2025 BOA Grand National Championships (Nov. 13-15)

[RattlerDad]

2 hours ago, oddlynormal said:

A trip BOA GN is NOOOOOOOT cheap for any band.  I do not care what demographic you come from.  It is stupid expensive.  Marching band is also now a lot more expensive than it was when I was a kid.  

 

This year, we are all-in at about $5,587 for our Senior - just band (we have a separate tab for just band-related expenses for the child).  The big chunks are below, and like I said, we are finishing on a high note!

Band Fee, Meals,  - $1,000 / $100 = $1,100

Grand Nats = $1,150

Midwest Clinic = $1,800

This does not include event tickets (didn't realize Grand Nats was 4 ticketed events in 1 - hello), lodging, airfare, t-shirts and patches for the child, and nachos.  Way toooo many stadium nachos.

 

2 hours ago, LeanderMomma said:

I don’t remember deleting anything like this!  Unless it was part of a response to a post I DID delete. Who knows. Either way, I’m glad that you went to the trouble of reposting it, and I am so happy the Reagan band ended up having such a wonderful experience when it started out so rough for them. Hopefully they are well rested now! Traveling to a contest like grand nationals right after leaving a contest like BOA San Antonio is not for the faint of heart.

No worries at all. I had replied to a deleted comment.

[JoeSchmoe]

Pretty sure I got cleaned up as well. I didn’t go after the kids, everyone is talented. It’s free speech and our first amendment right so some of our opinions should not be silenced. Now I understand the blatant hate and bashing being take care of, but frustration and callouts should not be. Avon won, and Instagram comments are mostly in agreement that FloMo was robbed. We are entitled to that opinion and the theories as to why such events have taken place. Would also like to point out that Carmel was the band invited to the Rose Parade and Avon took the eagle. Does raise an eyebrow for me on this 50th anniversary.

[LeanderMomma]

1 hour ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Pretty sure I got cleaned up as well. I didn’t go after the kids, everyone is talented. It’s free speech and our first amendment right so some of our opinions should not be silenced. Now I understand the blatant hate and bashing being take care of, but frustration and callouts should not be. Avon won, and Instagram comments are mostly in agreement that FloMo was robbed. We are entitled to that opinion and the theories as to why such events have taken place. Would also like to point out that Carmel was the band invited to the Rose Parade and Avon took the eagle. Does raise an eyebrow for me on this 50th anniversary.

Well, it’s a marching band forum that kids from all over the country read, and the moderators are “freely” able to use their discretion on what to delete and what to leave in. There’s nothing that says we have to leave every single comment on here just because you have the right to free speech. Tread carefully. 

[tubapop]

2 hours ago, oddlynormal said:

I love all of this.  My heart goes out to the Flower Mound Band.  I am sure it was a hard pill to swallow.  However, this artform is very competitive and every single band in national finals is great.  Just like the San Antonio Super Regional and the UIL SMC contests every finalist is great.  Since I was young, and I am older now, the Texas band scene has exploded.  I mean, it has always been great, but the last several years has just been transcendent.  

With that being said there is a reason UIL evolved a LOT over the last 10 years.  When I was a kid the UIL SMC was a dry, boring and uneventful contest.  BOA was really running over UIL pretty hard in the late 90s-the early 2000s.  Once UIL moved to the Alamodome and started the modern shift UIL has the same feel as the BOA super regional does.  When I was a kid we considered the BOA SA show the end of the season and the UIL SMC just a lame last contest.  Those directors who now kinda run things at UIL were students in many of those bands and hated the experience.  I am so glad to see UIL really step up for this very reason.  A trip BOA GN is NOOOOOOOT cheap for any band.  I do not care what demographic you come from.  It is stupid expensive.  Marching band is also now a lot more expensive than it was when I was a kid.  You combine those to things and you have to move a LOT of money.  I am so thankful to have a BOA Super Regional and the UIL SMC contests ran the way they are.  You get the very same experience as nationals as close as you can without going.  

I wish we could have nationals travel or even come to Texas.  This has been a dream of so many since I was a kid in HS.  However, it is not going to happen.  This is why we have the SA Super Regional and the UIL SMC step up so much.  

