K-State marching band apologizes for halftime show
Kansas State’s marching band created a stir at halftime of Saturday night’s football victory over South Dakota with a Star Trek-themed show that, some say, at one point created a formation that resembled a sex act against a Kansas Jayhawk mascot.
Band members on the north part of the field formed a Jayhawk mascot. On the south part of the field, other members formed what was described as the Starship Enterprise heading toward the Jayhawk.
On the video showing the formation, two people run from the sideline into the middle of the Jayhawk formation and appear to unfurl a Jayhawk flag or banner. On the formation described as the Enterprise, five people ran from the sideline to unfurl a larger Powercat flag or banner.
After the game, the marching band’s Twitter account posted, “We apologize for anyone offended by our halftime performance depicting the starship enterprise and the Jayhawk mascot.”
K-State president Kirk Schultz retweeted the band tweet and wrote, “I am sorry if anyone was offended by the performance at half-time.” Athletic director John Currie retweeted Schultz’s statement.
K-State athletic officials declined comment on the matter and referred reporters to both tweets.
The performance comes a little more than a week after K-State students were asked to sign a sportsmanship pledge when picking up their athletic tickets. Part of the pledge says students must “refrain from using profanity and inappropriate chants” and to “show respect for all participating student-athletes, coaches, fans and officials.”
K-State band members are students and attend games in a lower section of Snyder Family Stadium.
The creation of the pledge came from students and athletic administrators after K-State students and fans rushed the court following the Wildcat basketball team’s victory over Kansas in Bramlage Coliseum last season. The rush included one student who appeared to intentionally bump into KU player Jamari Traylor.
K-State’s band was winner last year of the Sudler Trophy, given every two years to recognize the nation’s top marching band. The band was recognized last December in Chicago.
This story was originally published September 5, 2015 at 10:36 PM with the headline "K-State marching band apologizes for halftime show."