# Snooker: what do the spectators listen to on their ear thingies?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Tags:** billiards-pool\
**Created:** [September 13, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045 "2026-09-13T19:04:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045/1 "2026-09-13T19:04:50Z")

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I’m watching the English Open final and noticed that a lot of the people in the audience wear a an ear piece. What is it connected too? The referee’s mic? The TV live commentary? Something different?

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045/2 "2026-09-13T20:27:38Z")

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Live commentary.

I suspect the audience must remain quiet.

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**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045/3 "2026-09-13T20:29:31Z")

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Oh yes, quietness in the audience during play is crucial! You can get kicked out for making noise or letting your phone ring.

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**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045/4 "2026-09-13T21:01:47Z")

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> [@EinsteinsHund](#):
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> ou can get kicked out for making noise or letting your phone ring

… and swift ejection for a particularly noisy series of farts. 🤢

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**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045/5 "2026-09-13T21:08:58Z")

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That’s, of course, the worst. 😉

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**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045/6 "2026-09-13T21:13:53Z")

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There was one time that a commentator made a joke that was funny enough to cause multiple people to laugh at once and the player who was taking his shot got (mock) angry at the commentary box because even though he couldn’t hear it he knew they were responsible

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**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045/7 "2026-09-13T21:16:55Z")

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That’s really funny! 😆

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**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2026, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-what-do-the-spectators-listen-to-on-their-ear-thingies/1033045/8 "2026-09-13T21:44:39Z")

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I thought it was; breathe in … breathe out … breathe in … Cue an old “blonde” joke.