UF Marching Band battles for $25,000 ESPN prize
October 7, 2008
Sweaty runners dashed up and down the stadium steps, uninterrupted by the oddly placed game-day scene at Florida Field on a Tuesday afternoon. The UF Marching Band, fully dressed in their new uniforms, blasted familiar notes that had everyone humming the tune of the Indiana Jones theme song and reminiscing of Harrison Ford wearing his famous brown fedora. Ten cheerleaders, as well as Albert and Alberta, cheered to nearly empty stands — enthusiastically doing Gator chomps and stunts. The Gatorettes twirled their batons in a synchronized fashion while the color guard waved their flags as one.
A six-man crew, armed with three cameras, filmed the entire scene while running in and out of the half-circle formation.
On Sept. 9 at Florida Field, ESPN filmed the Gator Marching Band performing the Indiana Jones theme song with traditional Gator melodies mixed in.
University of Florida’s 325-member Gator Marching Band has been selected to compete in ESPN/Paramount Home Entertainment’s Battle of the Bands.
“Honestly, we were very surprised and felt honored to be considered in this group of historically great college bands,” John Watkins Jr., director of the Gator Band, said.
The competition promotes the Oct. 14 DVD release of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
Videos of the seven marching bands performing the theme song, “Raider’s March” can be found on ESPN.com. The competition includes Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Louisiana State, Southern California and Texas.
The contest began on Sept. 29 and will continue through Oct. 10. The band receiving the most votes will be announced during the Oct. 11 airing of ESPN’s “College GameDay Built by the Home Depot.” The grand prize is a $25,000 donation from Paramount Home Entertainment and Lucas Films.
“If we are elected the winner by our fans, we would be elated and put the money toward our new instrument campaign,” Watkins said. “Unfortunately, two-thirds of our band members have to use their personal instruments. We have long been in need of a matched set of instruments to improve our sound, appearance and overall performance.”
The new instrument campaign must raise $200,000 in order to buy new instruments.
“(Winning the Battle of the Bands competition) would be a great start,” Watkins said.
This is the first time the Gator Marching Band has received national recognition, according to Watkins.
Students, fans and alumni are encouraged to vote for the favorite band. A prize sweepstakes for online voters includes two tickets to a championship-bowl game of choice and 25 copies of boxed DVDs, personally signed by the movie’s lead actor, Harrison Ford.
According to ESPN, an ad featuring all seven bands will run in an issue of ESPN The Magazine. The bands also will be featured on “ESPN College Football Live” until Oct. 10.
To vote for the UF Marching Band, visit http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/contests/indianajones.
A UF slide show with photos and sound from the Sept. 9 band performance is available at http://www.urel.ufl.edu/production/photography/multimedia.html.
“The Gator Nation deserves to be recognized — a victory for any aspect of the school is a victory for UF,” Watkins said. “The students in the Gator Band are some of the most hard-working students on campus and represent every college and major — they need UF’s support!”
Show your Gator support. Help the UF band win $25,000 by voting online at: