Visitors to Scott Stadium on Saturday might have missed a familiar face during halftime of Virginia football's home opener against the University of Richmond. Instead of the Virginia Pep Band, it was a high school marching band that performed.
Inviting high school bands to perform will become the norm this season. The athletics department made the switch to discourage spectators from leaving during the halftime break, but many Pep Band members are not so optimistic about the change.
In recent years, as many as half of a game's attendees leave the stadium during halftime, according to the athletics department. This sparks safety concerns including consumption of alcohol at halftime and logistical problems because officials must handle up to 30,000 people who come back through the gates in a short period of time after the break.
Last spring, the athletics department decided to study how changing the atmosphere at the game might reduce the halftime exodus. Andrew Rader, associate athletics director of marketing, promotions and licensing, who serves as the athletics department's liaison to the Pep Band, said the department is trying to give the best possible experience to paying ticket holders.
"As an athletic department and as a University, we are investigating different types of entertainment," Rader said.
Part of this experiment is to have guest bands perform during halftime. The department made this move because of positive feedback from fans when marching bands performed previously, Rader said.
Though this change has left the Pep Band without one of its main performances, Pep Band members say they will work to improve their pre-game shows and begin performing for tailgaters in the parking lots.
"We're upset," said Pep Band Director Heather Pozun. "Scrambling [during halftime shows] is an important part of what we do and gives us a chance to be funny and creative. It sets us apart from other bands."
"We're obviously disappointed we don't have halftime shows, but that's not all the Pep Band is about," said second-year Adam Lorentson, who serves on the Pep Band managing board. "We'll support Virginia athletics in whatever way is afforded to us."
Pozun said she does not believe the Pep Band is the reason for people leaving during halftime. "There is nothing short of Dave Matthews that would keep people in their seats" at halftime, she said.
The sports promotions office selected last weekend's Richlands High School band and four other honor bands from different regions of Virginia to perform at games this season. The athletics department has not reached an agreement on halftime entertainment for the Virginia Tech game Nov. 17, which might see the return of a halftime performance by the Pep Band.
Other changes to halftime entertainment this season include weekly contests in which fans can win up to $1,000. A new video welcoming the team to the field for the second half also has been developed.
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