2023 South Alabama Marching Band Championships

South Alabama Marching Band Championships

October 14, 2023
Hancock Whitney Stadium

Classifications

Festival Format - All size groups
Class A - 0-30 Winds
Class B - 31-60 Winds
Class C - 61-90 Winds
Class D - 91+ Winds

Bands may enter a higher classification but not a lower classification.  Please indicate which classification you will be entering on your registration.

Tickets

Tickets for spectators can be pre-purchased through the USA Athletics Ticket Office and also will be available for purchase on the day of Championships. Tickets are $10.00 per person (all seating is general admission) and allow re-entry for the duration of the event.  Ticket purchases are non-refundable.  Hancock Whitney is a cashless venue so please remind your students (band-o-grams will be cash or card).

Purchase Tickets for South Alabama Marching Band Championships

Band Registration

Up to 36 bands (six bands in festival format and 30 bands in competition format) will be accepted to participate in the South Alabama Marching Band Championships.  Registration will take place through our Google Form here: South Alabama Marching Band Championship Registration

Space is limited by classification.  We will be operating on a first come, first reserved when it comes to registering your band.  If your registration for your specific class exceeds the amount of registrations allowed for that class, you will be put on a waiting list.  If a band drops out, or another class doesn't use all of their allotted slots, then your band will be accepted into the contest in the order the registration was received.  

Bands participating in the festival format will be scheduled at the beginning of the competition. Bands will receive caption style feedback and ratings but will not compete in the competition format and will not be eligible for any "best in class" or "overall champion" awards.  Bands participating in the festival format can request to receive "Comments Only" feedback from the judging panel without any tabulated scoring. Festival format bands will not have a separate awards ceremony. Trophies/plaques for festival format bands will be available for pick-up with adjudication sheets in the Hargrove Club (Director's Hospitality) at the end of the festival portion of the day.

Festival Format - 6 registration spots available
Class A & B - 12 registration spots available
Class C & D - 18 registration spots available

Judges:

Caption style adjudication will be utilized using an 10 person judging panel.  Captions to be judged are as follows:

  • Music Performance - Craig Aarhus
  • Music Ensemble - Tina DiMieglio
  • Music General Effect - Chris Word
  • Visual General Effect - Bennie Wadlington
  • Visual Ensemble - Jason Foster
  • Visual Performance - Timon Sherman
  • Color Guard - Sharon Ryles
  • Percussion - Joe Tornello
  • Drum Major - Cody Salter
  • Auxiliary - Dance/Twirler - Anne Brooks

Performance Schedule

Bands will perform in class order beginning with Festival format, then Class A, Class B, Class C, and finally Class D. Contest officials reserve the right to alter the above procedure in order to allow a band to attend. Performance order will be determined by winds size within the class with tie-breakers being determined by overall ensemble size.

Bands will be scheduled in 15-minute intervals for performance unless otherwise noted on the schedule.  Each band will have a 30-minute period in a warm-up area prior to moving to the staging area before your performance.  There will be a transition period of 20-minutes between your warm-up period and your performance time to allow you to walk to the stadium and prepare to take the field in competition.  Independent warm-up is permitted, provided it is not in close proximity to the official contest warm-up areas.

Performance Procedure

At the printed time of performance, the band will be announced, regardless of their physical location in the stadium area, “Now taking the field...”.  The band will proceed with the knowledge that the 15-minute clock has begun. On field warm-up is at the discretion of the director.  When the band is in position and ready, the drum major must present the band to the adjudicators with a salute.  The announcer will then respond, “Band, you may now take the field for competition.”  

Awards

Bands receiving a "Superior" rating in the following categories will receive a "Superior" trophy:

  • Overall
  • Percussion
  • Color Guard
  • Auxiliary (Dance/Twirler/Majorette)
  • Drum Major

Best in Class - Overall

     An overall "Best in Class" in award will be presented to the highest scoring band in Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D.  

Best in Class - Percussion Award

     The band with the highest percussion score from each class (Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D) will receive the "Best in Class - Percussion" award.

Best in Class - Music Award

     The band with the highest music score from each class (Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D) will receive the "Best in Class - Music" award.  This score will be tabulated from the combined score of the Music Performance, Music Ensemble, and Music General Effect Judges.

Best in Class - Color Guard Award

     The band with the highest color guard score from each class (Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D) will receive the "Best in Class – Color Guard" award.

Overall Champion - Class A/B, Overall Champion - Class C/D

     The band with the highest overall score from A/B division and the C/D division will receive an "Overall Champion - Class A/B" or "Overall Champion - Class C/D" award.

Awards Ceremony

At the conclusion of the “pairs” of classes (Class A & B, Class C & D), there will be an awards ceremony, unless changed by the contest director.  There is just one performance, this is NOT a Prelims/Finals contest.

For the Awards Ceremony, it is requested that Drum Majors, Guard Captains, and a Director or designate be present on the field.  You will be placed on a specific yardline on the sideline.

Miscellaneous

Contest guides will be assigned and at your disposal from the time you arrive.  Guides will be on duty at the warm-up area and performance area.  Guides are to provide assistance, however, it is the ultimately the band director’s responsibility to meet all time guidelines.

Hancock-Whitney Stadium has instituted a “clear bag” policy for all guests entering the stadium.  Approved bags include clear plastic bags that do not exceed 12”x6”x12”.  For more information about the “clear bag” policy visit: Clear Bag Policy

Hash marks in Hancock-Whitney Stadium will be 60 feet from the sidelines (standard NCAA) as well as 53 feet 4 in from the sidelines (standard high school).

Video/tape recorders are not allowed in the stadium.  Still photography is confined to the spectator area.  

Hancock-Whitney Stadium is a cashless venue.  Please share this with your students as you approach the contest date.

More information can be found at the South Alabama Marching Band Championship Page.  Everything you will need to know while you are at the event can be found here.  Be sure to bookmark this page and follow on Championship day!

Video Recordings

There will be video recordings made of each band (high shot and composite video). This will be done by our staff at the end of your performance and made available to your students and parents for a cost.  Each director will receive one complimentary copy of a high-camera recording of their band’s performance.

We hope to see you at the 3rd Annual 2023 South Alabama Marching Band Championships!