Texas A&M is hitting the road for an SEC West contest at Arkansas this weekend, but the host Razorbacks will not be welcoming the Texas A&M marching band to perform. Why? Because Arkansas only has a limited time to recognize those from the university.
“With a limited number of home games on campus, we have limited opportunities to recognize those from the University and former student-athletes, groups etc., so we must maximize the opportunities we do have,” Kevin Trainor, University of Arkansas Associate Athletic Director for Public Relation, said to TV station KBTX in College Station.s.
Arkansas has seven home games split between D.W.R. Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. This weekend’s game against Texas A&M will be held in Fayetteville.
“Apparently in the SEC, you have to ask that university permission to perform at halftime. So we sent a letter asking. They sent one back that said you can come to the game, but you can’t perform at halftime,” said Karly Hartman, a senior in the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band, according to KBTX. The road trip to the Arkansas game had apparently been booked but with not being able to perform the band decided to cancel the trip and cancel 100 hotel rooms for the trip.
It’s not just the band that is not going to be allowed on the field this weekend. Arkansas also has a policy against live animal mascots on their home field, which means Texas A&M’s famous collie, Reveille, will also not be on the sideline.
Every school is entitled to make their own rules of course, but keeping a marching band from performing seems to be petty in most cases. Maryland did not allow West Virginia’s band to perform in Baltimore last weekend, but the case for Arkansas is a little different. The Razorbacks will be honoring their SEC Legend of the Year at halftime, so time really is short. In fact, Arkansas has informed College Football Talk Texas A&M was informed of the halftime limitations more than a year and a half ago, when the series moved back to campus. The decision not to travel was made by Texas A&M.