You know the feeling. You're at a match at your local rugby or football ground. You're loving the whole occasion...right up until the moment the ref blows for halftime. At a moment's notice, the entertainment is stopped dead in its tracks and fifteen agonising minutes follow. In Ireland, we do sports well but we're not so great at sports entertainment. There's a lot we can learn from the Americans.
On 3 September, the Aer Lingus College Football Classic will be played at the Aviva Stadium when Boston College take on Georgia Tech. It's sure to be a brilliant afternoon of American football, but the game will also serve up an entertainment lesson to all Irish sports teams. You see, at halftime, the marching band from one of the colleges will come out and serenade the faithful with a memorable performance. There'll be drumming, there'll be trombones flailing, there'll be shapes made in formation. There'll likely be people marching in the shape of giant shamrocks.
Marching bands provide an essential service at college football games --- they play their college's fight song after a touchdown and they provide legitimately great entertainment while the players rest. Here are just a few of our favourite marching band setpieces down through the years.
Ohio State are the halftime kings
Here's their video game tribute.
And their Michael Jackson tribute.
And their blockbuster movie tribute.
Southern University have also done a Jay-Z/Beyonce tribute
Can you imagine the energy that a marching band could bring to an Irish sporting event? As anyone who attended an Easter commemoration will tell you, we've got the musical talent here. We just need to give them the time they need at halftime.
Tickets for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic go on sale via Ticketmaster on Wednesday morning at 9am.
