Do You Need Earplugs at Football Games and Loud Stadiums?

Yes, if the stadium gets loud, earplugs are a smart idea. Researchers who measured noise at football and hockey games found levels well past the point where hearing damage becomes a risk, and two people tested after a hockey game noticed muffled hearing and mild ringing. A comfortable pair of earplugs lets you cheer, talk with your friends and still enjoy the roar, at a safer level.

Quick answer

• How loud: The NIDCD lists sporting events at about 94–110 dBA, in the same range as concerts.
• Why it matters: Long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss, according to the NIDCD.
• What to wear: Any earplug you’ll keep in for the whole game helps. Foam plugs and earmuffs both work when they fit well.
• Custom option: The One uses interchangeable filters so you can hear voices while the crowd noise comes down.
• Kids: Researchers who studied stadium noise specifically urged hearing protection for all children at games.

How loud does a stadium actually get?

Often louder than you’d think. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) puts sporting events at 94–110 dBA, sharing a row on its chart with concerts and headphones at maximum volume. For comparison, normal conversation sits around 60–70 dBA.

A team of researchers in Colorado measured this directly. They clipped personal noise meters on workers and fans at two college football stadiums and one professional football stadium, across several home games. Their results, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene in 2010, found that 24 of 25 fans (96%) were overexposed under the ACGIH and World Health Organization recommended limits.

Indoor arenas can be even more intense. In a short report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, one of the researchers wore a noise dosimeter to three games of a 2006 pro hockey championship final. The average levels across each game, which ran more than three hours, were 104.1, 100.7 and 103.1 dB.

Is one game really enough to affect your hearing?

It can leave a mark, at least for a while. In the hockey report, the authors worked out that at the levels of one game, the maximum daily noise dose was reached in less than six minutes. They estimated that each person in the arena without hearing protection received roughly 8,100% of their daily allowable dose.

The two people tested before and after one game both noticed muffled hearing and mild ringing afterward. One of them showed a 20 dB temporary shift at 4000 Hz in one ear. That’s a small study (two people, one arena), so treat it as an illustration, not a forecast for every fan.

The NIDCD explains what’s going on. Loud noise can cause a temporary hearing loss that fades 16 to 48 hours later, but research suggests there may still be “residual long-term damage” even when your hearing seems back to normal. Loud noise can also bring on tinnitus, the ringing, buzzing or roaring that some people notice after a big night out.

If your ears hurt, your hearing stays muffled, or ringing is new or getting worse, please see a doctor or audiologist. That’s their job, and it’s worth getting checked.

What about air horns and noisemakers?

They add up fast. NIOSH researchers wrote about the plastic stadium horns that were everywhere at the 2010 international soccer tournament. A study they cited measured those horns at 113 dBA at a distance of 2 meters. Using the NIOSH recommended limit, the authors noted that a person shouldn’t be exposed to that level for more than 45 seconds per day.

You can’t control the people around you, and you don’t need to. A good pair of earplugs lets you enjoy the cheering section without the next day’s ringing.

Which earplugs work best at a game?

The best earplug is the one you’ll keep in from kickoff to the final whistle. NIOSH puts it simply on its hearing protection page: “Comfort is the key to consistent use of hearing protection.”

NIOSH also suggests aiming for just enough noise reduction to bring exposure down to about 75–85 dBA. Too much protection can leave you feeling cut off, and people tend to pull their earplugs out when that happens. At a game, that means you want the crowd turned down, not switched off.

Here’s how the common options compare in the stands:

Why do filtered earplugs suit sports fans?

Because a game is social. You want to hear the person next to you, the announcer and the band, just quieter. NIOSH explains that flat-attenuation protectors lower noise evenly across all frequencies, so sound stays natural instead of muddy.

That’s the idea behind The One. Each pair has a two-part, analog, non-electronic filter system. There’s a non-linear filter in the canal, and an interchangeable flat filter on the outside face. The flat filters come in 9, 15, 20, 25 and 30 dB, and they swap in seconds without a new mold. If you’d like the full rundown, our guide on choosing an earplug filter walks through each level.

