I'm certain that the Maine player meant no disrespect and am in fact flattered that he was so impressed with the noise at Washington Griz stadium. I certainly am not one to disrespect the storied tradition of Husker football (in fact when I think of college football rivalries, it's not USC-ND, Mich-OSU or Fu-FSU that first comes to mind - It's Nebraska-Oklahoma). However, The implication that the Washington Griz experience is good preparation for Memorial stadium may be closer to the truth than one might imagine.
To state or imply that 23000 fans can produce as much volume as 70000 fans is indeed ridiculous, this is objectively unassailable. The subjective experience however is a different matter.
Sound by its nature is omnidirectional and subject to such environmental influence as wind, heat, and enclosure (size, shape, and composition) design.
Much of the sound volume generated in Memorial stadium rises and dissipates in the air above and outside of the stadium. Any acoustic volume rising above Washington Griz is reflected off of the surrounding mountains and directed back into the parabolic enclosure of the stadium and focused on the field (focal point).
In real numbers - measured volume at the Maine game was 115db (not our loudest - That's reserved for the "Brawl of the wild")
By comparison: During an LSU game in 2003 sound levels were recorded at 122 decibels. it is of note that the crowd size for that game was 92,131.
Your average hard rock concert measures 120 dB.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records (2003), the loudest crowd noise at a football game was 128.7 dB, recorded at Mile High Stadium in Denver during a Broncos game.
The point is that both venues (Memorial & WaGriz) are LOUD.
As a point of reference consider:
Points of Reference *measured in dBA or decibels
0 The softest sound a person can hear with normal hearing
10 normal breathing
20 whispering at 5 feet
30 soft whisper
50 rainfall
60 normal conversation
110 shouting in ear
120 thunder
The difference in "on field" volume is equivalent to a whisper at 5 feet....relatively inconsequential.
Experts agree that continued exposure to noise above 85 dBA over time, will cause hearing loss. ..... At 110 dBA, the maximum exposure time is one minute and 29 seconds.
In other words, after 90 seconds it probably sounds about the same -Just LOUD!
Anyway, Best of luck this year.