UF and other schools better follow suit quick. Cool heads will prevail. https://www.si.com/college/2023/06/01/lsu-tigers-air-conditioned-helmets-2023-season
I think the article is probably a bit misleading. It seems to be forced airflow and any cooling is natural evaporative cooling or maybe in conjuction with cold packs. In other words, they're mini fans and ducts. I am sure it would probably feel cooler in the helmet on a hot day, but I don't think it is revolutionary.
Seems like fans in the helmets could make it harder to hear signals. I imagine it's hard enough to hear with the fans in the stands.
Well, these helmets would need to have 'quiet' fans who don't make a lot of noise at games. You know, the kind that ask the 'louder' fans to please sit down and don't make so much noise themselves. Maybe we have all encountered these types of fans when we attended games from time to time.
Fans can't help but make noise when they are shown signs that specifically say "Make noise!" Plus you've got those schools where fans have those ridiculous thunder sticks. One school, for God's sake, even has cowbells.
Construction workers on site at one of our projects had this kind of forced air cooling on their hard hats. Taking a look at them they are miniature swamp coolers.