Marching band should be considered a sport, amirite?

Consider: it doesn't have to be a sport for you to be an athlete. Competitive dance isn't a sport. Competitive dancers are athletes.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

They've been trying to get competitive dance as an Olympic sport for a very long time.

by maryjanelebsack 3 days ago

What's the reason you don't consider it a sport?

by Anonymous 3 days ago

It's not a sport for the same reason I don't consider ballet a sport. It's an artistic performance.

by Anonymous 3 days ago

Physical effort is not the hard part, and "competitions " are just evaluations of performance, the majority being some type of artistic performance. There is no offense, defense or racing to be first. Having said that, skills are a huge factor, but there is no real judgement of whose skills are best.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

There is no offense, defense or racing to be first. None of these are required for an activity to be a sport.

by Abshirecatharin 2 days ago

Hmmm.... Do you consider gymnastics a sport?..…... If yes, how does one "win" in gymnastics competition?......... Hmmmm......

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Gymnastics is one of the most strenuous physical activities. But no, I don't really think it's a sport.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

So you just vibe it

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Nah, sorry. I did many years of band. An activity. There is a physical component. Sometimes even competitions. But not a sport. And band members should rejoice in that.

by Naive-Letterhead-454 2 days ago

Its not a sport. I would argue that the athleticism/physical skill has to be at the core of the activity, not incidental to it. You could argue that playing in a band requires physical skill but then you end up concluding that all musical competition is sport, which I don't think is right. I wouldn't consider chess to be a sport either, its a board game.

by luciouslabadie 2 days ago

Marching bands are a performance. Nothing you said indicates it is a sport in anyway. Something being physical doesn't matter. "What sport do you play" "Tuba"

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Nah, it's barely a competition

by Practical-Bug 2 days ago

How so?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Lack of rules / very loose judging parameters

by Practical-Bug 2 days ago

I'd say that's a bit more typical with middle/high school bands. But when it comes to DCI the judging and stuff gets more intense.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I played sports and was in marching band It ain't a sport brother

by Anonymous 2 days ago

It completely crossed my mind to even say what I played. I played clarinet.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Ok, but so flag or tackle?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I'm a bit confused on what this means. I've never heard these terms used in marching band.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

When you're playing against other marching bands, do you determine ball turnover by grabbing the flags around their waist or by tackling the other players to the ground?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I think I maybe understand this, is this a football thing?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

You don't really understand what a sport is, do you?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I have my opinion on what I think a sport is which definitely differs from what other people think I was just confused on what you were exactly trying to say/get across. I did ask for clarification, which you did give, but I am still a bit confused.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Lol, do you play flag or tackle gymnastics?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

He's not trying to say that he plays tackle baseball

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Listen, do you really want to call yourself an athlete instead of a musician? Most people understand that marching is difficult, but you're usually putting on a show, not competing head to head with another marching band. Although depending on where you're from marching competitions may be more or less common.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

I see your point on this. So maybe not calling marching band what you would call a typical sport like say football, but maybe a kind of sport because it does involve doing this a typical sport does? And for the competition stuff, our band did compete against other bands for placing.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Funny enough where I went to middle school we were exempt from having to take PE if you were in band. The reasoning being the marching band component of band class was another equivalent form of exercise. Still wouldn't say its a sport

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Do you consider theater a sport? How about the people on the crew that build the stage? There are physical aspects to those as well. Who exactly are you competing against? They certainly don't name a winner after the halftime performance.

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Band 100% counted as PE at my high school in the 90'/s

by eliezergoldner 2 days ago

Probably not considered a sporting event, but there are actually marching band competitions, so that's kind of similar.

by Low-Sand 2 days ago

Doesn't have to be a sport to be recognized as something that takes effort and skill. It's not a sport but it's cool. I don't see why band kids want it to be a sport so badly. I've heard this take a million times and It feels like a need for validation. Band is great, but not a sport.

by EnvironmentalDog2801 2 days ago

It doesn't have to be declared a sport for it to be considered a sport by those who have done it and know what it takes.

by maryjanelebsack 2 days ago

If golf is a sport, then marching band is definitely a sport.

by Adorable-Basil 2 days ago

We had a debate about this in my classroom, and the conclusion was that marching band is indeed a sport. Like many other Olympic sports (gymnastics, martial arts, ice skating, etc.), marching band is judged based on the PHYSICAL proficiency of the performance!

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Things like diving or track and field are competing for ratings and scoring a lot of the time, aren't they?

by Anonymous 2 days ago

Are you competing with anyone?

by Anonymous 2 days ago