Blue Band Announces Tailgreat Replacement
The Penn State Blue Band will have a slightly different gameday routine in 2014. After the athletic department clandestinely canceled the band’s Tailgreat pregame show at the Bryce Jordan Center two weeks ago, the band announced what it will do in its stead.
Instead of the entire band playing a pregame show outside the stadium, only 1/4 of the 300+ member marching band will perform at Beaver Stadium before and during the team entrance. I’m told from several Blue Band contacts that the logistics of having the entire band play outside the stadium a full 2 hours and 45 minutes before the game is unfeasible, so a decision was made to only include part of the band. The rest of the gameday routine, including the on-field pregame and halftime shows, remain unchanged.
The immediate reaction from several Blue Band members — albeit, a small sample size — was not particularly positive.
Why is Tailgreat funding only becoming an issue this year? Thinking donations and fundraising come before cutting altogether… @OnwardState
— Connor Marshall (@Marshallc6) September 3, 2014
.@OnwardState Canceling tailgreat also means cutting a performance for the 3 TIME NATIONAL CHAMPION @PSULionettes. How is THAT fair? — Connor Marshall (@Marshallc6) September 3, 2014
Hey @twitter, I would like to report @goPSUsports for abuse of the penn state game day experience. #WeWantTheBlueBand
— Doug Uhazie (@duhazieofficial) September 3, 2014
I sacrifice 20 hours a week of my time, blood, sweat, & tears for this university and @PennStateFball takes away Tailgreat, our performance — Doug Uhazie (@duhazieofficial) September 3, 2014
@SandyB_PSUAD Can you please tell me how the Blue Band is getting the level of involvement and exposure it deserves without #Tailgreat?
— Joshua Cantarella (@joshcantarella) September 3, 2014
@SandyB_PSUAD You said students come 1st, so then why are you canceling #Tailgreat pic.twitter.com/h1F5QsVjZt — Sarah Cantarella (@sabertoothSAR) September 3, 2014
From Blue Band President Stephen Payne:
I’m truly disappointed that our outstanding fans won’t have more of an opportunity to interact with the @PSUBlueBand on gameday on Saturday
— Stephen Payne (@paynepsu) September 4, 2014
Penn State initially canceled Tailgreat due to waning interest and, sources say, an unwillingness to pay the $70,000 expense that it took to put the show on.
Your ad blocker is on.
Please choose an option below.
Purchase a Subscription!
About the Author
‘Most People Have That Esoteric Thing:’ Rowan Lapi Building Community With Clothing Brand
“How cool would it be to bring together all those people that really relate to the world and feel like they have this esoteric thing?”
Saquon Barkley’s Backward Hurdle Added To Madden NFL 25
“It’s rare, this day and age, to see something that’s never been done before. That’s when we knew we wanted it in-game.”
Stephen Nedoroscik Survives Semifinals & Moves Onto Finale Of ‘Dancing With The Stars’
Pommel horse guy and his partner recieved 53 points for the night.
Hometown Brewery Releases Beer Honoring Evan Pugh
Penn State’s first president Evan Pugh was born in 1828 at Jordan Bank Farm, three miles south of the city center of Oxford, Pennsylvania, an hour west of Philadelphia in Chester County. One-hundred eighty-nine years later, an Oxford brewery is honoring one of the preeminent champions of “liberal and practical” higher education in the form of a delicious Porter.