DETROIT (WXYZ) — In just three days, the Detroit Lions and their fans will be back at Ford Field for a new season — one that’s expected to be louder than ever.
Last year, Lions fans got so loud that they broke the Ford Field stadium record at 134.3 decibels.
So this season, a Northville fan is taking noise control into his own hands.
If you were at Ford Field last Lions season, you’ll never forget the sound of fans. It was deafening. So much so that it's inspired a Northville man to take action before this upcoming season.
“It was so loud,” Bob Phillips said. “I don’t think anyone in there had experienced that level of loud.”
A loyal Lions fan his whole life, Phillips was among the thousands of fans at the Detroit Lions-Tampa Bay Buccaneers playoff game in January, where fans set a Ford Field record, getting as loud as 134.3 decibels.
“And I’m looking around me and there are other people doing this,” Phillips said plugging his ears.
It was so loud that Phillips said he and fans around him had to plug their ears. According to this chart, it was louder than a military jet aircraft taking off.
”And it kept going and going and I thought you know, I wish that I had brought a pair of earplugs.” Phillips said.
Enter Thursday, 9 months later, Phillips has created Roar Relief Earplugs.
“These allow ya to hear the game. You can still hear what’s going on. It’s just not causing you intense pain,”Phillips said.
“Oh my gosh, that’s actually a really great idea,” season ticket holder Terri Bunch sid. “Your ears do start to hurt.”
“Kids, kids could use them,” season ticket holder Kelly Carino said.
Bunch and Carino told me they were at the Tampa Bay game too and could see these earplugs taking off this season because: “We’re on a good track, Lions fans, to beat Seattle’s record for being the noisiest stadium,” says Carino.
According to this chart from GiveMeSport, Seattle is the second loudest stadium ever.
They say the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium is no. 1 with a record-breaking noise level of 142.2 decibels.
Can the Lions jump 8 decibels to beat that?
They posted this to Facebook on Sept. 3 egging fans on:
“You’ve just thrown down the gauntlet to an entire stadium of Lions fans who are going to make sure that record is broken,” Phillips said.
We’ve got a whole season to do i. Phillips will be there rocking his Roar Relief earplugs just in case.
“I like the idea that people are using my products to enjoy the game because I love it so much,” he said.
If you want to check out Roar Relief, Phillips told me he’ll have teenagers selling them outside Ford Field Sunday.
