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FSU football 'sensitive to wishes' of fans amid criticism of DJ music, game-day experience
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- FSU football 'sensitive to wishes' of fans amid criticism of DJ music, game-day experience
Florida State football has plenty to fix on the field after consecutive defeats to open the season .
But off-the-field adjustments are also in the works.
While the debate isn't new, many fans voiced their displeasure on social media with the game-day experience at Doak Campbell Stadium Monday against Boston College .
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They pointed to the malfunctioning video boards and scoreboard clock; questioned the choice of music and audio level of DJ spun tunes and piped-in songs; and wondered if the Marching Chiefs were being deliberately silenced on third downs.
In a statement released to the Tallahassee Democrat Tuesday, FSU athletics leadership said it appreciates feedback from fans and takes their concerns seriously.
The department said there's ongoing assessment during and following games to provide a positive fan experience.
"Our entire fan engagement team is in constant communication throughout each game," the statement read. "This enables us to have flexibility to adjust elements as the game situation dictates. Obviously, our performance in that area is a matter of constant scrutiny and we devote great effort and care to it. It requires a cohesive balance that is sometimes hard to master, and we are sensitive to the wishes of our fans."
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Scoreboard error unrelated to Doak Campbell Stadium renovations
A crowd of 51,719 attended the ACC game, or about 28,000 less than last year's capacity due to ongoing stadium renovations that have left the west stands with temporary seating.
According to FSU, while the renovation did not cause the scoreboard snafu, the stadium's video boards and game clock were inoperable at kickoff due to technical issues.
Those issues were corrected by the start of the second quarter.
Both functioned properly during multiple tests and rehearsals during the week and on game day, FSU said. Officials on the field kept track of the time.
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FSU to turn down the DJ music, shares details on soundtrack 'script'
Game music, according to FSU, follows an agreed "script" between athletics administration, the football team and the band. Last year, the football team asked for and was granted permission to select the music for third downs.
"There is latitude for changes including opportunities for the Marching Chiefs to play at any time of their choosing other than the mutually agreed upon segments involving third downs or during sponsored elements requiring a PA voiceover," FSU said. "Scripted music is played during those sponsored elements and on third downs."
In a statement released to the Democrat Wednesday from the FSU College of Music, the department said the Marching Chiefs and athletics have enjoyed a relationship of "mutual respect for decades." It also explained it meets regularly with athletics to discuss all aspects of the game day experience.
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"Our mutual goal, as it always has been, is to help the team on the field, and provide the best environment in college football for the fans. This continues to this day," the statement read.
The department also said the Marching Chiefs agreed in 2023 with the football team's request to introduce new music during third down, saying, "We believe this was a reasonable request."
"We take pride in our role in the game day experience — one that Seminole fans have come to expect," the statement read. "We will continue to work in partnership with athletics to find ways to improve the game day experience. We encourage everyone to continue to support coach (Mike) Norvell and the football team."
While FSU also said the audio level for music was not elevated Monday from past games, they plan to tone it down, saying, "We share the displeasure regarding the audio levels. That is being corrected."
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Also on Tuesday, a person who identified herself as a former Marching Chiefs band member posted a petition on Change.org that aims to request the FSU athletics department "to reduce the amount of DJ music and increase the opportunities for the Marching Chiefs to perform."
The petition had more than 7,200 signatures in support of the request by Wednesday evening.
Jim Henry is Tallahassee Democrat sports editor. Reach him at jjhenry@tallahassee.com .
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State football fans irritated by music, scoreboard problems
