Two minor additions in 2019 BOA Rulebook


May 31, 2019 at 7:35 p.m. CT

Two minor additions in 2019 BOA Rulebook

By Jeremiah Wooten

Music For All today released its 2019 edition of the Bands of America Official Procedures and Adjudication Handbook with just two insignificant additions.

The first addition prohibits the use of any logos or marks of corporate brands "in a performance or on the performance field without the prior written approval of Music for All." Exemptions are made for logos that are manufactured on equipment or instruments as well as for band or school names, insignias, or logos.

Claudia Taylor Johnson's props display a sponsor's logo at the Austin Regional on Sep. 29, 2018. These sorts of displays are now banned following an update to the BOA rulebook. // Photo by Jeremiah Wooten.
This comes after Claudia Taylor Johnson included a Whataburger ad on their 2018 props. The popular fast food chain had made a significant donation to the band program to assist with the cost of prop construction and other expenses. After displaying the logo during prelims and finals at the Austin Regional in September, CTJ removed the logo from future BOA performances.

The second addition addresses the use of credentials by directors and staff. For any individual affiliated with multiple groups at a show, they must obtain a credential for each group they are representing. In the past, some designers or staff members who work with multiple ensembles have used a badge or pass from one school while going through the contest flow with a different school, essentially granting that second school the advantage of having extra field credentials.

The Official Procedures and Adjudication Handbook includes all rules and regulations for Bands of America competitions and breaks down the approach and process by which judges score each band's performance. The rulebook is updated each May based on input from directors, designers, adjudicators, and MFA staff.