Keep the Cheers. Skip the Ringing.
Oklahoma doesn’t just like football. We plan our weekends around it.
From Friday night lights in communities across the state to “Boomer Sooner” echoing through Norman and orange-clad crowds filling Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, football sounds like home. We love the marching bands, fight songs, roaring crowds and—when everything goes right—the sound of our team finding the end zone.
But there is one game-day souvenir nobody wants: ringing ears.
Football games can get loud—really loud. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, sporting events can reach approximately 94 to 110 decibels. At those levels, hearing damage may begin in less than half an hour.
The good news? You don’t have to choose between protecting your hearing and enjoying the game.
Put ear protection in your game-day lineup
A simple pair of foam earplugs can help lower the volume. High-fidelity earplugs are another great option because they reduce sound more evenly—almost like turning down the volume on a stereo. You can still hear the band, the announcer and the people sitting beside you, just at a more comfortable level. Protective earmuffs are especially easy for children to wear and come in plenty of team-friendly colors. Crimson and cream? Orange and black? Your littlest fans can protect their ears and show their team spirit at the same time.
Give your ears a timeout
Your ears need breaks, too. If the stadium feels overwhelmingly loud, step into a quieter concourse area for a few minutes. Moving farther away from speakers, cannons and other major noise sources can also reduce your exposure. A good rule of thumb: if you must yell for someone nearby to hear you, the environment is probably loud enough to warrant hearing protection. You might actually enjoy the game more
Ear protection doesn’t eliminate the excitement. It simply softens the harshest noise. That may mean less sensory overload, easier conversations and no uncomfortable ringing on the drive home. You still get every touchdown, tackle and questionable referee call—without asking your ears to work overtime.
So whether you are cheering under the Friday night lights, calling “Boomer Sooner” or waving proudly with the Cowboy faithful, cheer loudly. Sing the fight song. Celebrate every big play. Just add one small item to your game-day checklist:
- Tickets.
- Team colors.
- Snacks.
- Earplugs.
At Hough Ear Institute, we want you to enjoy the sounds you love for many football seasons to come. Protect your hearing today so you can keep hearing every cheer tomorrow.