Pep Band Competitions

Any school with a band program can participate in the Pep Band division! The division was designed to be as accessible to as many bands as possible – you can perform and compete with music your program already plays.

• Example programs include:
  • Bands who already compete with their cheer or dance teams in Game Day Live
  • Programs who want a new and special opportunity for a subset of their band (e.g., underclassmen, leadership, etc.)
  • Bands who put special importance on a band’s role in supporting school spirit and the game day atmosphere
  • Current High School and Middle School Pep Bands

High School and Junior High Divisions

• Regional competitions will split divisions in the best interest of providing a competitive environment. Divisions will initially start with a split only between High School and Junior High Divisions. Bands will be registered as one division; once a division surpasses 5 bands and each new division can have at least 3 bands, splits may occur by band size

Rules & Score Sheets:

• Event Guidelines
• Score Sheets
• 2024-2025 Varsity Spirit Rules and Regulations 

Competition Pricing:

• Pep Bands can compete for $250 per performance group

The Pep Band Division will closely resemble what bands perform in the stands at athletic events and at pep rallies. The division will consist of a fight song segment, a pep tunes segment, and a timeout segment that is more open-ended and engages the crowd.

Division Format:

• Fight Song The section should reflect your school’s traditional Fight Song that your band performs at games, pep rallies, etc. Bands could incorporate crowd engaging elements and choreography that enhances the overall effect. For teams that do not have an official Fight Song, it is recommended to use a second selection of band chant music. Music guidelines are available at varsity.com/music.
• Pep / Stands Tune – This section should reflect musical selections that your band typically performs at your school’s events (e.g., “Sweet Caroline,” “Hey Baby,” and “Seven Nation Army”), again with an emphasis on crowd engagement. If you choose, this section can also feature an engaging excerpt from your program’s halftime show.
• Timeout section – This section is intended to be more open-ended and can reflect a musical performance that isn’t solely a performance of a popular song, but that still attempts to engage the crowd. A drum cadence or feature is one option, as is a horn or woodwind feature. Additionally band chants are encouraged.

Number of performers:

• Band must have a minimum of 5 and maximum of 60 performers.

Time limits:

• Bands will have 7 minutes total time to stage the performance and exit the performance area.
• Band can perform the three segments above in any order.
• Maximum Performance Time: 5:00 minutes (300 seconds)

For other band performance opportunities and pricing please visit the specific brand website

GAME DAY RALLY FORMAT (offered at select NCA/NDA EVENTS)

• Teams competing in the Game Day Rally Division will follow a structure identical to the other Game Day Divisions, with the exception of the fact that this division encourages the use of sideline cheerleaders, dancers, school bands, drumlines, and mascots, etc.
• Event Guidelines for NCA please visit NCA – Divisions, Rules & Scoring
• Event Guidelines for NDA please visit NDA – Divisions, Rules & Scoring

GAME DAY LIVE GUIDELINES (offered at select UCA/UDA events)

• Game Day LIVE Divisions will be offered at select UCA & UDA events.
• Junior Varsity and Varsity Divisions offered
• Event Guidelines for all UCA Game Day LIVE and the National High School Cheerleading Championship please visit UCA – Divisions, Rules & Scoring
• Event Guidelines for all UDA Game Day LIVE and National Dance Team Championship please visit UDA – Divisions, Rules & Scoring
• In order to qualify for the National High School Cheerleading Championship (NHSCC) or the National Dance Team Championship (NDTC) in the Game Day Live divisions, teams are required to attend with a cheer or dance team qualified to compete in Game Day Live.

CROWDLEADER ROUTINE FORMAT (offered at all USA EVENTS)

• The Crowdleader™ Team routine weaves together the three separate stand-alone categories offered as part of USA Game Day Competition divisions: Band Chant, Situational Sideline/Cheer, and Fight Song. It can be performed by a single team, or a combination of separate spirit groups from a school (cheer, song/pom, pep flags, mascot, dance team, and band).
• Event Guidelines for USA please visit USA – Divisions, Rules & Scoring