For decades, football fans have walked into Mountain America Stadium excited to watch the Arizona State football team. But constantly present behind the action is the noise of fanfare emerging from the bleachers, the sound of an often overlooked element at football or basketball games — the band.
ASU's music program is extensive, but the Sun Devil Marching Band in particular has been a mainstay at athletic events since being founded in 1915 by Lillian Williams. The ensemble continued to have success, receiving the Sudler Trophy in 1991, which is awarded to only one band per year, before current director James Hudson arrived in 2006.
Since its infancy, the band has grown to over 350 members and encompasses a variety of activities beyond instrumentation, including colorguard, percussion and twirling.
To make it into the horns section of the marching band, instrumentalists do not need to formally audition, leading to a larger community of interested individuals. While the marching band is open to all students, the basketball band does require an audition and is significantly smaller in size.
However, the band was limited to taking just 29 people when ASU made it to the Peach Bowl against Texas last January. For those who got to go, the moment was one of the highlights during their time at ASU.
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"Everyone thinks that that was an opportunity of a lifetime," senior drum major Audrey Hutson said. "Even though we lost the game, at the end of the day, we were all just so happy to be there and have the opportunity. Because who has the opportunity to travel with the football team to Atlanta and perform?"
The bands show up regardless of how well ASU football plays, but the Sun Devils' sustained success over the past two years has led to increased interest among the band members.
Hudson recalled how the band was watching ASU play Kansas State in November 2024 after a performance in the state marching band championships.
"Kids were hanging out in the parking lot or on the bus, eating their sandwiches, and I heard them cheering," Hudson said. "They were watching the game, and that was a huge change for us."
Even rivalries traditionally confined to sports transcended from the football field to the bleachers. The Sun Devil Marching Band played a set dedicated to legendary Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away in July 2025, in a "battle of the bands" against UA during the Territorial Cup on Nov. 28, featuring tracks like "Crazy Train," "Iron Man" and "War Pigs."
"The most satisfying thing was probably at the end of the show, we all group up together and just blast and ... at that point, if you did good or bad, it doesn't matter because you're just all playing loud together," sophomore Patrick Vottis, a trombonist in the marching band, said.
Music selection is key for athletic bands who want to connect with their audiences. ASU has a number of fight songs it plays at moments throughout the game, such as after a touchdown, but Hudson gets inspiration from an assortment of sources.
Students give constant input on songs that could be performed, and Hudson scours the Billboard charts every week to find new hits. Over the past year, he's written sheet music for songs like "HOT TO GO!", "Golden" and "Abracadabra" in addition to incorporating classics like "Seven Nation Army" and "Thunderstruck."
The band's efforts haven't gone unnoticed either. ASU athletics director Graham Rossini, football head coach Kenny Dillingham and women's basketball head coach Molly Miller are just a few of the high-profile names that have thanked the ensemble for their support.
"Because of coach Miller and because of coach Dillingham and because of Graham Rossini, the vibe in the department has changed, and I honestly think they feel appreciated," Hudson said.
Most of the band's members don't come from music majors, opting to join the band because of prior involvement with music and to gain a deeper sense of community at ASU. As students and fans of the University, their pride shines through in more ways than one.
"We will always be here to support whatever athletic team (there) is, and at the end of the day, my goal is to leave water in the cup for the next generations of marching band people to come through," Hutson said.
Edited by Alan Deutschendorf, Senna James and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at pvallur2@asu.edu and follow @PrathamValluri on X.
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Pratham Valluri is a sports reporter at The State Press. He is a junior majoring in sports journalism with a business minor. He’s in his 5th semester with The State Press working previously as an opinion writer.
