News Article: No Million Dollar Band performances this year

[Tubafore]

SEC: No band performances before games, during halftime

As someone who marched for 5 years, I am very disappointed for them. Hopefully they haven't already started rehearsal. Normally they would start 2 weeks before school starts, which was another 2 weeks before kickoff.

So, disappointed for them.

 

[B1GTide]

Makes sense - not sure how you can play many of these instruments safely in a group setting right now.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Makes sense - not sure how you can play many of these instruments safely in a group setting right now.

I hate that you’re right, But you’re right.

 

[DogPatch]

And I just saw them practicing this afternoon @ Butler Field.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Dang, we ate at Newk’s on Thursday and they were out on the field beside us playing.

 

[PA Tide Fan]

Perhaps it's time for a reminder of what it's supposed to look like in case we begin to forget.

 

[ChattTide]

As a band director, this saddens me greatly. The band at ballgames brings an element specific to the college game. For those that may be wondering, there is protocol for bands at games and there are ways to perform safely, but I can say my band is quite a bit smaller and easier to space than would be MDB.

Hats off to band members everywhere. Getting tired of saying it, but it is challenging times. Gotta do what is ne now so we are able to do what we want in the future.

Roll Tide!!
ChattTide

 

[BamaNation]

My 9th grade daughter is in her HS marching band and LOVES everything about it. My wife was drum major of her large HS band and I think my daughter also has that ambition. She's a very talented musician (and plays clarinet, violin, piano, ukelele and steel drums with the first three at an a "award winning" and highly proficient level). Under the Friday Night Lights, she's so into the football games - she might be the only girl in the band who actually understands the rules and wants to watch every play to the end. Knowing that this year she can't play clarinet at games - and no wind instruments can play at anytime on campus this year at her school - is quite sad.

Instead, she's running cross country this year so she can be a part of a fall team. We drove up to the race this morning and the football lights were on and it was dark. I got a tear in my eye because I knew she was thinking the same thing I was ... she wasn't going to get to play in the stands or on the field this season.

 

[BamaMoon]

In a pretty empty stadium, it would have been nice to hear them make some noise (music). Sad!

Edit: after reading the article it sounds like they'll still be in the stadium but just not performing "on field."

 

[Tubafore]

Ok, so I've had a chance to think about this some more.

The shows themselves aren't the problem. The time immediately before and after performing halftime or pregame is the social distance problem. As important as we band members liked to consider ourselves, introducing a wad of people in close proximity to the players is not the way to protect them -- you know, the reason for the season. Having the band members bunched up on the sidelines before the show isn't required, but it happens and is largely dependent on stadium geometry.

Heck, even getting down to the field and back up is a social distancing issue just for the members. There are generally only a few points of entry to the field, and a few hundred would need to pass through rather quickly. That causes the crowd in the concourse to bunch up waiting on the band too.

I hate to say, but this might have been the right call. Here's hoping that Dr. Ozello and company picked out some entertaining halftime music to listen to (and that the stadium PA operator will let them play). They'll have more time to perform since there will be 0 transition time.

 

[NationalTitles18]

The big problem with having the band attend is the space they take up from paying people, no?

 

[lowend]

The big problem with having the band attend is the space they take up from paying people, no?

Especially if they have to provide 500 lower bowl tickets to the visiting team. Secondarily, the amount of time it would take to get on and off the field, plus perform, if they are not allowed to stage on the sideline before halftime might exceed 20 minutes.

 

[Tubafore]

I would assume the band is going to be in the stands anyway. I would also assume that UA doesn't count them as part of attendance like they don't count the teams and their staffs.

I mean we always entered through a gate with no turnstile. And the number of seats we took up was nowhere near 1:1. That's about what they do to the visiting bands .

I agree though, sideline setup had to have been the sticking point. To make sure there is no contamination of the players by the band, both sidelines would need to be clear before the band could take the field. That gets to be a logistical nightmare...

 

[KrAzY3]

Given the fact that the band members literally have to put their mouths on instruments and blow, I completely get taking extra precautions with them. That makes sense.

 

[lowend]

I've picked up, based on various social media posts, that there is a Crimson band and a Tide band this year. Not sure how they will split duties.

 

[Tubafore]

The official word on how the band will work this year (Source)

There will be 5 different groups of 96 that get to attend each game. Every member gets one, and the seniors get 2.

 

[BamaMoon]

I guess I don't understand why the whole band just can't spread out 10-15 feet apart in the empty stands and do their normal thing.

 

[Krymsonman]

It would be nice to see the whole band at the game. Just spread them out across one end zone. You can only have 20,000 people or so and you can spread them out in the rest of the stadium.

 

[lowend]

There has been a petition to get more of the band at the games, but it's obvious that Greg Byrne has made up his mind and nothing will change. However, if smaller universities can get their whole bands at games, and if our peer universities can get half their bands (Auburn had 200 in their smaller stadium), there is no reason Alabama can't get half of the MDB in a stadium that seats 100,000. The AD simply doesn't want to.

 

[B1GTide]

There has been a petition to get more of the band at the games, but it's obvious that Greg Byrne has made up his mind and nothing will change. However, if smaller universities can get their whole bands at games, and if our peer universities can get half their bands (Auburn had 200 in their smaller stadium), there is no reason Alabama can't get half of the MDB in a stadium that seats 100,000. The AD simply doesn't want to.

Byrne is making tough choices, and they are probably well considered. I guarantee - he wants the entire band there. He wants the stadium at full capacity. But there are other considerations right now.