
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 18, 1995                   TAG: 9510180062
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Short

NBA TONING DOWN ITS ACT

The NBA, the league that originated the sporting event-cum-rock concert, is toning down its act, asking teams to turn down the volume on their public-address systems to reduce distractions to players and give fans' ears a break.

``In some places they were turning up the volume so loud it bothered people on the court and it was bothering people in the stands,'' said Rod Thorn, the NBA's vice president of operations. ``It offends people's senses.''

In the NBA, entertainment always has gone hand-in-hand with the game. And to up the home-court advantage, teams pump up the volume louder than Dennis Rodman's hair color.

Mostly, fans love it. But in response to concerns from coaches and players, the league has laid down some new rules about just how loud non-crowd noise can get.

Among the guidelines set by the league:

The decibel level from sound systems is not to exceed 85. Last season, the NBA said, some arenas pumped up the volume to more than 100 decibels, the same level as a jet at takeoff.

During games, music or other sound effects should be played only when the home team has the ball.

Sound effects are permitted after a missed or made free throw, but must cease as soon as the shooter touches the ball again.

``If you talk to players and coaches, the majority would say they like what's being done,'' Thorn said. ``If you talk to the marketing people, they'd say it's part of the show.''

Keywords:
BASKETBALL

by CNB