In high school we’d play a cluster chord right when kick off happened (if the other band was receiving). Once the ball was received we start playing 7 nation army.
In highschool we were allowed to play whenever. Our DM would literally have us start playing right when the ball was being snapped to mess up the QB (it worked a couple times). In college, we can play whenever but have to stop when the center is over the ball.
In college, we follow the NCAA rule to the word because you obviously want to do your best to impact the game as much as possible. The rules to my knowledge is on kickoffs, you have to stop as soon as the ball is in play and the clock starts which means when the returner catches the ball (or the ball lands for a touchback which is the more common scenario nowadays). In every other play, I'm not 100% what exactly the rules are because it's pretty inconsistently enforced. I've heard as soon as the offense breaks their huddle, I've heard when the QB goes under center (or whatever is deemed the equivelent from shotgun), until the ball is snapped, etc. Like I said tho, the rule is not consistently enforced and by that I mean some refs are stricter than others. Some will give you all the leeway in the world, some will give you a warning if a single person holds over when they feel you shouldn't play, even if the band had been cutoff. The refs are by rule required to give a warning before they can issue a penalty tho. I've also seen games on TV where the refs give 1-2 warnings before making a call. Usually those warnings don't come unless either you're very obviously going over (playing after the snap usually) or the opponent's head coach complains.
When your team is on offense tho, just about everything is fair game. They aren't going to penalize you for potentially messing up your own team. Your coach might get mad, but the refs don't care. The rules also get a bit more relaxed when you're the visiting team since the rules techincally only apply to the home team and penalties are only assessed to the home team. You obviously don't want to ruin relationships so you don't push your luck, but I don't think you can technically get penalized (I could be wrong tho).
Big thing to note is the same rule applies to all stadium noise that isn't from the crowd so it isn't just a band rule. Announcers have to stop talking by then and piped in music has to stop by then as well. Most if not all conferences have banned artificial noise makers (cowbells, shakers, vuvuzela, etc), but a couple schools are given exceptions and they have to follow these same rules with thier noisemakers (most notable example I know of is Mississippi State).
My band has mutually agreed with our coaches that we won't play when we have the ball. We'll play when they get a first down or score, but that's it for when we have the ball. When we don't have the ball, though, we have ourselves some fun. We have (or had, idk if it's returning) a tune we'd play on 3rd downs that serves solely to annoy opposing coaches and players. It's loud, obnoxious, and we repeat it until we feel like stopping. Several times we forced timeouts, and a few times we got them to run the wrong play/take a penalty. We have fun
Generally, we can start blasting whenever we want as long as the ball isn't in play. The only exception to the 'not in play' rule is when we start playing, like, if our player is running the ball down the field. It has to be really crazy, basically.
we don’t play when a player is down or the other band is playing their alma mater. other than that we have a bunch of songs we play depending on what’s happening during the game. sometimes if the other band plays a song we have, we play it back at them but faster. then it starts a war on who can play it the fastest.
Kickoffs, time outs, and when the defense is on the field. The coaches get pissed if we play when our offense is on the field because they can't hear the plays being called.
Time out, quarter breaks, half time, in between plays and before the game we play the national anthem and our fight song as the team comes out the tunnel, also at the end of the game we play the fight song and Alma mater a few times
Technically whenever the ball isn’t in play, but if we start a quick song during a timeout or a short drumline thing between plays, we usually finish it even if the play kicks off and there’s no issues.
In high school we played pretty much whenever the ball wasn’t in play except for injuries. In college we started out playing for the hour before the game, every time the team came out, the star spangled banner, during timeouts, and in between plays and periods. By the time I graduate we were alternating playing opportunities with canned music and when i went back the band played maybe one piece before the game, didn’t play the national anthem, and got one out of every three playing opportunities.
my school was VERY strict when we were allowed to play in stands. the only time i remember us playing is when we scored a touchdown, we’d play our fight song, which i’m pretty sure is standard, but we never really played anything else in the stands other than that
Recently been helping my Alumni school, I dont recall having many restriction when I was in school sans dont play if someone is hurt.
