<p>I’ve only been to Family Weekend games, and the visiting band has never performed, that I remember. </p>
<p>I see mention on another thread that the Aggie band will perform at halftime this weekend.</p>
<p>What determines whether a visiting team’s band performs?</p>
<p>We may be attending Iron Bowl this year, if we can get tickets, and I’m curious if the Auburn Band will perform at half-time.</p>
<p>Money. It costs money to send a band long distance, and this is a cost born entirely by the school sending the band. It is not cheap to transport, house, and feed 200 kids with instruments. Most of the family weekend games are against smaller non-conference schools, some of which don’t have bands. Most of the time, schools send a pep band (20-25 members) if they are not sending the full band.</p>
<p>Bama sent its band on only two road games this season (Tennessee and LSU), and they also sent it to Dallas for the Michigan game and will of course send it to the bowl game. LSU typically only sends its full bands to 2 regular season games a year as well, barring something like the Dallas game (which LSU is playing in next year).</p>
<p>A&M has tons of money, and has always sent its band to most road games. However, most of their road games in the Big 12 were in the State of Texas, i.e., close by. Not sure what they are doing now that they are in the SEC.</p>
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<p>Prior to 2012, only 4 of the 12 teams (or 10 teams in 2011) were in Texas. But I don’t know if the Aggies typically traveled with full band or not. </p>
<p>None of our three kids have chosen to pursue their higher education in Texas, but if any of them had, A&M would have been our first choice. Some say they are a little cultish, but we have a lot of respect for the school and their traditions.</p>