Thundersticks
 

At Playoff game last night and student section was banging Thudersticks.

Illegal under Artifical Nosiemaker rule?

Ask Me A Difficult Question ...
 

Absolutely. Positively.

1-18: The playing of music/sound effects shall only be permitted during pregame,
time-outs, intermission and post-game. The use of artificial noisemakers shall be
prohibited.

1.18 SITUATION: In (a), the band from the home team is playing during a live
ball; (b) the electronic scoreboard is playing broken-glass sound effects just after
an opponent's missed field-goal attempt; or (c) fans from the visiting team are
using artificial noisemakers during an opponent's attempted free throw. RULING:
All situations are prohibited by rule. The officials should notify game management
in (a) to instruct the band to only play during the permitted times; in (b) to
instruct the scoreboard operator to cease the prohibited acts; and in (c) to have
a public-address announcement made stating that the use of any artificial noisemakers
is prohibited at all times. In all situations, if the problem continues it may
result in a technical foul being assessed to the team supporter(s).

Is it just me? I always worry that visitor fans might do things to draw a T on the home team.

How do you know?

No worry. Just identify the problem to game admin and it will taken care of.

No need for T's.

Are they illegal? yes.

Should they be? no. they have no more effect than stomping the feet.

Megaphones ...
 

I did a few quick searches and couldn't find it, but what allows cheerleaders to use megaphones (I believe that they are allowed to use such)? And, if so, what allows cheerleaders to use megaphones and doesn't allow spectators to use megaphones, if, in fact, spectators are not allowed to use megaphones?

Found It ...
 

2001-2002 Interpretations

SITUATION 6: The school-sponsored cheerleaders wish to use megaphones as part of their cheerleading routines from the sidelines. RULING: The new rule prohibiting artificial noisemakers would not apply to the cheerleaders in this situation. The megaphones would only be legal for the cheerleader’s use, provided they were being used appropriately. (1-18)

So, how is an official, who started officiating after 2001-02, supposed to know this?

And, who defines "used appropriately"? Banging the megaphones against the bleachers?

I worked a game once where one team's cheerleaders yelled into the large end of their megaphones so their voices came out the small end.

Of course, they were all blonde. :rolleyes: