In the past few weeks the University of Washington athletic department has heard a great deal of feedback from Husky fans regarding the day-of-game experience at Husky Stadium. In an effort to address some of the more frequently asked questions, longtime athletic administrator and former student-athlete, Shannon Kelly, and Husky Band Director Brad McDavid sat down to discuss some of the most prominent topics, including the band’s current role in the game day experience at Husky Stadium. It is difficult to hear the band, and we wish they would play more frequently. Is this being addressed? Brad McDavid: I, too, have been perplexed by the acoustical situation. Although the band’s new seating area allows the group more room for freedom of movement when we do our choreography, we are still finding projection to all parts of the stadium to be a unique challenge. We’ve tried different configurations within the block, but that has had little effect. However, the department is aware of the issue and I am excited that the decision has been made to address the issue by miking the band while we're in the stands. This will be done for the remainder of the current season and then the whole situation will be re-evaluated for continued improvement as we move into the 2015 season. I’m confident fans will definitely hear a difference and will once again enjoy the music we play while the game is in progress.

Shannon Kelly: Miking the band will definitely help, and we attempted to do so for the UCLA game. However, it is a complicated stadium in terms of acoustics, so it will continue to be a work in progress for us and we hope fans understand that. But fans should be assured this will continue to be a priority for us.

McDavid: As far as the frequency with which the band plays, we would love the opportunity to play more, and I am happy to report that the department is not only looking for new ways to incorporate the band in some of the in-game promotions, but is also making an increased effort to find more ways to incorporate us throughout the show.

Kelly: We have been trying to find the right balance between DJ music and the band, and moving forward, incorporating the band more will certainly be a priority for us.

McDavid: Some of you have also asked why the band doesn’t play as much between plays. Well, I can narrow that down to three words: “No-huddle offense!” How does the day of game team develop game themes? Kelly: Prior to the season, we themed out the year, and the theme this season was, “Celebrating the Husky Community.” Our first show was Our Backyard, celebrating the beautiful nature in which our stadium sits. The next game was Our Spirit, which was celebrating band and spirit. We interviewed band kids for videos and dedicated the whole day to celebrating our amazing band. The third game was Our Pack, when the students came back to school, celebrating the students and the spirit of the Dawg Pack. For the Homecoming game, we focused on Our Traditions, celebrating traditions past and present. For Veterans Day weekend we did Our Heroes, celebrating Huskies and Husky fans who have served, and then the final game will be Our Fans, a tribute to all of those on Saturdays who gather to cheer for their Huskies. The themes are all about celebrating who we are, as a Husky community.

McDavid: I think when we focused on tradition, it struck a nerve with some fans who miss the traditions of the old stadium. But it was simply an attempt to celebrate what's near and dear to the alumni that come back for Homecoming. It's not that we were celebrating Captain Husky and ignoring the fact that he's not here anymore, we were just celebrating traditions past and present. You mentioned Captain Husky — with his decision to retire, and the Helmet Car being donated to the MOHAI, what is being done to bring new traditions into the fold? McDavid: For those of us who have been attending Husky football games for the last couple of decades, there’s no mistaking the unique impact Captain Husky had on our game-day atmosphere. As most of you know, former Husky Band and Cheer Squad member Barry Erickson (AKA Captain Husky) became a treasured tradition during his years of donning the uniform from 1986 to 2011. However, upon the start of the renovation of Husky Stadium, Barry decided that he wanted to retire the Captain, as it was becoming more and more difficult to commit to all the games. Barry’s decision to create his version of a super fan was purely his alone, and the popularity of Captain Husky was largely organic. There are no plans for the band or cheer squad to create a new breed of the Captain, but if there's a gregarious person out there who wants to create their own super-fan persona, I’m sure the department would embrace him or her as well.

Kelly: We would be so incredibly open to that. Because we miss him, too. And Brad's exactly right. What was so great about Captain Husky was that he was viewed as “one of them.” He represented the ultimate Husky fan. From a department perspective, it doesn't feel right for us to try to recreate or manufacture that. But we would absolutely love it if somebody stepped up to fill that void — not that they necessarily would be Captain Husky, but to start their own fan-sourced tradition. We would be very supportive of that.

McDavid: As for the Helmet Car, unfortunately, when the track was removed from the stadium to allow the fans to sit closer to the field, the fate of the Helmet Car was sealed. Some fans have suggested a “Husky-ized” golf cart to replace the Helmet Car, but space between the playing surface and the front row of seats just doesn’t afford us the necessary room to do that and to keep those who are standing along the sideline at a safe distance. As much as it is missed, a fan’s idea of donating the Helmet Car to the Museum of History and Industry was a stroke of genius! Because of the MOHAI's willingness to put the car on display, all Husky fans can rest assured that it will be a permanent part of Husky lore.

