During the upcoming season, the Seattle Seahawks will be vying for two milestones. They’ll try to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl and they’ll try to establish a new Guinness World Record.
No, the Guinness World Record isn’t for having the most players suspended for using performance enhancing drugs.
Seahawks fans want to break the Guinness World Record for “loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium.”
A group of Seahawks fans called “Volume 12” have had their application to break the record accepted by Guinness.
“Volume 12,” which is a takeoff of the team’s “12th Man” tradition, is not affiliated with the Seahawks. Even so, the team probably has no qualms with their attempt to be the loudest sports crowd of all-time.
Volume 12 will try to set the record on Sept. 15. That’s the Seahawks home opener against their hated NFC rivals, the San Francisco 49ers.
Cue 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh whining to the NFL about the Guinness World Record attempt in 3… 2… 1…
Doesn’t “Volume 12” remind you of that scene from “This Is Spinal Tap” where Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) shows Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) his guitar amp with a volume nob that goes to 11?
The cynic in me wants to ask Volume 12 if they’ll try to break the record before or after Russell Wilson blows out his knee. I know. I know. I’m being pessimistic, but as a Seahawks fan when I hear stuff like this I cringe. I appreciate the enthusiasm but worry that it will be nothing more than a big fat jinx.
Currently, the record for “loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium” is held by, who else, Galataaray Spor Kulubu. Everyone knows that Galatasaray S.K. and the Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul, Turkey is the loudest sports arena in the world. Duh.
On March, 18, 2011, fans of Galatasaray S.K. were in full throat when they established the current loudest crowd roar of 131.76 decibels. Turkish soccer fans were given three chances, and they needed all of them, to set a new world record.
That begs the question when has there ever been three reasons to cheer at a soccer game?
The Seahawks play at CenturyLink Field. It’s an open-air stadium but widely regarded as the loudest and most intimidating venue in the NFL. If anyone can establish a Guinness record for loudest crowd roar it’s the professional football fans in the Emerald City.
During a 2011 NFL playoff game, Seahawks fans cheered so loudly during Marshawn Lynch’s 67-yard touchdown run that they moved seismic machines at a nearby monitoring station.
Just how loud is 132 decibels? Well, 110 dB—rock concert, chainsaw, leaf blower—is when most people’s ears start to feel pain. Thunder is about 120 dB. A jet taking off from an aircraft carrier is around 130 dB. Artillery fire is 140 dB, give or take. Eardrums will rupture at the 150 dB level.
It’s highly unlikely that Seahawks fans will exceed the 150 dB mark. The loudest they’ve ever been measured is 112 dB.
How will the Seahawks faithful close the gap of 20 decibels?
You figure they’ll get one or two right off the bat from a “favorable” decibel meter. They’ll get another couple of decibels from PEDs, “performance enhancing drinks” otherwise known as alcohol.
How will they get the rest? What event will need to happen to prompt the fans to yell themselves into the record books?
Will it be Marshawn Lynch going into beast mode? Russell Wilson connecting with Golden Tate for a touchdown? Percy Harvin making something out of nothing?
How about this: it’s late in the game, the San Francisco 49ers are driving and are deep in Seahawks territory. On a third down play, Red Bryant sacks Colin Kaepernick. The quarterback fumbles. Richard Sherman picks up the loose ball and sprints 85 yards for a touchdown. The Seahawks take the lead. The crowd goes nuts.
Of course, that’s not how the crowd will attempt to break the roar record. During a time out, or between quarters, the PA announcer will ask the crowd to yell. The crowd will yell and someone will measure it. How the Seahawks play won’t really matter but fans will be in a much better mood to break the record if the scoreboard is in their favor.
