ESPN Events will present the third annual Red Lobster Band of the Year National Championship, a prestigious competition featuring the nation’s top marching bands from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The event will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. ET and will be streamed on ESPN+ in advance of the 2025 Cricket Celebration Bowl – the HBCU Football National Championship game between the champions of the MEAC and SWAC conferences.

The Red Lobster Band of the Year will feature the top two marching bands from both Division I and Division II conference levels along with Metro Atlanta High School bands – demonstrating excellence in musicianship, originality, precision and showmanship – competing for the title of Band of the Year. The championship will be the culmination of a season long competition where bands have been ranked according to their weekly halftime performances by a committee of marching band experts. The Red Lobster Band of the Year will Rankings have been posted on the Band of the Year and HBCU Gameday websites.

This year’s band finalist will include Florida A&M University (Marching 100) vs. Southern University (Human Jukebox) for the Division I matchup. The Division II matchup will see Miles College (Purple Marching Machine) attempt to defend their 2024 title – aiming to become the first band to win back-to-back championships – against Fayetteville State (Bronco Xpress).

“We’re proud to celebrate marching band culture and the incredible talent and hard work of marching band students,” said John Grant, Executive Director of The Red Lobster Band of The Year, Cricket Celebration Bowl and Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff. “This event will provide a platform for these amazing performers to showcase their skills and compete for the title of Band of the Year.

Tickets for the Red Lobster Band of the Year are available for purchase. For more information, please visit www.bandoftheyear.com.

ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, two college volleyball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.  Follow ESPN Events on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube pages.

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Media Contacts:
Danny Chi –  [email protected], 213-405-4400
Andrea DiCristoforo – [email protected], 213-405-4612