Rest easy, America; the “Big Band Brouhaha of 2016" has come to an end.
Over this past weekend, quite the “controversy” was kicked up when it was reported that LSU would be banning opposing teams’ bands from performing at halftime of Tigers football games in 2016, which was actually the continuation of a policy that, very quietly, had been in effect last season. The university cited safety concerns as the reasoning behind the move -- the school’s risk management team recommended it -- although said move didn’t sit well with many individuals.
Wednesday, the university announced in a statement that, following a collaborative effort between the athletic department, band officials and risk management members -- and presumably following the criticism it received -- it had reversed its previous course. Moving forward, the release stated, the seating areas in the South end zone will be reconfigured “so that visiting bands may take a more direct route to the field, reducing congestion and safety hazards created by previous field entry methods.”
In the wake of the initial band ban, it was reported that people were injured in a pair of separate incidents a couple of years ago. Whether bands were involved in those incidents is unclear.
“We’re very grateful to the band and to the risk management office for working with us to find a practical solution,” athletic director Joe Alleva said in a statement. “Our goal is to celebrate the tradition of college football while enhancing the comfort and security of everyone who visits our campus on Saturday nights.”
“We have gladly made adjustments to our own halftime show to make it possible for visiting bands to perform on the field,” said band director Damon Talley. “It is important that we’re able to share the field with our colleagues who want to experience the unique atmosphere that is Tiger Stadium. We enthusiastically support the university’s effort to make this happen.”
While the policy was in place last season, only the Auburn band was affected. The McNeese State band also would’ve been barred from playing, but that game wasn’t played due to prolonged inclement weather.