SEC Stadiums to Feature Music over PA System

Published on 27-Feb-2014 by Raoul Duke

Football - NCAA    NCAA Football Daily Review

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SEC Stadiums to Feature Music over PA System

The SEC is not exactly the public library in terms of noise levels in their member stadiums.

However, as raucous as some of these venues tend to get, the din will be even more imposing beginning next season.

It's been decreed that music can now be piped-in during games, something that was previously banned. The tunes can be played until the opposing team comes up to the line of scrimmage, when the regular old crowd noise will take over from there.

SEC officials seem pretty stoked about the idea and the prospect of generating more interest from students on game day, including Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity:

“If you need to get people revved up for a big third-down play, you can do that,” McGarity enthused. “You could always do it with your band, but now you can do it any way you want to. You still have to stop once the quarterback gets over the ball, gets under the center or in the shotgun.”

It's been my experience that most SEC venues are able to create sufficient noise on a crucial third down without the benefit of stereo, but to each their own. Some are actually concerned the recorded music will take away from the traditional college football atmosphere.

While this new development may or may not have a tangible impact on games or the veracity of fan bases across the conference, I'm much more interesting in song selection.

One assumes that bubble gum pop music will be eschewed for some groovy jock jams in the interest of making noise or some hard rock for general intimidation purposes. Or perhaps some SEC schools will go even darker and nostalgic, opting for Slayer’s War Ensemble or some early Metallica.

I can only imagine the din from the crowd should blend nicely with the soothing sounds of Cannibal Corpse as the university band futilely attempts to plays the school fight song in the background.