The one thing I noticed immediately was the echo of the PA announcer. I wonder if it wouldn't be better to have speakers on both sides of the stadium next year to perhaps diminish the echo delay of the PA announcer? Perhaps. Or it may double the strength of the echo.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:40 PM ^
about the headphones. I hadn't thought of that.
I'd imagine having speakers on both sides might lead to a double echo?
More importantly, are they saving the lettering "MIchigan Stadium" from the old press box, and where will the plastic bald eagle go?
September 8th, 2009 at 8:07 PM ^
I would suggest they get three more bald eagles and place all four of them on the four towers as lookouts for buckeye nuts.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:12 PM ^
One thought I have is that because of the expansions on the sidelines the stadium will keep in more noise and therefore make the place louder - that's obvious. The secondary effect is that because more noise is kept in fans will actually be motivated to cheer louder as well. Thus, creating a double effect.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:17 PM ^
I was in section 1, seemed significantly louder to me. There were a few times where I simply couldn't hear the guy next to me without him nearly yelling in my year. Considering this was "just" Western Michigan, I think it's pretty clear that the structure has made the stadium louder.
I wonder what the effect (if any) of removing the old press box will have?
September 8th, 2009 at 7:42 PM ^
that's just going to allow us to hold more people in it. I don't think it will change much from how it is now. Possibly a slight ammount of noise escapes because of removing the press box or possible some more bounces back in off of the structure behind it. Could go either way, really. I don't know the logistics of how noise interacts with the press box, and I doubt many people have studied that very close.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:27 PM ^
I went to the game and did believe it was a little louder....
But when I watched the game on my DVR, I could notice a considerable difference. Hemingway's first touchdown and Denard's scamper into the endzone led to absolute eruptions. I could barely hear the commentators.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:36 PM ^
My dad. No hearing aids or nothing, but he's a little deaf in both ears. He went to the Ball State game with me in 2006 (Section 22). For the WMU game, we again sat in Section 22 away from the students. Saturday evening he complained to me after the WMU game saying it seemed way louder and that his ears were still ringing on Sunday.
I don't know. It seemed somewhat louder to me too, and I agree with the other commenter about the "eruptions" of loudness that seemed to be more profound like that Robinson TD run. I suspect this is due to the "surprise" factor, like a bunch of people screaming all at once in shock/horror/elation.
It was cool.
September 8th, 2009 at 7:38 PM ^
Section 22 is not THAT far away from the student section, but anyone sitting on the west and southwest part of Michigan Stadium is going to have problems hearing the band. This could be easily remedied with proper audio connectivity it seems to me.
September 8th, 2009 at 8:39 PM ^
I could hear the MMB (across from me), and crowd noise from the south end much better.
Any reflections lost when the old pressbox is dismantled should be made up having 2000+ more fans in outdoor seats replacing it.
September 8th, 2009 at 9:21 PM ^
Yes it sounded louder...both at the game and in the TV highlights later.
September 8th, 2009 at 9:22 PM ^
During the second half, I was switching back and forth between the Michigan game and the Notre Dame game.
You had basically identical situations: 2 beaten down programs making a statement of domination at home.
But the difference in the crowds and the noise was stunning. ND sounded like a golf match. The M crowd was loud and raucous.
The ND stadium is pretty much our old stadium configuration, albeit with less seats.
September 8th, 2009 at 9:35 PM ^
games I know of. I believe the PSU game in '05 and the Wisco game last season had the two loudest moments I can remember. For constant noise and super loud moments, the new configuration is catching up to those game. I would imagine this Saturday will be the loudest on record with positive results to cheer for.
September 9th, 2009 at 5:56 AM ^
Second half of Utah last year was pretty loud too.