Guinness World Record for Loudest Stadium Could Be Set Against Pats—Again

Ralph Wilson Stadium by Mark Watmough on Flickr/Creative Commons

Much has already been made of the Week 2, Sunday afternoon matchup between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills. It’ll be fabulous television, fiercely fought, and a possible return to the quality Rex Ryan-Bill Belichick coaching duels of the late Aughts. It could also be record-setting.

Representatives from Guinness World Records will be present at Ralph Wilson Stadium to monitor the crowd noise, after Bills fans raised more than $9,000 to bring them there.

“I think we’re going to break the record,” safety Aaron Williams told Syracuse.com. “Last week, besides the Green Bay game, was one of the loudest games I’ve seen at the Ralph. The game has to be sold out. We have the craziest fans in the league. I would be shocked if we didn’t break the record.”

The current record for the loudest crowd at a football game is currently held by the fans at Arrowhead Stadium, as the Kansas City Chiefs took on—wait for it—the Patriots on Monday Night Football last year.

The Chiefs faithful generated an earsplitting 142.2 decibels worth of noise. For perspective, that’s roughly equivalent to standing 100 feet from a jet engine. Pain begins at 125 decibels, while permanent hearing loss occurs at 140 decibels—the loudest recommended recommended exposure with hearing protection. At 180 decibels, hearing tissue dies.

The Chiefs ran roughshod over the Patriots in that game, cruising to a 41-14 win and sending Boston sports talk radio callers frothing. By the season’s end, the Patriots had raised the Vince Lombardi Trophy, while the Chiefs had completed the year without a touchdown reception by a wide-receiver.

Having the Guinness World Record for crowd noise set against the Patriots on two, consecutive occasions would cement New England’s role as the NFL’s heel. And you know, that’s just fine.