I've heard reports that at several NCAA tournament games, fans who have brought noisemakers, like drums and vuvuzellas , (the same noisemakers these fans have brought to and used at regular season games) have been told that such are not allowed at tournament games. I see this memo from the NCAA ... http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/ncaa/playing rules administration/ncaa rules sports/soccer/playing rules/update on artificial noisemakers and red card reporting ... which seems to suggest that such noisemakers are allowed, but that the field's game manager can prohibit these during playoff games if they want to. Still, seems pretty confusing. Does anyone have any insight or additional info on this? It seems very unclear. And, if such noisemakers are prohibited from the tournament games, this potentially detracts from some of the fun, spirit and atmosphere of the expereince. Obviously, not a huge deal (and no where near as important as the vital questions around flip-throwins ... ), but just was wondering if anyone knows what the story is with noisemakers. As someone once said, "We need more cowbell!"
Yea ... the ref never heard any of these noisemakers, as the ticket takers at the gate didn't let them in. So I guess it was a case of the ticket guys and / or the game administrators doing this even though the NCAA doesn't require it. Thanks.
And living in the mighty mountainous Switzerland, home of the finest milk and chocolate, I do know that cowbells are the loveliest of all musical instruments. Only the one who never had a summer night in a Swiss mountain chalet cannot understand this.
From what I've seen and heard on this over the last couple of days, now it seems that NCAA or the colleges hosting soccer games might allow such noisemakers during the regular season, but not during the playoffs / tourney. For example, here is what I just saw on the UCSB soccer website previewing their game this evening vs. Penn State: "• No Artificial Noisemakers Allowed Per NCAA rules, no artificial noisemakers – including but not limited to airhorns, vuvuzelas, and drums – will be allowed into Harder Stadium for the match. Please leave these items at home." (from http://ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-soccer/2013-14/releases/20131122u5xdlc ) Yet I've seen "Gaucho Locos" fans at UCSB soccer games in the past with all kinds of noisemakers, including drums, inflatable clappers that seemingly UCSB itself gave out to the fans, and even a bagpipe once. It's seems odd that such noisemakers would be allowed during the regular season, and then not allowed during tournament play. I don't see why noisemakers like vuvuzelas, drums, cowbells, etc., (but not whistles, airhorns, etc., of course) wouldn't be allowed during the playoffs. This policy seems to take away from the fun and spirit of the live game during the tourney.
I already told my story of the Davis at Sacramento State game - since SS is only an "associate" for soccer, they weren't going to honor the Big West directaive and allow us to make noise with our bells, but after they handed out vuvuzelas to their fans, the bells were ringing (clanging?) after about the second toot.
Sounds like rules are per stadium policy, not league policy. If you go to Major League Soccer matches at different stadiums, different stadiums will have different rules. E.g. BBVA Compass Stadium (home to the Houston Dynamo) bans confetti and smoke bombs amongst other things. Sporting Park (home to Sporting Kansas City) allows confetti. Jeld-Wen Field (home to the Portland Timbers) allows smoke bombs.
I have a hard time rationalizing allowing smoke bombs in the hands of the fans - unless they are selling them in the souvenir stands.
As long as tortillas are still allowed ! Good luck Gauchos and all West Coast teams. In seriousness, I thought it was a tournament rule vs. regular conference games? I seem to remember this discussion in previous years.
The whole idea is to take the atmosphere out of the game. The goal of a tournament game, in NCAA thinking, is to play the game in as close to a vacuum (to make it fair to both sides) as possible without playing in front of an empty house (and thus losing ticket revenue).
Updating an (airhorn) blast from the past ... I think this NCAA memo from 2012 is the last official, and seemingly quite confusing, word from the NCAA about NCAA soccer games and "artificial noisemakers." http://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Update on Artificial Noisemakers and Red Card Reporting (Posted 9:13:12).pdf And despite what this guidance says -- including "Pep bands are not considered to be artificial noisemakers. Pep bands are permitted to play when the ball is not in play. This interpretation is applicable to regular season games only" -- at the Championship game yesterday, a small "band" was clearly playing in what was not a regular season game, and also clearly playing while the ball was in play. Yet another confusing thing about how the NCAA effectively manages -- or perhaps more of accurately, does NOT effectively manage -- NCAA soccer playoffs.