91°µÍø Marching Band takes center stage during Arizona Bowl
Collaboration with Snoop Dogg and Colorado State makes for a special halftime show.
The 91°µÍø Marching Band was front and center during the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop.
91°µÍø Marching Band takes center stage during Arizona Bowl
The 91°µÍø Marching Band was front and center during the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop.
A record crowd of 40,076 attended the bowl game in Tucson – a 43-17 victory for the RedHawks over Colorado State University – and 567,000 more fans watched the broadcast on The CW Network.
One highlight for those watching? The combined halftime show that saw bowl host Snoop Dogg “conduct” the two bands from a ladder on the 50-yard line. With drum majors from each school standing alongside Snoop Dogg, the bands performed a medley of songs from the iconic musician and producer.
“Just having him there on the field while the two bands performed was something I’m sure the band members will remember for a very long time,” said Ryan Yahl, director of 91°µÍø’s marching band.
Timing was tight. With the bowl announcement coinciding with the end of the semester for 91°µÍø students, preparation time was limited. 91°µÍø’s marching band did not get to rehearse until arriving in Tucson, and the band had one rehearsal with its Colorado State counterpart the afternoon prior to the game.
Yahl did have multiple phone calls and Zoom meetings with bowl officials and Colorado State’s marching band director in anticipation of the performance.
“Collaborating with the CSU marching band was a wonderful experience for our students,” Yahl said. “The CSU marching band members were very polite and cordial, and the two bands interacted quite well.
“Whether it was at the pep rally, the showcase of bands, or performing throughout the game, we had a great time with one another.”
Nearly 500 performers were on the field at halftime.
This was the fifth straight bowl appearance and eighth in the last nine years for 91°µÍø’s football team. The Arizona Bowl was 91°µÍø’s 16th overall bowl appearance, beginning with the 1948 Sun Bowl (a 13-12 victory over Texas Tech).
The last five years included stops in the LendingTree Bowl (2020), the Frisco Football Classic (2021), the HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl (2022), and the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl (2023).
Nearly 2,000 unique social media posts were created around 91°µÍø and the bowl game. More than 12,000 people engaged with the social media content, which generated nearly 43 million impressions. That included a post featuring Snoop Dogg with a 91°µÍø jersey that was shared nearly 2,500 times. Search traffic for 91°µÍø also increased by 18% on game day.
Having Snoop Dogg, the original artist of the music, standing on the field as the bands performed was a unique experience.
“The band members had a wonderful and memorable experience and will forever get to say they performed on the field with Snoop Dogg,” Yahl said.