How does Big Ear handle game-day hearing protection?

We hand-build every pair in the USA from impressions of your own ears. Here’s what we’d point you toward.

The One is our filtered earplug. It carries an NRR of 25 dB with one filter installed, and the filters are interchangeable. We suggest the 9, 15 or 20 dB filters for quieter settings, and the 25 or 30 dB filters for very loud ones like firearms, motorcycles and marching band. A packed stadium can swing between those two worlds over a single game, which is why having a second filter set is handy. Kits run:

• Standard, $224.95, with one filter set (our best seller)
• Select, $299.95, with two filter sets (our best value, so one pair covers two noise levels)
• Premium, $574.95, with all five filter sets plus a hole plug, solid plugs, a tactical piece and a case

Not sure which level fits your section? Give us a call at (719) 271-4528 and we’ll help you pick.

Full Stop Super-Soft is our solid earplug, $168.95. It’s made from platinum-cure silicone (Shore A 25), hypoallergenic and antibacterial, with an NRR of 32 dB. It’s made for adults and children and comes in any color or swirl. If you’re bringing little ones, our post on protecting kids’ hearing at games and fireworks has more tips, including when earmuffs are the easier choice.

The football stadium researchers made the same point about families: their paper recommended that hearing protection be worn by all children during sporting events.

How do you get custom earplugs before the season?

It’s a simple process you can do in the comfort of your home. Your order includes a free Home Impression Kit that arrives in 3 to 4 business days. Making the impressions takes about 15 to 20 minutes at home with a helper and a guided video, and return postage is paid. If an impression doesn’t come out right, we send you another kit at no charge.

Once your impressions reach our lab, we build your pair in 40 business days. Shipping on your order is $10. Every pair is covered by our 30-Day Fit Warranty and a 1-year manufacturer defect warranty against manufacturing defects (loss isn’t covered). Because they’re made for your ears only, custom products can’t be returned.

We also keep your impressions on file for up to ten years, so reordering a second pair doesn’t mean starting over. A big weight change, or 7–10 years, can mean it’s time for fresh impressions.

Frequently asked questions

Will earplugs make the game less fun?

They shouldn’t. Filtered earplugs lower the volume while keeping sound balanced, so you still hear the crowd and your friends. NIOSH’s advice to avoid overprotection is a good guide: you want comfortable, not silent.

Are foam earplugs fine for a game?

Yes, if you insert them properly and keep them in. They’re a great backup. Custom earplugs add a consistent fit every time and are reusable, which helps if you go to a lot of games.

How loud is too loud at a game?

The NIDCD says long or repeated exposure at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss, and it lists sporting events at 94–110 dBA. Our friendly guide to decibels explains how time and volume work together.

My ears ring after a game. Should I worry?

Ringing can be a sign your ears had more noise than they’d like. If it’s new, getting worse, or comes with pain or muffled hearing that doesn’t clear, please see a doctor or audiologist.

Can I use the same earplugs for concerts?

Yes. The One’s interchangeable filters let one pair handle a game, a concert and quieter outings. Our concert and festival earplug guide covers that side.

Ready to enjoy the roar?

Cheer as loud as you like. We’ll help you keep your ears happy for many seasons to come. Start with the free Home Impression Kit, use Find my pair to compare options, or call us at (719) 271-4528 and we’ll talk it through.

Sources

• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (updated 16 April 2025).
• Engard DJ, Sandfort DR, Gotshall RW, Brazile WJ. Noise exposure, characterization, and comparison of three football stadiums. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. 2010;7(11):616–621.
• Hodgetts WE, Liu R. Can hockey playoffs harm your hearing? Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2006;175(12):1541–1542.
• Kardous CA, Morata T. Vuvuzelas: What’s the Buzz? NIOSH Science Blog, CDC.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Provide Hearing Protection (reviewed 31 January 2024).