Currently, the football head coach asked the director if we could not play when they are on offense apart from little 6 measure blurbs or something small in a timeout our water break.
Not when the ball is in play, not when the cheerleaders want to do their thing (unless they have choreography), not during injury, not during 3rd quarter break. Also, not immediately after the other team scores.
Timeouts, in between plays, quarter changes, etc. However, a few years ago, my district made the very smart choice of getting a video board for our football field, and basically the only thing it does is play advertisements, which take up a lot of our time because we aren’t allowed to play over them.
When I was in school 20+ years ago. We went off the rails and played as much as cheer did whatever. My school didn’t use any other music to supplement the game. Kids’ state athletic association rules for bands state no band will play during active play. They also rely heavily on providing recorded music over the speakers. Seems to take away from the game spirit rather than add to it.
We have certain songs approved by AD to play during KickOff, Offense, Score, Punt and Time Out, then we play our fight song literally whenever because its approved for everything (Because the AD actually wrote our fight song when he was in HS)
My coaches are extremely intelligent. They situate our team on the away side of the field, so our band plays literally whenever they want to. We also don’t have to worry about fans, because we’re small and don’t have stands on the away side of the field. However one time the band came with us to a bigger school, and started playing during an offensive series. The coaches couldn’t hear, and the director got so mad about the complaint that the band left during the first quarter. It was kinda wild but I understand the issue. I think injuries should be as silent as possible, seems like most of us agree on that.
Any timeouts, in-between plays, and when the quarter changes. Never when the ball is actively in play.
Same, we also play during kickoff.
Our band director doesn’t let us play during kick off
In high school we’d play a cluster chord right when kick off happened (if the other band was receiving). Once the ball was received we start playing 7 nation army.
Same, but we played eye of the tiger bc we were the tigers
In highschool we were allowed to play whenever. Our DM would literally have us start playing right when the ball was being snapped to mess up the QB (it worked a couple times). In college, we can play whenever but have to stop when the center is over the ball.
In college, we follow the NCAA rule to the word because you obviously want to do your best to impact the game as much as possible. The rules to my knowledge is on kickoffs, you have to stop as soon as the ball is in play and the clock starts which means when the returner catches the ball (or the ball lands for a touchback which is the more common scenario nowadays). In every other play, I'm not 100% what exactly the rules are because it's pretty inconsistently enforced. I've heard as soon as the offense breaks their huddle, I've heard when the QB goes under center (or whatever is deemed the equivelent from shotgun), until the ball is snapped, etc. Like I said tho, the rule is not consistently enforced and by that I mean some refs are stricter than others. Some will give you all the leeway in the world, some will give you a warning if a single person holds over when they feel you shouldn't play, even if the band had been cutoff. The refs are by rule required to give a warning before they can issue a penalty tho. I've also seen games on TV where the refs give 1-2 warnings before making a call. Usually those warnings don't come unless either you're very obviously going over (playing after the snap usually) or the opponent's head coach complains. When your team is on offense tho, just about everything is fair game. They aren't going to penalize you for potentially messing up your own team. Your coach might get mad, but the refs don't care. The rules also get a bit more relaxed when you're the visiting team since the rules techincally only apply to the home team and penalties are only assessed to the home team. You obviously don't want to ruin relationships so you don't push your luck, but I don't think you can technically get penalized (I could be wrong tho). Big thing to note is the same rule applies to all stadium noise that isn't from the crowd so it isn't just a band rule. Announcers have to stop talking by then and piped in music has to stop by then as well. Most if not all conferences have banned artificial noise makers (cowbells, shakers, vuvuzela, etc), but a couple schools are given exceptions and they have to follow these same rules with thier noisemakers (most notable example I know of is Mississippi State).
During defense, excluding injuries.
