Have you ever gone to a game and found it annoying that you cannot see any instant replays on the big screen? Have you ever wished the PA announcer would do a better job at riling up the crowd at crucial times? Well, the NFL is well aware of said deficiencies, and in an effort to improve the live fan experience, has instituted new rules (or loosened them, really) to allow a little more leeway for the home team to improve crowd interaction. Per the Wall Street Journal:
"The at-home experience has gotten better and cheaper, while the in-stadium experience feels like it hasn't," said Eric Grubman, the NFL's executive vice president of ventures and business operations. "That's a trend that we've got to do something about." In hopes that professional football can mimic the wild stadium atmosphere typical of college football games, the NFL says it has "liberalized" its restraints on crowd noise. Stadiums will now be free to rile up crowds with video displays, and public-address announcers will no longer be restrained from inciting racket when the opposing offense faces a crucial third down.
This could have the potential to improve what is already one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL for the Seahawks. Seahawks Stadium/Qwest Field/CenturyLink Field has led the NFL in induced false starts over the past several years with the help of noise funneling architecture and a rabid fanbase. Now, the team/stadium will be allowed to show old replays, harken back to former glory, present rage-inducing clips, and otherwise stir the emotions of fans in their seats in what should hopefully create such a din that the opposing teams simply cannot function at 100%.
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