The Queen City Battle of The Bands has outgrown The Queen City and is headed for H-Town.
The Charlotte-based battle of the bands is heading to Houston’s NRG Stadium, Webber Marketing & Consulting announced on Monday. The event will take place the weekend of August 30, 2019 and will now be known as “National Battle of The Bands.”
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“We are excited about our new partnership with the Harris County Houston Sports Authority to host the inaugural National Battle of the Bands,” Derek Webber, CEO Webber Marketing & Consulting, LLC said. “With the support of the city of Houston, this partnership allows us to advance our mission to enhance the exposure of HBCUs and their marching bands, and the role they play in educating aspiring musicians and developing future leaders. It also enables us to increase the growth of scholarships, and expand the awareness of higher learning with music, arts and entertainment.”
The company also announced that it will NOT be putting on an event in Charlotte in 2018 as it prepares for the move. That’s disappointing news for band heads on the East Coast as there will also be no Honda Battle of the Bands in Atlanta in 2019.
Battle of the Bands to take bigger stage in Houston
Houston, of course, is home to Texas Southern University and a stone’s throw away from Prairie View A&M. NRG Stadium has hosted the last five SWAC Championship Games, so its no stranger to HBCU culture or bands.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be the host site for the National Battle of the Bands, and what better place than at NRG Stadium,” Chris Massey, Director of Events for the Harris County Houston Sports Authority. “It’s no secret that our community loves to put on big-time events, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to build on the storied battle of the bands tradition right here in Houston.”
Over the last five years, the event organizers have generated more than $350,000 in scholarships for participating colleges and universities who display their school’s dynamic spirit and music programs during their performances, which have outgrown Charlotte’s venerable Memorial Coliseum.
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It will be interesting to see the impact to the Charlotte economy. It’s exciting to see this event on the West side of the Mississippi! Perhaps it could alternate East – West to maximize exposure and access. Again, thanks for keeping me up to speed. #HBCUGameday
I think this is a bad move. There will be a decline in attendance and connection for fans.
I went last year here in Charlotte and had a great time. I think its a bad move also. Texas?? Mids well have it in Idaho. SMH HBCU band culture in prominent in the South along the east coast. North Carolina has 11 Active HBCU’s alone. Alabama has 13. Yall have fun in Texas. I wont be attending this year, too far of a drive for me. The Caucasians and Mexicans?? Attendance will not be the same as Charlotte
So where will this be held in 2018?
How dare y’all take this outta NC where it originated ??!!😡 AMD then make ppl travel all the way to mf’n Texas?? Somebody didn’t think this all the way through. There’s a big ass PANTHER field to have this on… or even move it to UNC Charlotte’s field??? There are many other options besides going all the way across the freakin country. It’s called Queen City Battle of the Bands for a reason! Bad decision taking it out of Charlotte! Very bad.
As a native of Charlotte and a graduate of an HBCU, I completely agree!!
About this move to Houston, Derek Webber, CEO Webber Marketing & Consulting, LLC said. “With the support of the city of Houston, this partnership allows us to advance our mission to enhance the exposure of HBCUs and their marching bands, and the role they play in educating aspiring musicians and developing future leaders. It also enables us to increase the growth of scholarships, and expand the awareness of higher learning with music, arts and entertainment.â€
This is Word Salad, not clearly explaining HOW this partnership advances exposure, etc. There are other venues in Charlotte where the bands could perform. I suspect other venues were not explored. The BEST and MOST HBCU bands are on THIS SIDE of the country. Traveling to Houston is a pilgrimage for a one-day weekend event. Who’s going to do that. This is such a disappointing move.
Although I do understand why you think moving this event to Texas will help generate more interest, also feel within the next 2 or 3 years, if not after the first year in Texas, the event will be back in the southeast “Charlotte “, where it needs to be. Last years event had people sitting on the grass it was so full. If I had to guess, I would say that was the biggest turnout of all the B OF THE BANDS. Good luck, but see you in about 2 years back in Charlotte. Trust all of us making comments…..It wont work in Texas or any other place in the west.
Chris J
I know this must frustrate the people in Charlotte. But as a fan of the bands over here in Texas, we’ve been dying to have a Battle of the Bands event. Both the big battes have been on the east coast (Queen City and Honda), and it’s been hard to get out there every year. I wish that they hadnt taken an event out of NC to move it to Texas, but now that it’s here, I hope it’s successful. We have great bands on this side of the Mississippi (Tx Southern, PV, Southern, Grambling). NRG Stadium holds over 70k. I hope we fill it up!