Along with mass comms theory … I feel the need to weigh in on the subject.

1. Differentiating between NCAA and Pro - college sports bands give a specific vibe that induces the brain and subsequently the crowd to engage in the traditional aspects of college athletic events. It induces you to jump up and down, to grab your neighbor and get into it.


2. Dopamine and norepinephrine - too much artificial sounds along with the routine overload of low bass notes over and over and over keeps you desensitized and in your seat and passive. The band and its drum lines and the unique and new sound that most kids and even adults have never heard (beyond moderate amounts) induces a limbic response of stimulated motivation and adrenaline. Again, these kids listen to your standard pump up music on their head phones all day. This introduces something new.

3. Neurodiversity is a thing. Variation and variety induces a state of awareness and can promote involvement beyond your modern more “hip” sounding tunes in exchange for the unique and rare traditional band.

4. The social science numbers also disagree with you. From what data I’ve seen in the past, it looks like most young people enjoy the band and especially the bands rendition of popular songs.

5. The military has also tapped into the power of a strong drum line and it’s role in promoting stimulation of adrenaline and novel experiences.

6. I am assuming that you have been to NBA games and NFL games and have been enamored by the non stop and constant synthetic stimulation of the environment there and feel that it just can’t compare to a college band or a drum line. You are right. On a synthetic level, it can’t compare. And that’s the point. College football is beyond synthetic. It’s more authentic and passionate and real. The band solidifies that.

7. The band mixed with the heavy bass and the upgraded high performance sound system + PA speakers provides a nice mix. We don’t need to do away with one and keep the other, we can in fact enjoy the complementation of both.

8. https://youtu.be/7cl-f8NABMM

9. Then there’s the why? If it can be established that the band does more for the experience and atmosphere then you realize and can and does provide a measurable boost to the fan experience and home field advantage…what other reasons do you have for getting rid of the band?

10. More neuroscience and research :

1. Constant Recalibrations: A Study of How College Marching Band Members Develop Understandings of Inclusion

https://etd.ohiolink.edu/apexprod/rws_etd/send_file/send?accession=osu1586380577149599&disposition=inline

2. The Music of the Marching Band: Collectivity, Embodiment, and Performance

https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/41893/TheMusicoftheMarchingBand.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

3. The Benefits of College Marching Bands for Students and Universities




I could go on, but now I’m more interested in your guys’ feed back. I for one enjoy the NBA and also the NFL and the synthetic “prime time” environments of both. But there’s nothing like the tradition and pageantry of college football.

I’ll probably post this in a new thread…. But yeah, he’s you go.