And the band didn't play on: Some BYU fans miffed by lack of pep at basketball games


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PROVO — Jadyn Christensen was prepared to take his seat with his trumpet prior to the BYU men's basketball game on Jan. 14 against Oklahoma State and do what he's done for each of the past two seasons as a member of the school's "ROC band" that performs during every game.

But a member of the athletic marketing team at Brigham Young University told him and his bandmates that the group wouldn't be performing that day.

The reason? If they had wanted to play, they should have been in the usual reserved seating alongside the "Roar of Cougars" student section since the start of the season in November.

Band members say that decision was contrary to the traditional agreement between the school's athletic department and the band, which is run by the school of music under the direction of just one full-time faculty member Fred McInnis and one assistant in long-time Lone Peak and American Fork band director Richard Bateman.

The 200 or so band members are divided into several teams — including one each for football, men's basketball and women's basketball — and the overlap between football's marching band and the basketball teams made playing during mostly nonconference games a logistical challenge. In previous years, they'd report full time to hoops when the winter semester began and football was in the offseason.

But when the band arrived and set up to play on Jan. 14, a member of the athletic marketing staff told them they wouldn't be playing for the rest of the year.

"We were able to set up everything, but we still weren't sure what would happen until Brother Mac (McInnis) showed up 40 minutes before tipoff," said Christensen, who plays first trumpet in the marching band during football season in addition to his duties for men's hoops. "We could stay and watch the game, but we just couldn't play.

"A week later, Brother Mac told us we wouldn't be playing for the rest of the season at a rehearsal. He fought for us, but he was told to 'stand down' by his superiors."

Instead of the live band, BYU has played music through the public-address system for each game. But fans have noticed the lack of live music, especially with the Cougars' fight song.

"I think that's certainly an argument that (the live band isn't a huge loss). The music box can do stuff that we can't," Christensen said admittingly. "But in the same breath, we can do stuff that the box can't.

"Live music is irreplaceable," he added, "and I would hope it has a large impact on the environment of the game day. It certainly impacts tradition."

The band members had hoped to broker a solution before Tuesday night's Big 12 game against Baylor (7 p.m. MST, ESPN2). But apart from an informal-but-informative meeting Monday evening with some athletic department staffers, no accord was bridged.

There's hope that the two sides can come to some kind of agreement, perhaps at least allowing the band to play the fight song before and after each game, Christensen said.

In that meeting, Christensen said, the marketing team had made the decision prior to head coach Kevin Young's first season to admit the pep band during every home game of 2024-25 — including the nonconference schedule — or not at all, in favor of a "consistent game day atmosphere." But because the band operates outside of the athletic department, no one had informed the band of the change.

The internet then went to work, including for Christensen, who clearly stated that athletic marketing told him the band was valued after he started a petition at change.org amassing more than 5,000 signatures in less than two days.

A second petition by BYU band alumna Amanda Schroath also had more than 800 signatures. Change.org verified both petitions with KSL.com.

"I am worried about the precedent this sets for future years," said Schroath, who played in the ROC band for four years and now teaches in Springville. "I'm not only worried the band could be at risk of being asked to stay away from games in future seasons, but I'm worried other high school or college athletic programs may look to BYU as an example and cut their bands, as well."

Officials from the BYU athletic department did not provide comment when contacted by KSL.com. The school has allowed the pep band to perform at women's basketball games since Jan. 8 against Houston — the start of the winter semester.

The decision was initially met with resistance, as well, said Christensen, who only performs with the ROC band for men's basketball.

BYU guard Egor Demin (3) passes the ball inbounds as he goes out of bounds against Oklahoma State during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.
BYU guard Egor Demin (3) passes the ball inbounds as he goes out of bounds against Oklahoma State during an NCAA men’s basketball game held at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Photo: Isaac Hale, Deseret News)

"Everyone was really surprised about that," Christensen said. "They worked it out to stay that night, and since then, there hasn't really been any problems in the women's game."

No other reasons were provided for the band ban, either.

Many have speculated a favor of attendance, which has been at a premium as the Marriott Center has averaged 16,744.4 fans through 11 home games in the 17,978-seat arena.

Season tickets sold out in July, aided by a rush of recruiting talent, including five-star freshman Egor Demin and fellow projected NBA draft pick Kanon Catchings, in addition to a veteran returning roster that included leading scorer Richie Saunders, Dallin Hall, Trevin Knell and Fousseyni Traore, among others.

But the ROC band's seats weren't sold to outside parties; the section of the arena that normally holds the band, including a raised platform for the drum section, now holds other students. Band members were even given complimentary "ROC passes" as a consolation after they were told they wouldn't be playing.

Still, the band students — many of whom aren't music majors, like Christensen, who is studying mechanical engineering — felt punished.

It wouldn't be the first time BYU has moved seating arrangements within the arena. A few years ago, the school removed media access from the courtside seating behind the BYU and opposing team benches — the area commonly referred to as "press row."

In their place, the athletic department sold premium courtside seats that included iPads for spectators to watch other games while being served in-game snacks by arena staff. Since then, media have had limited seating next to team public relations, social media and statistical crews on the concourse level.

"I don't suspect game attendance has anything to do with (the band's decision) — so far, it looks like the seats the band used to sit in are just now more seating for the student section," Schroath said. "Replacing 'band' students with 'regular' students doesn't make sense to me on several levels."

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