Mark Fine, the new marketing guru for the O’s, cited “fan surveys” that suggest patrons of Camden Yards yearn to be bludgeoned with more sound than they already are (The Orioles can feel like the away team at Camden Yards. A new team exec is trying to change that, June 23, 2025). But, if the O’s seek to boost attendance, polluting the park with more noise will only push people away.

The Orioles throttle back the din for Autism Awareness Night — which is great. But it also reveals the exclusionary nature of current noise levels at the ballpark. I know at least one new mother reluctant to subject tender ears to the relentless attack of sound — and for good reason. Baseball stadiums have been shown to produce decibel levels high enough to cause hearing loss and tinnitus.

Adults are also at risk. Exposure to high volumes of noise is linked to a range of adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, cognitive challenges and mental health issues, for people across all ages.

More than any other major U.S. sport, baseball could, and should, offer a respite from a world flooded with noise. To be clear, I don’t want the PGA green. I don’t think silence is desirable or possible at a baseball game. But being able to chat with your neighbor between pitches and being locked in for big moments don’t have to be exclusive to each other.

In Japan, fans produce an electric atmosphere of stomping and chanting; bands play tunes curated for each player. They also have walk-up music and a PA announcer. What they don’t have is nerve-jangling noise between every pitch — they let the game breathe, embracing its natural rhythms.

Let baseball be baseball, and let the fans decide when to cheer.

Brendan Latimer is a writer and urban planner in Baltimore.

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