The SWAC Stifles Bands with new rules
September 8, 2008
On September 4, 2008 The South Western Athletic Conference issued its new rules regarding its bands. It reads as follows;
Source: SWAC.org
Administrative Procedures for Bands
The Rules states: Persons subject to the rules, including bands, shall not create any noise that prohibits a team from hearing its signals.
Procedures
a. Once the offensive team breaks the “Huddle” and approaches the line of scrimmage the band shall cease playing. Bands shall not play music at football games while the ball is play, or while signals are being called by the quarterback. This means that it is not permissible to use either:
- Drum roll or beat
- Cymbals clashing
- Horn sounds, or
- Any other kind of musical instrument while the ball is in play is underway in football.
b. It is designated that for all Conference games the visiting band be allowed to perform during the first dead-ball, team or official timeout. The home team band will be allowed to play during the next dead-ball, team or official timeout. From that point on, both the visiting team and home team bands shall alternate playing during breaks in play for the rest of the contest. At no time are both bands allowed to play simultaneously during the game.
1st Timeout Visiting Team Band
2nd Timeout Home Team Band
3rd Timeout Visiting Team Band
4th Timeout Home Team Band
5th Timeout Visiting Team Band
6th Timeout Home Team Band
c. The half-time intermission shall be limited to 20 minutes. The clock will start immediately when both teams and the game officials clear the field.
- Visiting Team Band shall play first
- Home Team Band shall play second
d. No penalty flags will be thrown, nor will any team be penalized. The referee will stop play and announce to the fans that he is asking the band to stop playing. This will also signal the public address announcer to make the same request. The game officials will do this twice per team.
Any additional violations should be reported to the Coordinator of Football Officials who in turn will advise the Conference office. Bands found to have violated the policies listed above may be subject to the following penalties.
- 1st Offense - public reprimand and censure;
- 2nd Offense public reprimand and suspension from performing during the next contest and/or a fine to be determined by the Commissioner;
- 3rd Offense suspension from performing for the remainder of the season.
this is just dumb…….thats da whole point of bringing your band , cheerleaders and fans to support da team and pump them up and distract da other team………thats like tellin da fans to be quite also ..what would be da point of even goin to da game……..people pay good money most of da time just to see and hear da BAND play…….SWAT will lose a lot of money if they keep this rule
how can we vote to change this rule………..
These people are going overboard outdoing Division 1 with these rules. Sounds like some haterade to me. But like the fellow said above me…and I believe in my heart that 80% well maybe 72% of the people at the games are there to see and hear the bands. Nothing against SWAC Football but people really dont come to watch the games. Plus, 70% percent of the people at the games couldnt tell you who the stars of the teams are. Major deduction for the SWAC sounds like these people are getting more and more Republic-ish every year. I know they want to respect the football teams and what they are trying to accomplish on the field, but lets just be honest the bands make the game what they are and what they have been for almost three decades.
[…] Some marching band enthusiasts are in an uproar over new rules limiting the play of marching bands during SWAC football games. Released late last week, the rules offer strict guidelines on timing and decorum for bands in between plays. […]
I’ve reviewed the SWAC’s new “administrative procedures” for bands. Although they may have been well intended, they reflect an obvious uniformed or misinformed opinion by SWAC leadership. At best it is a misguided attempt to correct a non existing problem; at worst, it speaks to a capriciousness which does not serve the best interest of member schools or their fans. It screams, rule by fiat! (I will do this BECAUSE I CAN!!)
I am hard pressed to recall a situation involving a band continuing to play after being warned by a game official. If and when such a warning is ignored, the appropriate action is to apply the penalty called for by NCAA rule. Where was the great outcry that drove the SWAC to take such unprecedented action?
I am a season ticket holder. I drive 6.5 hours, one way, to attend EVERY home game of my team. I will not stop supporting my team, but this is another instance which reinforces my lack of support for current SWAC leadership.
How can SWAC leaders be so out of touch with its constituency? How can SWAC leaders knowingly neuter a marquee conference asset? They need only listen to commentators extol “the atmosphere of excitement” generated by the school band at HBCU and SWAC games especially.
It is a serious misjudgment, on their part, to believe they are just uplifting and enlightening a “backward” group of sycophants, who will go along with every decree issued. I believe the appropriate action for responsible fans to take is to let school leaders know, these new procedures unnecessarily restrict the contribution of SWAC bands, to the unique essence and spirit of a SWAC game.
I suggest school newspapers, student groups, alumni associations and all other concerned groups and individuals take the time to contact their school leaders by letter, e-mail or petition and make it clear that these new procedures are unwarranted and unwelcomed. The ultimate result will be to render SWAC games “. . . clean as a Safeway chittlin”; pleasing to the eye but NO FLAVOR!