Host broadcasters to 'filter' noise

From ESPN.com:

Are the vuvuzelas at the World Cup too loud? Some broadcasters think so and want to filter them out. BBC received 545 complaints from viewers as of Tuesday morning, so they are considering giving viewers the option of muting ambient noise while maintaining game commentary through its "red button" digital service. Viewers would push a red button on their remote controls to receive the quieter broadcast on a separate listening channel.

According to Wikepedia.com, the vuvuzela, sometimes called a "lepatata" (its Tswana name) or a stadium horn, is a blowing horn up to approximately 3 ft 3 inch in length. It is commonly blown by fans at football (soccer) matches in South Africa. The vuvuzelas are something uniquely African, and FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) President Sepp Blatter said he is not about to ban the music traditions of fans in their own country.

Several players said the clamor of the horns is having an impact on the field. Netherlands striker Robin van Persie actually got out of a second yellow card -- and a ban from the next game -- by blaming the vuvuzelas for failing to hear an offsides whistle.

Argentina striker Carlos Tevez said the din of vuvuzelas makes it hard for players to communicate with each other on the field. "Those sirens or trumpets -- I don't know what they are -- make it very difficult to speak on the field," Tevez said after Argentina's training session Tuesday at the University of Pretoria. "You have to shout and sometimes you run out of breath, you get a bit more tired. They are extremely bothersome."

But van Persie said he doesn't want to see vuvuzelas banned. "I think we have to respect it, because we are in South Africa, and we need to respect where we are," he said. "This is their tradition. This belongs to them."

So, tell me, what do you think? Sould the vuvuzela be banned at the World Cup games? Why or why not? You can find me on Facebook or Twitter!

World Cup's winning formula: USA! USA! USA!

The reports are in: Soccer may finally be breaking out into the American scene. Nearly 13 million people tuned in to Saturday’s World Cup game to watch the U.S. and England compete. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. audience for the opening day nearly doubled from four years ago since North American teams played in closely fought matches. It was Univision, the Spanish channel’s second most watched World Cup game since 1994. What’s even more amazing is that the numbers even surpass the NBA Finals numbers of viewers. Their “supersonic marketing blitz” might have something to do with it. They created a heavy media presence like the Olympics had done. “The broadcast most likely benefited from a perfect storm,” the Wall Street Journal reported, “…the game featured two centuries-old rivals, a desirable starting time on Saturday afternoon and [had] the media build-up.” I agree with the journalist, that the U.S. is interested in watching their U.S. team.

However, is it really that unlikely that a foreign team could capture the enthusiasm of the American public? What are your thoughts? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter.