NFL investigating fake crowd noise at Falcons home games
By The Associated Press
Posted 4:08PM on Monday 2nd February 2015 ( 10 years ago )
ATLANTA -- The NFL is trying to determine if the Atlanta Falcons pumped fake crowd noise into the Georgia Dome for home games the last two years.<br />
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Team spokesman Reggie Roberts says the team became aware of the league's investigation during the 2014 season.<br />
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"We were informed during the season that the league office is looking into crowd noise during our games," Roberts said. "We have cooperated fully with them, and we're awaiting the outcome."<br />
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The Falcons could be fined or penalized with the loss of a draft pick if found to have added fake crowd noise during the opposing team's huddles of when trying to call a play.<br />
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The investigation was first reported by ESPN.<br />
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The Falcons say 100 of 102 games have been sellouts since Arthur Blank bought the team in 2002. Actual turnouts declined during losing seasons the last two years.<br />
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Atlanta ranked 10th among the 32 NFL teams with its average home attendance of 72,130 in 2014. Construction is underway for a new $1.4 billion stadium which will replace the Georgia Dome in 2017.<br />
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NFL spokesman Greg Aiello on Monday said the league had no comment on the investigation.

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