Seth Udinski, FISM News
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As college football fans prepare for another weekend of games, a little-known but longstanding tradition will end for the first time in over 40 years.
Purdue University’s All American Band will perform without their iconic drum as the Boilermaker football team takes on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 EST.
According to a communication from the University of Notre Dame, our Band will not be permitted to take the World’s Largest Drum through their tunnel and onto the football field for this Saturday’s game. Notre Dame Athletics has restricted use of their main tunnel to their own football team and band, which is the only entrance large enough for the Drum. We have been told that visiting teams and bands have to use a separate tunnel that is much smaller. Our Drum is about 10 feet tall on its carriage and 565 pounds so it doesn’t even come close to fitting in this other tunnel.
Forget the press boxes and the new seating — the tiny, cramped, uncomfortable visitors' tunnel is easily the best part of the recent Notre Stadium renovations. Instead of charging out of the main tunnel, opponents have to shuffle gingerly out of this architectural masterpiece.☘️ https://t.co/VzCuHzJYWP pic.twitter.com/841iF5wV35
— Fr. Mike Palmer, CSC (@FrMikeCSC) September 16, 2021
Purdue has used “The World’s Largest Drum” as part of their halftime show since 1921, and the band has not performed without it since 1979.
Happy Anniversary to the World’s Largest Drum! Too bad @NDFootball won’t let it on the field this weekend…👀 #boilerup #hammerdown #letsplayfootball #purdue #collegemarching #notredame https://t.co/sUiBmDb5bx
— Purdue Bands & Orchestras (@PurdueBands) September 16, 2021
This weekend will see a host of exciting games across the college football landscape, highlighted by #11 Florida hosting #1 Alabama in a 3:30 game on Saturday afternoon. Michigan State takes on #24 ranked Miami at 12:00 EST, and #22 Auburn travels to Beaver Stadium in central Pennsylvania to battle #10 Penn State at 7:00 pm EST.