FSU Football Requested Marching Chiefs To Stop War Chant On Third Down

An alumni member of the Marching Chiefs gave insight into the experiences of the band's struggle as it competes with its own team, the stadium, and the athletic department's initiatives.

Sep 3, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head drum major John Justice directs the Marching Chiefs during the game against the Louisiana State Tigers at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Football is the only American sport to be conceived through the university system and grow into a major athletic endeavor, witnessed by billions around the world. It was originally created by and for college students. In its infancy, college football had humble beginnings: small crowds, limited play styles (the first legal forward pass happened 37 years after the first official collegiate game – 1869, Rutgers v. Princeton), low scores, and primitive safety precautions.

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The pageantry, traditions, and playstyles of the game itself slowly evolved into what it is today: Cheerleaders, spread formations, eagles flying around stadiums, symbolic men on horseback planting flaming spears into the turf, and of course, the marching bands.

At Florida State University, the band boasts its “world-renowned” status at the beginning of every home game as the Marching Chiefs take the field for their pregame set. They have always provided an exceptional entrance to the start of home contests in Tallahassee. The War Chant – beloved by FSU fans and loathed by its foes – might be the most recognizable piece of music (accompanied by fan interaction) in the ACC and perhaps the country.

Like the game of football itself, the War Chant was created by and for its own students. In the mid-1980s, the student body at FSU created the tomahawk chop motion and vocal accompaniment, and the band eventually orchestrated a musical number that allowed fans to stay on beat. It ended up creating one of the most intimidating, recognizable traditions in college football history.

However, according to an alumni member of the Marching Chiefs who wishes to remain anonymous, the band has been instructed to not play the War Chant on third downs while the Seminoles are on defense during home games. Instead, a DJ plays a sort of dubstep/house music style song in an attempt to fire up players while leaving the crowd puzzled.

Why, might you ask?

The alumni Chief told NoleGameday that it was the FSU athletics department that asked the Chiefs not to play the War Chant on third downs and that it be replaced with the DJ song – which was requested by the football team. The Marching Chiefs have honored this request since it was brought to their attention during the 2023 season.

Our source added that at the ACC Championship Game against Louisville, the Marching Chiefs were able to let loose with the War Chant on defensive third-down sequences in the neutral site atmosphere. This ability to play the number provided a “huge difference” in the game.

The alumni Chief also stated, "Now, it's more or less stadium music with a lack of stadium hype ... and I absolutely noticed a lack of playing (on Monday night) compared to last year."

Furthermore, there appears to be frustration among the ranks as the band finds itself struggling to compete with not only its own team to play music but also the stadium's in-game sponsorships and promotions.

Fast food fry shuffles and convenience store advertisements consistently fill up the three-minute TV timeout breaks, limiting the band’s ability to play longer pieces such as “Seminole Uprising.” Non-TV timeout stoppages and breaks in between plays can also showcase a conflict as music from the stadium drowns out the Chiefs as they often end up playing at the same time.

“If the team wants the third down song, do it for them,” the alumni Chief said. “Let the team have its song on third down, but there needs to be more opportunities for [the] Chiefs outside of that.”

NoleGameday requested a comment from Florida State Athletics Director Michael Alford. He provided a response.

"There is plenty of latitude for changes including opportunities for the Marching Chiefs to play at any time of their choosing other than the mutually agreed upon segments involving third downs or during sponsored elements requiring a PA voiceover," Alford said. "Scripted music is played during those sponsored elements and on third downs, in which football last year asked and was granted permission to select music."

Based on this response, it appears the school (and the football team, by proxy) is not open to providing an opportunity for the Marching Chiefs to play on third downs at all, despite public outcry. The quote from Alford, however, did state that there is openness to allow the Chiefs to play more often during home games.

The public disdain for the lack of the War Chant on third downs and other game-day operation decisions is included later in this article.

If you're looking for more evidence of the War Chant's disappearance, go back and watch Florida State home games from 2023, you'll hear the DJ song on almost every defensive third down and the War Chant almost every second down. The Boston College tape from Monday shows the same trend.

Moreover, the 2022 Florida game tape does in fact show the War Chant being played on third downs. Therefore, one can logically conclude that a decision was made at some organizational level to suspend the War Chant on third downs in 2023 up until now, as confirmed by Alford.

In Gainesville in 2023, the Chiefs shined in hostile territory. They played the War Chant consistently on third downs and even let it ring while Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down” played before the start of the fourth quarter.

Some pent-up energy, perhaps.

Our source is certainly not the only person voicing concerns about the status of home football games at Doak Campbell. Complaints on social media and to employees of stadium operations have amounted to pretty much the same thing: let the band play, don’t drown them out with stadium music, and return to the sights and sounds of college football that have been preserved for over 150 years.

In an email obtained from the Senior VP of Stewardship & Gameday Operations at Seminole Boosters responding to a fan’s displeasure with the production on Monday’s game against Boston College, Kari Terezakis apologized for the “poor experience that you and many other fans had at the game on Monday.”

Later on in the email, she continued once again mentioning that a seemingly large number of fans have brought up this issue.

“We have heard from countless other fans and long-time supporters who are equally disappointed,” said the Seminole Boosters representative. She added that she would address these concerns with the “responsible departments.”

It must be noted that head coach Mike Norvell seems to have a great relationship with the Marching Chiefs. He has appeared at multiple rehearsals, given motivational speeches to the band, and thrown footballs into the Chiefs’ section after games. He has consistently praised their performances and given them credit during interviews.

Moreover, this report is not to create the notion that there is a major feud between the football team and the band. This report aims to answer why one of the most famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) musical numbers in college football is not being played during critical moments of a college game.

Additionally, this report is attempting to explore what appears to be a major disconnect between the in-game operations, the fans, and the athletic department. The third down War Chant issue seems to be simply a symptom of this disconnect, not necessarily a root cause.

Fan complaints online include (but aren’t limited to) both the War Chant and the constant usage of stadium music throughout home games at Doak.

Take a look at this post below and some of the comments within. WARNING: some explicit language is in the comments:

#FSUTwitter I heard this question SEVERAL times in our section at last night's game...

"Why aren't the @FSUChiefs playing the WARCHANT on 3rd Downs?"

Because they aren't ALLOWED to. Yep, that's not a typo.

— Vince C (@vcnole) September 3, 2024

Also, at the time of writing, a change.org petition was created to “Limit DJ music and allow more Marching Chiefs performances at FSU games.” It received over 5,000 signatures within 24 hours.

What can’t be denied about this whole situation is that frustrations are piling up due to the ’Noles on-the-field woes. If the team was 2-0, there wouldn’t likely be this level of anger and disappointment from fans. However, NoleGameday can confirm that some of these complaints from fans have been issued for years, during good times and bad.

However, at the same time, if the song from the stadium DJ on third down is helping the team and the results on the field demonstrate that phenomenon; that’s what people care about most.

Similarly, when the in-game promotions and the stadium sponsorships help the team succeed monetarily, that’s what people care about most. It’s likely why these complaints were not vocalized as much during the 2023 season which brought about an undefeated home record.

When the results on the field are not showing, fans can’t help but notice they’re experiencing a conglomeration of advertisements (at a game they’ve already paid to see in person) alongside a game day experience that actively negates one of its “world-renowned” traditions – a tradition, like the sport itself, that was created by and for college students.

In a sport now openly dominated by the dollar, a yearning for tradition is calling.

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