Lambeau Crowds

[El Duderino]

I was wondering if anyone else thinks the crowds at Lambeau are overrated by the media?

I haven't been to a game this season, but most years i attend at least a game over the last 10 years or so. I will say though that i've yet to attend a playoff game or Sunday/Monday night game.

Between attending the games that i have and watching games on TV compared to watching quite a few other NFL teams, the crowds at Lambeau don't seem as loud to me. Many times at games i've attended, the defensive players on the field have to try getting the fans to make more noise even if say it's the third quarter of a close game. Unless it's later in the 4th quarter or 3rd down, often large chunks of the stadium are just sitting there making no noise. In fact, when i've gone with my cousin and good buddy, both of whom like getting very involved, i've actually seem some lame folks give us looks like hey can you keep it down until the 4th quarter when i might decide to chip in.

On the flip side, i watch a lot of other NFL games and quite often i see crowds really into the game almost from the start. Sometimes NFL teams crowds with have close to a SEC college game feel to it. They aren't waiting just for 3rd and longs or the 4th quarter to get noisy for a whole defensive series, instead of a few plays. Hell, even on 3rd downs, more times than not when i've attended GB games, much of the Packer crowd won't start making noise until the offense breaks the huddle.

Packer fans are obviously loyal given the huge waiting list for season tickets, but i do think the energy of the fans on game day is overrated. I highly doubt that opposing teams feel intimidated by the Lambeau crowds except maybe on night games or playoffs games. It's not often that i see lineman jumping offsides because the noise is so deafening, but i see it more in other stadiums.

[humanrefutation]

I've never been to a game at Lambeau (never have been able to afford/get tickets unfortunately), but that's always been one of my major questions as well. From what I see, the crowd seems older and really family friendly for the most part, which generally translate to quieter crowds from my experience. The younger/more urbanized (not racially, but geographically)/drunker the crowd gets, the louder and more obnoxious it becomes...you can see some of that at Badger games, and definitely some of that at MU, Brewers, and Bucks playoff games.

Does that reflect negatively on the stadium? I don't think so. I'd prefer a quieter but less obnoxious/more loyal crowd any day.

[El Duderino]

Humanrefutation

Green Bay is in Wisconsin and if you ever attend a game, you'll see before and during games, there is no shortage of drinking going on. For whatever reason though overall, the crowd isn't consistently loud and trying to make it tough on opposing offenses. You don't have to be drunk out of your mind to make some noise when your team's defense could use some help in throwing the other team's offense out of rhythm on the snap count or making audibles tough to get done.

Watch any close football game where the crowd is consistently loud. It often leads to false starts, poor communication by opposing offenses, and/or audibles tougher to get done orderly before a delay of game penalty happens.

I'm not saying at all that fans who buy a ticket have an obligation to make a lot of noise. That said, the media has made crowds at Lambeau Field to be among the loudest in the league and from my perspective, it just isn't true. That Lions game Sunday was a good example. It was close the whole 2nd half and the defense was on the field most of that half, but it didn't seem to me that the crowd offered that much help to try disrupting their offense.

[MickeyDavis]

I've been to games at several stadiums, the crowds at Lambeau are as into it as any other NFL crowd. I've never heard Lambeau being described as especially loud. So I don't think you can say it's overrated in that regard. When people talk about Lambeau what they talk about is the history, the location in a small town and the bench seating that allows the crowd to be closer to the field. Those are the reasons I hear from visiting fans as to why they want to go there. I talk to a lot of visiting fans every game I go to (4-5 a year) and I've never heard any of them say they wanted to go to Lambeau because it's a loud stadium. As far as the loudness and fan exhuberance, I'd say it's about the same as most other open air venues. It seats about 73,000, around the middle of NFL stadiums. Open air stadiums, especially ones like Lambeau that are not fully enclosed around the top, tend to not be as loud.

[crkone]

I've been to games at several stadiums, the crowds at Lambeau are as into it as any other NFL crowd. I've never heard Lambeau being described as especially loud. So I don't think you can say it's overrated in that regard. When people talk about Lambeau what they talk about is the history, the location in a small town and the bench seating that allows the crowd to be closer to the field. Those are the reasons I hear from visiting fans as to why they want to go there. I talk to a lot of visiting fans every game I go to (4-5 a year) and I've never heard any of them say they wanted to go to Lambeau because it's a loud stadium. As far as the loudness and fan exhuberance, I'd say it's about the same as most other open air venues. It seats about 73,000, around the middle of NFL stadiums. Open air stadiums, especially ones like Lambeau that are not fully enclosed around the top, tend to not be as loud.

And it's more obvious if they pump in crowd noise at Lambeau unlike some roofed venues.

[MickeyDavis]

I think one of the appeals of Lambeau is that it's pretty much the same as it was during the Lombardi years. The club area and suites were added at the top. The atrium is new. But the main seating bowl is the same. You can sit there and can imagine Starr scoring at the end of the the Ice Bowl in the North end zone.

[jakecronus8]

In general, wisconsin is a terrible sports state when it comes to crowds. Camp Randall is as good as it gets though.

[humanrefutation]

Humanrefutation

Green Bay is in Wisconsin

Oh really? It sounds like you're calling me an idiot here, and I don't appreciate condescension.