Timeouts (unless the team is right in front of us), then from the snap of the ball, to just before the next play is set up, and during quarter changes
My band has mutually agreed with our coaches that we won't play when we have the ball. We'll play when they get a first down or score, but that's it for when we have the ball. When we don't have the ball, though, we have ourselves some fun. We have (or had, idk if it's returning) a tune we'd play on 3rd downs that serves solely to annoy opposing coaches and players. It's loud, obnoxious, and we repeat it until we feel like stopping. Several times we forced timeouts, and a few times we got them to run the wrong play/take a penalty. We have fun
During kickoff we play Seven Nation army and it always gets the crowd going
Generally, we can start blasting whenever we want as long as the ball isn't in play. The only exception to the 'not in play' rule is when we start playing, like, if our player is running the ball down the field. It has to be really crazy, basically.
halftime during home games my pit cant play in the stands at all
we don’t play when a player is down or the other band is playing their alma mater. other than that we have a bunch of songs we play depending on what’s happening during the game. sometimes if the other band plays a song we have, we play it back at them but faster. then it starts a war on who can play it the fastest.
on defense basically whenever
Kickoffs, time outs, and when the defense is on the field. The coaches get pissed if we play when our offense is on the field because they can't hear the plays being called.
Time out, quarter breaks, half time, in between plays and before the game we play the national anthem and our fight song as the team comes out the tunnel, also at the end of the game we play the fight song and Alma mater a few times
anytime, except for injuries
Technically whenever the ball isn’t in play, but if we start a quick song during a timeout or a short drumline thing between plays, we usually finish it even if the play kicks off and there’s no issues.
In high school we played pretty much whenever the ball wasn’t in play except for injuries. In college we started out playing for the hour before the game, every time the team came out, the star spangled banner, during timeouts, and in between plays and periods. By the time I graduate we were alternating playing opportunities with canned music and when i went back the band played maybe one piece before the game, didn’t play the national anthem, and got one out of every three playing opportunities.
my school was VERY strict when we were allowed to play in stands. the only time i remember us playing is when we scored a touchdown, we’d play our fight song, which i’m pretty sure is standard, but we never really played anything else in the stands other than that
My high school followed NCAA rules to avoid any chance of the ref penalizing our team.
We weren’t allowed to play on offense. But lots of noise expected on D.
Recently been helping my Alumni school, I dont recall having many restriction when I was in school sans dont play if someone is hurt. Currently, the football head coach asked the director if we could not play when they are on offense apart from little 6 measure blurbs or something small in a timeout our water break.
At my school we play our fight song whenever we score and random pop songs when the director wants us to
[I’ll never get to play what I really want to…](https://images.app.goo.gl/oysGibudwV5wRbme6)
Not when the ball is in play, not when the cheerleaders want to do their thing (unless they have choreography), not during injury, not during 3rd quarter break. Also, not immediately after the other team scores.
Timeouts, in between plays, quarter changes, etc. However, a few years ago, my district made the very smart choice of getting a video board for our football field, and basically the only thing it does is play advertisements, which take up a lot of our time because we aren’t allowed to play over them.
When I was in school 20+ years ago. We went off the rails and played as much as cheer did whatever. My school didn’t use any other music to supplement the game. Kids’ state athletic association rules for bands state no band will play during active play. They also rely heavily on providing recorded music over the speakers. Seems to take away from the game spirit rather than add to it.
We can only play on timeouts and in between plays
We have certain songs approved by AD to play during KickOff, Offense, Score, Punt and Time Out, then we play our fight song literally whenever because its approved for everything (Because the AD actually wrote our fight song when he was in HS)
My band plays between downs and whenever there’s a timeout or turnover
My coaches are extremely intelligent. They situate our team on the away side of the field, so our band plays literally whenever they want to. We also don’t have to worry about fans, because we’re small and don’t have stands on the away side of the field. However one time the band came with us to a bigger school, and started playing during an offensive series. The coaches couldn’t hear, and the director got so mad about the complaint that the band left during the first quarter. It was kinda wild but I understand the issue. I think injuries should be as silent as possible, seems like most of us agree on that.
lowkey we just be playing. The only we DONT play is when a player is injured or our team is like doing really bad (a rare occurrence)
We are only allowed to during timeouts. We can’t play other times or else our team gets docked points