Tuskegee University Band Earns National Recognition from ESPN

In  HBCU marching band culture, you might find it normal to stay in your seats during the halftime performances because the band is about to put on a show!

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ESPN Events is hosting an HBCU Band of The Year National Championship event in Atlanta this December. Throughout the fall, ESPN has been evaluating performances. The performances are judged on an individual basis, with judges giving scores for specific areas only.

ESPN encourages bands to submit a performance to be judged monthly. The committee is co-chaired by Jackson State Director of Bands Emeritus, Professor Dowell Taylor, and Dr. Julian E. White, FAMU Director of Bands Emeritus.

As the season goes on, lower ranked bands are eliminated. At the end of the season, the final ranking will award the top two teams in each division a shot at the ESPN Band of The Year title, which will be determined Dec. 13 in the Mercedes-Benz Dome in Atlanta, GA with the show starting at 7 PM EST. It will be simulcast on ESPN3 and ESPN Plus.

Alabama HBCU Tuskegee University has been ranked high on the most recent HBCU Band of The Year National Championship rankings. The latest update has The Marching Crimson Pipers sitting at number 2 in the Division II rankings.

"The rankings gives you a chance to see how professional musicians perceive what you do for halftime. Whether you agree with the assessment or not, it’s still feedback that has the potential to direct you towards enhancing your approach to band pageantry and musicianship," said Interim Director of Bands/Prof. of Music Rickey Oglesby

"Ultimately, it’s like any other situation in life; chew the meat and spit out the bones."

when asked about their most anticipated performance of the season, Professor Oglesby said, "For us, we anticipate being the best version of ourselves each week. We’re always evaluating and critiquing what we do every weekend."