The Seahawks’ run to the NFC’s best record and a conference championship in 2014 has not been a quiet one. From Skittles to the Legion of Boom to the precociousness of Russell Wilson, any number of storylines have defined Seattle’s season. Chief among those might be the 12th Man.
Seattle’s crowd reached record-breaking levels of noise all season and helped the team go 9-1 (including playoffs) at CenturyLink Field.
During the NFC Championship game on Sunday, announcers Troy Aikman and Joe Buck agreed that the crowd that day was the loudest they had ever heard from the broadcast booth.
According to Fox’s decibel meter that measured the noise level during the game, the crowd got as loud as 108 decibels. How loud is that? Here are some ear-shattering noises that don’t reach the level of the CenturyLink faithful on Sunday.
Note: Decibels do not work on a linear scale. Instead, an increase of 10 decibels is the equivalent of doubling the noise level. For example, 80 dB is twice as loud as 70 dB.
Vacuum Cleaner (70 dB)
Anyone who has been stuck with vacuuming for their chore of the week knows that the noise can be more than a little annoying after a while. Turns out, it’s only a little more than 1/16th of the noise level at CenturyLink on Sunday.
Similar noise levels: Freeway at 10 am from 50 ft., sedan at 65 mph from 25 ft.
Freight train (80 dB)
If you’re like me and live near a train track, you know how loud these can get, especially if you’ve been right next to the track when one has gone past. It’s about 15 percent as loud as the fans were Sunday.
Similar noise levels: Garbage disposal, an average factory, food blender
Motorcycle (90 dB)
Whether you own a hog or have just been around one on the road, you know how deafening they are when you hear them at close-range. The 12th Man reached levels four times that loud on Sunday.
Similar Noise Levels: Power lawn mower, subway from platform, jet engine from one mile
House stereo at max volume (100 decibels)
Turn your sound system all the way up and rock out to your favorite band. Your house is now a little more than half as loud as CenturyLink Field was during the NFC Championship game.
Similar noise levels: Jackhammer, helicopter from 100 ft., jet plane takeoff from a football field away.
Car horn (110 dB)
Think of standing right next to a driver laying on their car’s horn for over three hours. That’s essentially what fans who attended Sunday’s game did. According to Purdue University’s chemistry department, 110 decibels is normally the threshold of human pain.
Similar noise levels: Live rock concert, chainsaw, max level of some MP3 players
It’s no wonder that the Seahawks’ home field has been estimated to be worth 5.2 points, more than any other team in the league.
Dylan Sinn is a freelance contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSinn or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
