Matchday Atmosphere Report

[MJG]

n discussions with FulhamFC about Matchday Atmosphere the FST have been passed on a report by FFC with the findings from a study which took place last year.

Does it answer the question of why away fans sound louder?

Have a read..


There is an ongoing debate at Fulham FC about the match day atmosphere. Why do the away fans always sound louder and the Hammersmith End losing crowd noise through the gaps in the stand are just two of the comments made.

Matchdays form an important and regular topic of discussion between the FST and the club. From food, drink, disabled facilities, toilets, stewarding, ticket prices and much more.  One area we keep revisiting is how to improve the atmosphere during a game.

The club have from time to time requested reports from companies who are experts in sound and noise within a stadium.

The club have kindly passed on one of those reports for the FST to publish. The report was undertaken in the autumn of last year at home game vs Norwich.

Here are some of the main points and summary from it.



Vanguardia were commissioned by Fulham Football Club to undertake an assessment of the crowd atmosphere on a match day and investigate ways in which the stadium acoustics may enhance the fan experience

This report describes the findings of the assessment in terms of architectural acoustics, usage of the sound-system and subjective impression of atmosphere.

Through a combination of complaint emails and fan forum engagements, Fulham FC supporters have indicated they are dissatisfied with the atmosphere at their home stadium. The majority of complaints have come from season ticket holders in the Hammersmith End. The complaints are largely related to the perception of crowd noise escaping from the open corners at either side of the stand.

Fulham FC have trialled various methods of improving the atmosphere during the 2016/17 season. This has included the introduction of cardboard clappers on the seats which were in use on the match-day assessed. The club have also trialled goal celebration music and live drummers in the stands, however it is understood these were not well received by fans.

The majority of vocal support for the team comes from the rear of the Hammersmith stand. The stand itself has a long, shallow seating rake, meaning that the fans towards the back are a relatively long distance – approximately 35-40m from the pitch. Conversely, the Putney stand has a steeper seating rake and shorter distance of only 20-25m from back row to the pitch-side.

For supporters seated towards the middle of the Riverside and Johnny Haynes stands, the away support in the Putney end is going to be more audible than the chanting from the back of the Hammersmith stand due to the shorter distances involved.

A notable feature of the architecture of the Hammersmith stand is the restricted view fans have of the other parts of the stadium. The view, and subsequently the propagation path of sound is obstructed by the hospitality boxes at either side of the stand. This may be a contributing factor to the perception that noise generated by fans in these areas of the Hammersmith stand does not transmit to the rest of the home support.

As mentioned, there is a perception among fans in the Hammersmith stand that noise they generate is escaping out of the open corners of the stand. During the match-day survey, it was observed that the majority of vocal support is based towards the back of the Hammersmith stand, in the centre of the seating. It is unlikely that the open ended architecture of the Hammersmith is stand is resulting in a significant reduction of sound energy reaching the rest of the stadium.

A number of measurements of crowd noise were taken in both the Riverside stand and the Hammersmith Stand.

Towards the middle of the Riverside stand, crowd noise levels of 80-82dBLAeq were measured. These consisted largely of the away supporters in the Putney Stand at a point in the match where the visiting team was in the lead.

In the second half, measurements were taken in the Hammersmith end. During home goal celebrations in the second half, crowd noise levels of up to 102dBLAeq were measured in close proximity to the vocal support. This represents a good level of crowd noise and is in line with measurements taken in other, similar stadia.

                                                                           SUMMARY

It is not felt that the open ends of the Hammersmith Stand are particularly detrimental to the build-up of crowd noise generated by home supporters. More noticeable was the longer distance from the pitch to the rear of the Hammersmith stand, where the most vocal home fans are situated.

[fcfulham55]

I have to almost completely disagree with their findings. Utter garbage.

Underneath the Hammersmith stand is the noisiest place in the ground. It's the gap at the back of the stand where lots of noise is escaping to.  Pretty frustrating to find that nothing will ever get done about that.  Don't know why they focused on just the corners?