Kelly: With the renovation, some beloved traditions are no longer possible. But we still do have many other wonderful traditions — for example, the band raising that big flag up the flagpole before the national anthem, “Tequila” and “Louie Louie,” the siren and the hat chant. And I think with the new home will come new traditions, which come from a lively band and spirit program and an engaged fan base. Just like with Captain Husky, they can't be marketed or manufactured. The department didn't tell fans to begin tailgating by boat or to start the “Go Huskies” chant. Fans did those things, and we're confident that with time, new and authentic traditions will develop. Speaking of the "Go Huskies" chant, why has it been so hard to get the timing right? How is the Dawg Pack being engaged to help? McDavid: I think it goes back again to the acoustics in the stadium, which we're still getting used to. And quite frankly, too, with the student body being in the end zone, it's not quite as easy as when we were just yelling directly across the stadium at the other side. Now we're in the end zone, and we're trying to reach the far corners of the north and south sides, and just like with the house speaker system, there's a delay in the transmission of that sound which has caused that cheer to not be as clear as it was in the old building.

Kelly: There was a lot of change. And one of the things that changed, too, is that everybody is sitting someplace different. And it's just like moving into a new house — you have to figure out how to participate given your new situation. Some fans just don't know — “Do I say ‘Go’ or do I say ‘Huskies?’” (For the record, the students and west end zone fans say “Go,” everyone else says, “Huskies.”) That's a beloved cheer, and we're hoping it gets better. With the acoustics and the placement of the band and students, it's a new challenge that requires some extra effort to overcome. One thing the band and students have been doing is combining arm motions with their “Go!” yells, to make the timing clearer to fans on the other end of the stadium. We've also begun having the cheer squad flank both sides of the stadium, and we're going to have prompts on the screen to make sure the students have the right tempo.

McDavid: It's a growing process, and something we're trying to tweak to make sure we get it right. Certainly, we want that “Go Huskies” chant to be every bit as imposing on our opponents as it was in the old stadium.

Kelly: Our day of game team also works very closely with the Dawg Pack Advisory Committee on all aspects of the Dawg Pack experience. It goes without saying that the students are the heartbeat of the game day environment, so their involvement and continued engagement, on all aspects of the game day experience, is essential. Who is Melvyn Poll and why is he our National Anthem singer now? Kelly: Mel is a decorated opera singer who's been a 27-year Husky football season-ticket holder. He was an adjunct professor of voice at the School of Music, and received both his BA and law degree from the UW. Mel bleeds purple and gold, and loves his alma mater dearly. We had an anthem singer, Bob McGrath, at Husky Stadium for 30 years, from 1964 to 1994. As we looked at our in-game experience, it was something that we thought was in line with what we do at our other home events. And Mel checked all the boxes in many ways — he is a loyal supporter, an alumnus and a talented performer. And just as we do with every aspect of the game day experience, we will continue to evaluate how to improve on this very important element of the show.

McDavid: When Mel first began to accompany the Husky Band, the delay in the audio through the stadium speakers made it difficult for him to keep time with the band, which was why the decision was made to have him sing a-Capella. But Mel has conveyed that his desire has always been to sing with the Husky Band, regardless of the delay, so I'm happy to say that we'll be going back to having the band accompany Mel during the anthem.

Kelly: I want to also be sure we address the feedback we received regarding the poorly executed Moment of Silence for the Marysville-Pilchuk tragedy. Given the tight turnaround time between when the tragedy happened and the game the next day, we did not rehearse the revised timing with Mel, which was certainly not his fault. In retrospect, we should have done a live rehearsal and it was certainly a learning moment for the entire team. What can the band community do to support the band and the day-of-game experience? McDavid: To be quite honest, as the face of large university athletics continues to evolve, it's important for fans to know that the athletic department is genuinely invested in looking for ways to keep the band an important part of the collegiate game day experience. It's important to remember that we've only been in this new building for 14 months — 13 games. I think in many cases, fans are just still settling into their new seats, and figuring out how to participate.

Kelly: Take the fans shouting “Tequila,” for example — I don't think you hear that as much in the new stadium, but that's something that the band community can help with, to pay attention to the band playing “Tequila,” participate, and engage the new fans sitting around them to do the same. What makes college football so special is students in the stands, students in band uniforms and students on the playing field. The pageantry that the band and spirit bring to a day-of-game environment is what distinguishes Husky football from any other sporting event in this town. As a department, we wholeheartedly believe that, and are open to engaging the band and band community about more ways in which we can bring that pageantry to life in one of the most beautiful stadiums in the country. As alumni, supporters and active members of the band and spirit program, your participation is essential, and we would like you to join us as we continue to examine and develop the game experience at Husky Stadium. We wholeheartedly encourage you to be part of the solution as we build upon our past to help develop the game day experience in our beautiful new stadium, so come early, be loud, and get your tailgates and seat sections to do the same. And please know we always welcome your suggestions and feedback. To continue the conversation, please email us at dawgsden@uw.edu