Anyways, there is a difference between drinking and drunkenness, especially in the context of a football game. Badger fans drink and get **** wasted before games, and that leads to more obnoxious; louder crowds. I don't get the same sense from most Packer fans when I watch them on television.

[Kerb Hohl]

In general, wisconsin is a terrible sports state when it comes to crowds. Camp Randall is as good as it gets though.

Compared to what though?

NFL - No NFL crowd is that wild except domed ones get really loud. But if you think that is a testament to their fans, tell me that while I got "Single Game Tickets Still Available!!!" fliers at my apartment a week before the season started in Minneapolis. Granted, you've got Oakland and a few other crazy places, but for the most part, the NFL is just tame crowd-wise.

NBA/MLB - When we're good and the fans show up, they're as loud as it gets. Problem is, given the small market nature we go through long periods of sucking. But tell me another small market that isn't like that. I would imagine the Jazz and other places where they are the only show in town are the only ones that aren't like this.

NCAAF - Badger fans are pretty loud football-wise.

NCAAB - Kohl Center fans are somewhat overrated. The alumni put the student section in the worst spot in the arena. Marquette has some pretty solid crowds as well.

[MickeyDavis]

Badger fans are definitely drunker than Packer fans. Of course there are several thousand students contributing to this (although the drunks certainly aren't limited to students). And Camp Randall seats about 10,000 more than Lambeau so yeah it's rowdier there than in Green Bay.

[ReasonablySober]

Some stadiums are made for enhancing crowd noise. Lambeau doesn't seem like one of them. I remember Favre's homecoming from last year and most of the crowd was yelling on every down and it still wasn't that loud.

[chuckleslove]

Some stadiums are made for enhancing crowd noise. Lambeau doesn't seem like one of them. I remember Favre's homecoming from last year and most of the crowd was yelling on every down and it still wasn't that loud.

A lot of the newer stadiums are built up more on top of eachother so the upper levels are closer to the field and can create more noise, it also then makes the sound more enclosed which creates more reverberation. Take Seattle for instance, their stadium is loud even though it is outdoor because it is stacked higher so the sound stays more enclosed.

Lambeau is "flatter" so to say.

[MickeyDavis]

Exactly. Quest field was designed specifically to reflect crowd noise down to the playing field. Lambeau is wide open.

[El Duderino]

Humanrefutation

Green Bay is in Wisconsin

Oh really? It sounds like you're calling me an idiot here, and I don't appreciate condescension.

That wasn't my intention at all, i've just been to many Packer games and the crowd is packed with hammered fans.

I do wonder if the early start time of noon games leads to some fans getting more drunk than normal? For myself, i rarely drink in the morning so when i have for Packer games or opening day Brewer games, i noticed i get buzzed much easier for whatever reason. .

I generally have a hard time getting really buzzed off just beer, but if say it was 10 AM and i'm drinking beer before a Packer game, it hits me harder and i'm not sure why. My good friend says the same thing.

I try to watch myself now so i don't cross the line from a fun buzz to stupid drunk like happened one year at a Brewers opening day. I got so trashed that after going to the bathroom late in the game, i forgot where my seat was and i lost my ticket stub. Game ends and i can't remember where the bus is parked either that i came in with everyone else. After wandering around for awhile in the lot, i proceeded to fall asleep in the parking lot until a cop woke me up. That wasn't a good idea. Lesson learned about drinking maybe 15 or more beers in the morning.

[El Duderino]

Some stadiums are made for enhancing crowd noise. Lambeau doesn't seem like one of them. I remember Favre's homecoming from last year and most of the crowd was yelling on every down and it still wasn't that loud.

A lot of the newer stadiums are built up more on top of eachother so the upper levels are closer to the field and can create more noise, it also then makes the sound more enclosed which creates more reverberation. Take Seattle for instance, their stadium is loud even though it is outdoor because it is stacked higher so the sound stays more enclosed.

Lambeau is "flatter" so to say.

That makes sense, nothing about Lambeau to trap the noise.

Plus, like i said before, i've never been to a big night game there or a playoff game. As in any sport, certain opponents or night time games in football seem to rev up the environment.

[MickeyDavis]

Hard to say about early start times. On one hand you probably don't eat as much so the booze hits you. On the other hand you have a shorter amount of time to drink than with a 3:00 start.

[paulpressey25]

I was lucky enough to attend the Packers v. Cowboys Monday night game at Texas Stadium back in 1996.

The enclosed nature of that place along with 80,000 (?) fans made it the loudest place I had been to. Seemed like twice the noise of Lambeau. You couldn't hear yourself think.

No question that sound escapes out of Lambeau due to the design, although if they enclose the south end zone with luxury boxes, that will retain some of the noise.

The other part of the design relates to the fact there is no "upper" deck on Lambeau. In stadiums with an upper deck, you have the lower deck sound with nowhere to go but to echo back out and thus magnify the sound.

[mnstinks]

Yes, Lambeau is overrated (crowd noise) as a home field advantage.

[Flames24Rulz]

Is it? I've never really heard Lambeau be described as a place that is known for its noise.

[chuckleslove]

Is it? I've never really heard Lambeau be described as a place that is known for its noise.

This, I've heard of the great crowd, the people, the atmosphere, the history but never the noise. People talk about the noise in Seattle is the big one in the NFL, the Superdome too as of late.