OU Marching Band Director Ditches Change To Pregame Fanfare

After hearing outrage from Sooner fans, the director of "The Pride of Oklahoma" Marching Band has ditched plans to change what it played before the game.

Through social media, alumni and fans voiced their anger over video showing a new pregame fanfare that was recently posted online.

The Pride is under the leadership of first year Director Dr. Justin Stolarik.

Pride members have come out onto the field before each game the same way for decades.

"It's as loud as a great football play. It's that meaningful to football fans," says Ed Averyt, who hasn't missed a game in Norman since the 1980s.

Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Stolarik released a statement saying the pregame fanfare will not change.

"The band believes in listening to the views of our many fans, and they have asked that we keep our traditional pre-game fanfare. That's exactly what we are going to do," says Dr. Stolarik in the statement.

"The fact that they retracted so quickly, it means they are listening to the fans," says Pride Alumni Kevin Winsell.