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Halftime split

Posted by Home team on 10/25/2025, 8:17 am

Halftime is 28 minutes. We can't fit the dance team, our whole show, and the fight song in 14 minutes, so we always plan to do only part of the show to stay within our 14.

Thursday was the 3rd time this year that the visiting band has played their entire show, leaving us short on time. We had less than 10 minutes left on the clock when they left the field. We ended up playing only 1 movement to make sure we were off the field before the buzzer.

Am I overly concerned about this? I know it can be a penalty on the home team if the band goes over, regardless of whether the visiting band actually caused the problem. But I've never seen or heard of that actually happening.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Document on 10/28/2025, 9:14 am, in reply to "Halftime split"

If I remember right, documenting when the other side leaves and how much time that leaves you can help a lot. You can use it to bring it up with admin or a referee, though it's more to protect yourself if anyone gets angry over time, or a penalty.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Respectfully on 10/28/2025, 1:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Halftime split"

It doesn't matter a single bit except MAYBE to your admin.

You get 28 minutes, during the last 2 of which the teams may take the field to stretch and warm up. If the other side takes 20, you have 26 minutes for your side.

Is it fair? Absolutely not, but it's the rule as written.

If it is 100% critical that you MUST perform your show, then do it pre-game or post-game. Don't plan on the other side giving you the time you need.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Respectfully on 10/28/2025, 2:24 pm, in reply to "Re: Halftime split"

*Six.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Mithrandir on 10/27/2025, 5:11 pm, in reply to "Halftime split"

Our football district has agreed to visiting band performs pre-game, home band halftime.
I like it. I think it's easier. 20 min halftime (unless homecoming or the like). We have a system to set-up during the cheer and/or dance performance.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson on 10/27/2025, 1:01 pm, in reply to "Halftime split"

Simple, easy, no-muss-no-fuss solution based on one of our games earlier this year:

Our band was the visiting band and played our full show. The home team then played their whole show. Then I noticed that it was their homecoming, and their nominees were dressed up and looking like they were still waiting to be announced. There were maybe two minutes left on the halftime clock when sure enough, the home announcer started their homecoming presentation. When the clock got down to 0:05 it magically stopped

and allowed them to finish their homecoming announcements before beginning the second half. Seems to me that if the home team communicates with the referees beforehand there's a good opportunity for some leeway with these things.

Two Sheds

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Curious on 10/27/2025, 10:03 am, in reply to "Halftime split"

I once had a visiting director take 24 minutes of a 28 minute halftime. Their announcer was slower than molasses, read every drill team member's name, and even announced their "teacher of the week" (like anyone here cared). I was looking forward to repaying the favor the next year, but realignment took that opportunity away from me. Oh well...if realignment ever puts us back in that district, I'll remember. Oh, man...I'll remember.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Yeah... on 10/27/2025, 7:58 am, in reply to "Halftime split"

One year, at Bi-District, the visiting director told me...to my face, "we're only going to do something simple". Lied through his teeth. Did the whole show, 3 tunes for the drill team, introduced the cheerleaders, did 2 more stand tunes.

Took the ENTIRE 28 minutes. Didn't seem to care that he did it either.

What a jerk move. And he had the audacity to ask me to vote for him at the next region meeting.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by dfkghwj on 10/27/2025, 5:43 am, in reply to "Halftime split"

One place I taught we had an arrangement with the drill team. The week before UIL there was no drill team tune and we did the whole show. The week after we only did one part and they did two drill team pieces.

I have also always planned with my drill team person so that we did the longer drill team tunes at the front of the season when we were doing less show, and the shorter ones closer to UIL.

Did one time get griped at by an athletic director type as the visiting band at a stadium that will remain unnamed. Problem was that the drill team had gone outside the gate to warmup, and the stadium personnel wouldn't let them back in. We were lined up on the sideline ready to go and they come running down through the stands. Delayed our start by a couple of minutes. We explained that to him, and he just said, "Oh," and drove off on his golf cart.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Transitions on 10/26/2025, 2:37 pm, in reply to "Halftime split"

Time is lost in the field entry and transitions. Rarely is it the length of the actual content. We always look into shortening our announcements, and even having drill team count themselves off field after their performance so that we don’t have to cadence and can go directly to opening set. Also, front ensemble, flags, and props are being set during drill team performance as long as they don’t interfere. Usually, you’re stuck with what the other band decides to do. If it’s egregious, and they take 18-20 minutes, then your principal needs to call theirs and have a chat with them. If they’re one of the bands that constantly do this then that principal phone call needs to happen ahead of time.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by BDSO on 10/26/2025, 9:40 am, in reply to "Halftime split"

This was a problem when I started 28 years ago and it will always be a problem. I strongly believe UIL should step in an make guidelines as to how halftime should be split. It isn't fair the to the home team when inconsiderate visiting schools take over half of the halftime. Each school should be limited to 14 minutes (which includes getting on and off the field) and if they go over, their team gets the penalty. Why should the home team suffer because of the visiting school's band/dance team lack of time management?

Re: Halftime split

Posted by If that were the case on 10/26/2025, 11:28 pm, in reply to "Re: Halftime split"

I would just coordinate with the other director to both go over our time, receive penalties, and have them off-set each other.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Suggestion on 10/26/2025, 9:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Halftime split"

This can be accomplished by your football coaches. Bring it up with them. It can be made a district rule.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Me on 10/26/2025, 12:12 am, in reply to "Halftime split"

I had a ref bang on the drum major podium once to tell them to stop and get the band off the field. My head coach came over and told him he didn’t care. He told him to give them the penalty. It’s only a delay of game penalty on the kickoff so not that bad of a penalty. Of course, we were back to back football finalists so we usually were up by 3 or 4 touchdowns by halftime.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Question on 10/25/2025, 6:21 pm, in reply to "Halftime split"

Have you been in contact with the other schools prior to those games? Do they understand that they need to be cleared at 14:00?

IMO….it’s all of the announcements getting in the way. Nobody at the football game cares who composed your ballad and who arranged your percussion book. I’m not suggesting that it’s unimportant, I’m just stating that nobody cares. Keep it concise, announce drum majors, captains, soloists/features, and get it started! This is to say nothing of announcing Spirit Girl of the week of the 25-time World Champion Back-Flipping Team!

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Questioner on 10/26/2025, 4:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Halftime split"

It's also announcing all the drill team captain etc., social officers, girl of the week and that's after taking a couple of minutes to dance out onto the field.

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Home team on 10/26/2025, 11:28 am, in reply to "Re: Halftime split"

Our announcements are timed to take less time than the transition from dance team block to opening set. I can't say the same for the dance team...

Re: Halftime split

Posted by Hmm on 10/25/2025, 2:53 pm, in reply to "Halftime split"

We set up the front ensemble while drill team is performing. This is communicated ahead of time, expected, and trims down a few precious minutes.

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