By Stephen J. Gaither
The ESPN Band of The Year — a show case for HBCU marching bands — turned a corner on Friday night as it returned for the second year.
The event brought what appeared to be a much larger crowd than the inaugural event, and the HBCU Band Heads who showed up got an entertaining show from start to finish.
The ESPN Band of The Year brought a new element in 2024, adding a competion of two local high school bands. Jonesboro High School edged out Southwest DeKalb High School as both marching bands — well known for being feeders of HBCU bands around the country — both showed up ready to show they were more than a novelty act.
It was also a night for new blood in the competition between HBCU bands. Both the Division II and Division II championships featured bands that competed in the inaugural event last December. The North Carolina A&T Blue and Gold Marching Machine arrived back in Mercedes-Benz Stadium as not only the reining champion, but the number one team in the ratings from September through November — a clean sweep.
Virginia State University’s Trojan Explosion showed back up in Atlanta looking to redeem its second-place finish in the Division II ranks. Band Director Dr. Taylor Whitehead made it clear from band camp that he wanted to get back to Atlanta and finish the job.
“From Day One of band camp I told my students and their families that we would be here today,” he said during Thursday’s pre-event press conference. “That we were gonna work hard and we would return to this event and we wanted to shine as one of the top bands in the country.” Those programs competed against bands making their first appearance in the showcase — Florida A&M at the Division I level and Miles College at Division II.
FAMU, one of the more storied marching bands in all of college football, returned to a familiar place. Dr. Shelby Chipman, the band director at FAMU, estimated that 40 to 50 members of his band were from the Atlanta area. Last year the band finished ranked no. 7 in Division I.
Those band members and their teammates showed up and showed out, edging out NC A&T to take home the Division I national title as the championships were announced on Friday night after the inaugural event’s results weren’t revealed until the next day. That was another improvement from Year One to Year Two.
And then there was Miles College. The small, private HBCU based in Fairfield, AL stood out amongst its larger, land grant contemporaries. Just getting to the competition was a sacrifice as it required an initial investment from the school to house its band members during the Christmas holiday leading up to the championship. Miles College Purple Marching Machine Band Director Professor Willie Snipes said just getting the the ESPN Band of The Year meant he and his band had already won.
“I’m thankful for this opportunity because a lot of my students are from backgrounds where it’s not safe,” Snipes said on Thursday. “And I’m from a background where it’s not safe. So one of my biggest prayers when they go home for break is pray that they come back And I thank you guys for this opportunity to show my students there’s more to life than the things that goes on in everyday life.”
Snipes and Miles College didn’t just show up, they showed they belonged. The Purple Marching Machine put its best foot forward and took home the Division II national title for a storybook ending.
Snipes accepted the trophy proudly and then wept briefly and then proudly carried the trophy back to his band as it hooped and hollered from the stands.
It’s safe to say that the ESPN Band of the Year has made getting to Atlanta just as important for HBCU marching bands as it is for football. It’s even more opportunistic when you consider that it is open to all HBCUs — not just the MEAC and SWAC like the Celebration Bowl. With Red Lobster coming on as a sponsor, it appears that this showcase for these rhythmic symbols of HBCU pride will continue to grow in the near future.