Also, by having a smoother roof(underside) free of pillars and support beams it'll enhance and focus the sound massively towards the pitch.

[MJG]

I have to almost completely disagree with their findings. Utter garbage.

Underneath the Hammersmith stand is the noisiest place in the ground. It's the gap at the back of the stand where lots of noise is escaping to.  Pretty frustrating to find that nothing will ever get done about that.  Don't know why they focused on just the corners?

Also, by having a smoother roof(underside) free of pillars and support beams it'll enhance and focus the sound massively towards the pitch.

I think the point about actual distance and height of where the majority of fans sing at both end makes sense.

On saturday looking to my left the heart of noisy Derby fans was about halfway and then upwards. While looking to my right the noisy Hammersmith group is high up and central to the back.
So in effect even without any fancy measuring tools you can see one reason (not the only one as you mention) why we do not seem to make much noise from the Hammersmith end.

[_Putney_]

Yes, the corners have never been the real problem.  The Putney end has the same 'open corners'.  It's always been the steepness and the gap at the back. 

[Neil D]

Also away fans - however few in number - are always likely going to make more noise per capita, so to speak.

[Keynsham]

How many 'singing' fans to people think we actually have?

That's not a loaded question and I don't have the answer but I'm interested to see what people think.

[MJG]

When the Hammersmith end is rocking its as noisy  as anywhere and having sat in the Putney end when its been like that I can vouch for that.
We are a fairly passive group of fans in many ways, so even if the lot at the back of the Hammersmith end make a noise all game and the rest are not at the same level it is quiet.
Move the loud lot down to where the Green Pole area is and I think you would hear a dramatic difference.

[Chesh]

Quite frankly, the main reason for the poor atmosphere at the Cottage is that most fans in the Hammersmith End do not join in, and therefore I would strongly bet that the proportion of 'singers' per bums on seats is amongst the lowest in the country.

[Fulhamfan666]

Quite frankly, the main reason for the poor atmosphere at the Cottage is that most fans in the Hammersmith End do not join in, and therefore I would strongly bet that the proportion of 'singers' per bums on seats is amongst the lowest in the country.

Agreed.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Quite frankly, the main reason for the poor atmosphere at the Cottage is that most fans in the Hammersmith End do not join in, and therefore I would strongly bet that the proportion of 'singers' per bums on seats is amongst the lowest in the country.

Quite frankly, the main reason for the poor atmosphere at the Cottage is that most fans in the Hammersmith End do not join in, and therefore I would strongly bet that the proportion of 'singers' per bums on seats is amongst the lowest in the country.

d

Correct

[Keynsham]

Quite frankly, the main reason for the poor atmosphere at the Cottage is that most fans in the Hammersmith End do not join in, and therefore I would strongly bet that the proportion of 'singers' per bums on seats is amongst the lowest in the country.

That is my thoughts on the matter too. It's numbers as much as it is 'acoustics'.

[Holders]

When the Hammersmith end is rocking its as noisy  as anywhere and having sat in the Putney end when its been like that I can vouch for that.
We are a fairly passive group of fans in many ways, so even if the lot at the back of the Hammersmith end make a noise all game and the rest are not at the same level it is quiet.
Move the loud lot down to where the Green Pole area is and I think you would hear a dramatic difference.

Where they/we always used to be.

I can see the points contained in the report but can't help thinking that the gap at the back doesn't help either.

[MJG]

When the Hammersmith end is rocking its as noisy  as anywhere and having sat in the Putney end when its been like that I can vouch for that.
We are a fairly passive group of fans in many ways, so even if the lot at the back of the Hammersmith end make a noise all game and the rest are not at the same level it is quiet.
Move the loud lot down to where the Green Pole area is and I think you would hear a dramatic difference.

Where they/we always used to be.

I can see the points contained in the report but can't help thinking that the gap at the back doesn't help either.

Exactly my point about being further down the stand.

[Milo]

Personally the thought of loutish singing throughout the game fills me with dread.

I'll occasionally pitch in with the odd "come on you Whites" at the appropriate time... but other wise I'll just applaud when we make good chances.

Why are we trying to be like Stoke? Couldn't think of anything worse personally.

[Riversider]

So just to clarify then, the report seems to conclude then, that by sticking 4000 pi**ed up Northeners in the Putney End you are giving the away side a distinct advantage, just by the very nature that they are closer to the pitch,
As has already been mentioned on this thread 1000 Fulham supporters from the areas surrounding SW6 will never ever be as vocal as 1000 supporters from some Northern outpost we never have been and never will be,
Our reluctance to move with the times has always been responsible for holding the atmosphere back, must clubs now days use music in some way to create an atmosphere, it's used a lot at Chelsea, QPR use it a lot whenever they score, Reading used it to great effect in the play off game, and cricket and darts have been transformed because of it but you try bringing it up in conversation with regards to Fulham !! Our experts will instantly dismiss the very notion and then tell you that they are perfectly happy with the mega embarrassing clappers even though they are cringeworthy and do nothing for atmosphere , they make a noise but do nothing whatsoever for atmosphere.

[Chutney]

The acoustics is a bit of a poor excuse for the lack of noise, I sit in the Hammersmith end and nobody around me is vocal, there is the occassional clap and the even more ocasional mumble of "come on fulham" but nothing that can be considered atmosphere building at all.

Maybe if we actually tried to make a bit of noise the acoustics would all of a sudden be a non-issue.

[toshes mate]

Thank you for providing this information MJG.

Although distance is significant with perceived loudness I do not believe it to be the only mitigating element in the amount of noise generated within the ground by away support as compared to home support.  If you released a 100dB audible sound wave from anywhere in the spectator part of the stadium it should be possible to determine how much of that sound is lost at various other parts of the ground at equal distances from the sound source.  My own view is that the problem is that the Putney End roof is a single structure whereas the Hammersmith End roof is a two part structure.  The former would therefore act as a much better reflector of sound. Refurbishing the latter as a single unit would be very expensive indeed which may seed the reluctance to seek and find the issue with sound and do something about it.   Maybe we need a couple of drums, cymbals and some brass which could be very loud and relatively cheap. 

[Southcoastffc]

IMO the biggest single factor is, as others have alluded to, that we supporters are largely gentrified and, as such, unlikely to sing and shout as much as what is usually a keener, more fanatical (in the good sense of the word) away support.   Also of interest I suspect is the age profile of, for example, 3000 Derby away fans versus 15000 Fulham fans.

[Riversider]

Our reluctance to move with the times has always been responsible for holding the atmosphere back, must clubs now days use music in some way to create an atmosphere, it's used a lot at Chelsea, QPR use it a lot whenever they score, Reading used it to great effect in the play off game, and cricket and darts have been transformed because of it but you try bringing it up in conversation with regards to Fulham !! Our experts will instantly dismiss the very notion and then tell you that they are perfectly happy with the mega embarrassing clappers even though they are cringeworthy and do nothing for atmosphere , they make a noise but do nothing whatsoever for atmosphere.

I think there has been more pi** taking by other fans over the use of poxy clappers than I have ever seen over the use of music, by the very fact that we've got supporters that would even attempt to defend the use of clappers is the reason why we will never have a decent atmosphere at Craven Cottage.

I think I speak for a lot of people when I say loud music is at least as cringeworthy as the clappers... hence the report says they considered it but it was received badly by fans

[copthornemike]

Thanks for sharing the report Mike. To a certain extent it would appear to indicate that the open corners or other acoustic features of the ground are not the major reason.

May well be due to the local concentration of vocal supporters - at away matches where FFC followers are in a relatively confined space I often think they are as loud as anybody. The same probably applies for away supporters at the Cottage.

Also to be fair this season we are talking about a team which has only won one game at home to date. if the team which played such fast, attractive football last season were to reappear that would increase the noise from home supporters more than any single factor. The Europa League nights demonstrated that!