Badgers Win, Ears Lose

There was a big commotion in Madison this past week. No, it wasn’t caused by rowdy teens or some unhinged customer at a retail store demanding to speak to the manager. This time it was the sound system at Camp Randall Stadium responsible for all the hubbub.

Last Saturday’s University of Wisconsin Madison football season opener against the University of Buffalo was the first to feature a new in-game experience designed to increase the energy inside the stadium. That entailed refreshed scoreboard animations, an in-house DJ playing more music, and, apparently, a very heavy hand on the volume knob.

All the artificial racket made it difficult to carry on conversations, place orders at the concession stands, or even hear the marching band, which left many Badgers fans with their fingers in their ears and disapproving scowls on their faces.

Their frustration is understandable. You go to a Metallica concert or monster truck rally expecting your skull to vibrate, but not necessarily a football game. Or, at the very least, you want the play on the field to shake you to the very core of your being, not some guy in the sound booth.

Pumping in the volume to generate atmosphere seems like more of a dome stadium thing. More specifically, a dome stadium to the east of the St. Croix River thing.

Fortunately, the Badgers next home game isn’t until September 16th. We’re confident the game ops equivalent of your dad will bust into the room and make them turn the volume down to a level that pleases both football fans and club-banger aficionados.

Until then, On Wisconsin. At a sensible level.