[Goose]

The fans in the stands were whisper, whisper quiet.  QBs, LBs, coaches even DBs could be heard throughout the game audio.  Obviously every single PA announcement could be heard.  Crowd noise was really only in the mix on two or three plays, so I would submit the crowd left to its own to cheer would likely not support the team as the recruits/players would expect from the home crowd.

Probably true, but that is how Stanford crowds have always been, as far as I can remember. The crowd will make noise, lots of it, when warranted, but not on every play of the game. I think the players come to expect that, so when they get crowd noise, they know it is "for real".

FWIW2 - Most venues have those games and announcements during all of the TV timeouts.  I would be happy with the silence, but that would foster a football environment the AD likely does not want.  Noise, activity, and non-stop visuals are needed for the younger types now used to instant gratification from smartphones and tablets.  Got to be engaging at every single moment or risk losing future fans to their gadgets and ultimately their home TVs.

One wonders how much of this is consumer pull vs. promoter push? It is not clear to me the current generation is actually that into "noise". They seem more into quiet tweeting with their closest 1000 friends. Since some venue does it, they all think they must do it. Probably this won't change, but I sure wish it would.

[Goose]

The fans in the stands were whisper, whisper quiet.  QBs, LBs, coaches even DBs could be heard throughout the game audio.  Obviously every single PA announcement could be heard.  Crowd noise was really only in the mix on two or three plays, so I would submit the crowd left to its own to cheer would likely not support the team as the recruits/players would expect from the home crowd.

Probably true, but that is how Stanford crowds have always been, as far as I can remember. The crowd will make noise, lots of it, when warranted, but not on every play of the game. I think the players come to expect that, so when they get crowd noise, they know it is "for real".

FWIW2 - Most venues have those games and announcements during all of the TV timeouts.  I would be happy with the silence, but that would foster a football environment the AD likely does not want.  Noise, activity, and non-stop visuals are needed for the younger types now used to instant gratification from smartphones and tablets.  Got to be engaging at every single moment or risk losing future fans to their gadgets and ultimately their home TVs.

One wonders how much of this is consumer pull vs. promoter push? It is not clear to me the current generation is actually that into "noise". They seem more into quiet tweeting with their closest 1000 friends. Since some venue does it, they all think they must do it. Probably this won't change, but I sure wish it would.