North Carolina A&T won’t host CAA HBCU rival band

Many North Carolina A&T fans wanted a homecoming game against an HBCU — and it got that against Hampton University.

However, the Oct. 19 matchup with its lone HBCU counterpart in the Coastal Athletic Association will not feature a competing band in the stands.

Dr. Thomas L Jones, Director of Bands at Hampton University, posted a statement on his Facebook page that got the people going on Tuesday morning.

Dear Family, Friends, Fans, and Foes of The Hampton University Marching Force , as you probably would have figured, the band will not be making the trip to Greensboro for the game against NC A&T. Their athletics department does not allow visiting bands to attend GHOE, since they prefer to sell those seats to accommodate the Homecoming crowd.

We will have to wait until 2026 to make the long-awaited return to Aggie Stadium.

The policy of not inviting opposing marching bands to perform at its homecoming — billed as the Greatest Homecoming On Earth (GHOE) by its alumni and administration — reportedly goes back for the better part of a decade. The lone exception to that ruling was when North Carolina A&T hosted then-MEAC foe Norfolk State for homecoming 2018. The NSU Spartan Legion did take up precious real estate in then-Aggie Stadium, which lists its capacity at 21,500.

NSU’s rivals from across the bay won’t be afforded the same opportunity to face off against the Blue and Gold Marching Machine. The NC A&T band did travel to Hampton last season when it was the homecoming invitee.

Should HBCUs be expected to extend the opportunity to perform at halftime to other HBCUs during homecoming?

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