Referee says band and cheerleaders too loud at college football game
Toledo wide receiver Alonzo Russell runs a route during a previous game against Northern Illinois on Nov. 3.
A game between Toledo and Central Michigan was stopped briefly Tuesday night because the Chippewas band and cheerleaders were simply too loud.
Referee Tony Cannella apparently noticed, among the announced crowd of 13,490 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, that the Central Michigan band and cheerleaders were being too loud on the sidelines.
It may seem weird, but the NCAA has specific rules prohibiting athletes and others on the sideline from interfering with an opposing team’s play calls.
According to the NCAA, “Persons subject to the rules, including bands, shall not create any noise that prohibits a team from hearing its signals.”
This is not the first time an officiating crew has been forced to issue a noise complaint. In 2013, a referee blew his whistle and told the Middle Tennessee State band to stop playing when the Marshall offense lined up.
Cheerleaders and bands aren’t the only ones who can get in trouble for being too loud.
“Everyone in the team area, players, substitutes, replaced players, coaches, athletics trainers, cheerleaders, band members, mascots, public-address announcers, audio and video system operators, and other persons affiliated with the teams of institutions,” are subject to the same rules, the NCAA states.
In the end, the noise didn’t stop Toledo (8-1, 5-1 in Mid-American Conference play) from defeating Central Michigan (5-5, 4-2 MAC), 28-23.
Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme
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