{"id":61626,"date":"2011-11-07T13:51:19","date_gmt":"2011-11-07T13:51:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/0de2709a84.nxcli.net\/0-kjasnb\/2011\/11\/07\/roger-bobbs-hbcu-band-series-the-battle-returns-second-season\/"},"modified":"2018-12-18T13:14:07","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T13:14:07","slug":"roger-bobbs-hbcu-band-series-the-battle-returns-second-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blackfilm.com\/read\/roger-bobbs-hbcu-band-series-the-battle-returns-second-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Roger Bobb’s HBCU Band Series The Battle Returns Second Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

HBCU Band Series The Battle Returns for a Second Season on ESPNU<\/strong>Posted by Wilson Morales<\/p>\n

November 7, 2011<\/p>\n

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Marching Band Icon Grambling State University Subject of Five-Part Series <\/strong><\/p>\n

The Battle Presented by AT&T<\/em> \u2013 an inside look at the HBCU (Historically Black College and University) Marching Bands \u2013 will return for its second season with five 30-minute shows over five straight weeks, every Thursday from Nov. 10 \u00a0to Dec. 8, on ESPNU. This year the series will focus on the training, discipline, heart, soul and sweat of the Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t talk about Grambling State University football, without talking about the Grambling State Band\u201d said the school\u2019s head football coach Doug Williams, featured in the Nov. 10 debut.<\/p>\n

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This year\u2019s HBCU journey is directed and produced by five time NAACP Image Award winner Roger Bobb, president of Bobbcat Films. Bobb was formerly the executive vice president of Tyler Perry Studios and producer of\u00a0House Of Payne<\/em>,\u00a0Meet The Browns<\/em> and 11\u00a0Tyler Perry films<\/em>. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an honor and a privilege to work with ESPNU on this project which gives an honest and fascinating look at what it takes to be a student and a band member at an HBCU\u201d said Bobb. Shante Paige is the executive producer of this season.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Battle<\/em> reflects a glimpse into the rivalry and tradition that dates back decades and defines HBCU bands, like the GSU Tiger Marching Band. Established in 1926, with 17-members, the band is now 250 marching strong with a resume that includes halftime performance at Super Bowl I and IX, a parade appearance in the nation\u2019s bicentennial celebration in 1976 and the inauguration of President George W. Bush in 2001, a place in the NCAA Hall of Fame and several national iconic commercials.<\/p>\n

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The band trains rigorously day-in and day-out for football games and band rivalries that date back decades as part of the HBCU tradition. The five-part series takes viewers from the very first steps at training camp to the final march at the Bayou Classic , an annual gridiron clash between Grambling State and Southern, as the students strive to meet the expectations that come with their band\u2019s namesake.<\/p>\n

\u201cA large majority of HBCU football fans take as much pride in the marching band halftime performance as the other four quarters of play that surround it,\u201d said ESPNU vice president Rosalyn Durant. \u201cAs the home for college sports we take pride in providing the content that our sports fans crave and \u2018The Battle\u2019 is a continuation of that commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n

VIEW TRAILER<\/strong>
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The Battle Presented by AT&T<\/em> on Thursday Nights (Schedule subject to change):<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Date<\/strong><\/td>\nTime<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Thu, Nov. 10<\/td>\n6:30 p.m.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Thu, Nov. 17<\/td>\n10 p.m.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Thu, Nov. 24<\/td>\n8 p.m.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Thu, Dec. 1<\/td>\n6:30 p.m.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Thu, Dec. 8<\/td>\n9 p.m.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

ESPNU<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/strong>The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually and offers over 600 original studio shows. ESPNU has seen a steady increase since its inception on March 4, 2005 and is now in over 73 million households. The brand is also available in high definition on ESPNUHD, now in over 20 million homes. The network has long-term carriage agreements with all 10 of the top multichannel TV providers \u2013 Cablevision, Charter, Comcast, Cox, DirecTV (Channel 208), DISH Network (Channel 141), Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV and AT&T U-verse.<\/p>\n

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