I’m curious where you attended HS. I was in HS just slightly before you (mid to late 90s) and the Texas marching landscape was a lot smaller back then. If you were going to TXSMC back then I surely would know your HS’ name. Langham Creek HS here. 

[JoeSchmoe]

12 hours ago, LeanderMomma said:

Well, it’s a marching band forum that kids from all over the country read, and the moderators are “freely” able to use their discretion on what to delete and what to leave in. There’s nothing that says we have to leave every single comment on here just because you have the right to free speech. Tread carefully. 

Threatening is crazy considering I have not insulted a program, as I’ve only commented on potential bias patterns and home field advantage. 

[JoeSchmoe]

12 hours ago, LeanderMomma said:

Well, it’s a marching band forum that kids from all over the country read, and the moderators are “freely” able to use their discretion on what to delete and what to leave in. There’s nothing that says we have to leave every single comment on here just because you have the right to free speech. Tread carefully. 

And some kids may have the same opinion as me. 

[J-Mike16]

11 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Threatening is crazy considering I have not insulted a program, as I’ve only commented on potential bias patterns and home field advantage. 

I think the whole point of that is to just be careful with what is said. I understand the results were not what many wanted however you can't just let your emotions take over yourself to the point of making comments that could and will be seen by the masses of band students and parents/teachers all over the country. Our TXBands community is already being talked about all over the Hornrank community because of the nasty people that keep coming into here talking all kinds of nonsense. 

You personally may not have insulted a program however in the same post you already showed signs of disapproving Avon and Carmel with their accomplishments. I understand about free speech and the first amendment but just be careful with what you say on these forums. And that does apply to everyone in here.

[oddlynormal]

18 hours ago, tubapop said:

I’m curious where you attended HS. I was in HS just slightly before you (mid to late 90s) and the Texas marching landscape was a lot smaller back then. If you were going to TXSMC back then I surely would know your HS’ name. Langham Creek HS here. 

I went to a HS in the DFW area that has won the SMC a few times and made national finals several times as well.  Things were just starting to shift for the better as I was leaving HS.  

[JoeSchmoe]

5 hours ago, J-Mike16 said:

I think the whole point of that is to just be careful with what is said. I understand the results were not what many wanted however you can't just let your emotions take over yourself to the point of making comments that could and will be seen by the masses of band students and parents/teachers all over the country. Our TXBands community is already being talked about all over the Hornrank community because of the nasty people that keep coming into here talking all kinds of nonsense. 

You personally may not have insulted a program however in the same post you already showed signs of disapproving Avon and Carmel with their accomplishments. I understand about free speech and the first amendment but just be careful with what you say on these forums. And that does apply to everyone in here.

Thank you for the respectful response. This was very effective. This is the proper tone and diction to use when communicating about these issues. Appreciate it.

[Vegas Band Fan]

On 11/15/2025 at 2:12 PM, hsbandnerd212 said:

Please send frustrated emails to Box5's email: support@box5.com

I heard back from the owner of Box5. His comments were borderline condescending. No apologies at all. I had made a comment about some on the HornRank site being upset with their product. He stated that he could care less what a bunch of young people or teens (don’t remember his exact words) on an unmoderated site think about Box5. Guess he doesn’t know it’s not all young people who visit this site and yes it is moderated. He also said that he went to that site and could not find any comments about the issues. Guess he didn’t look long enough. 
 

I have disputed part of the season fee paid with Amex. I was willing to let it slide until I received his two emails. I won’t be purchasing next year as BOA has hooked up with Box5 again. I also sent an email to MFA. Crickets to date. I will miss watching the bands but it’s now based on principle. 

[tubapop]

49 minutes ago, Vegas Band Fan said:

I heard back from the owner of Box5. His comments were borderline condescending. No apologies at all. I had made a comment about some on the HornRank site being upset with their product. He stated that he could care less what a bunch of young people or teens (don’t remember his exact words) on an unmoderated site think about Box5. Guess he doesn’t know it’s not all young people who visit this site and yes it is moderated. He also said that he went to that site and could not find any comments about the issues. Guess he didn’t look long enough. 
 

I have disputed part of the season fee paid with Amex. I was willing to let it slide until I received his two emails. I won’t be purchasing next year as BOA has hooked up with Box5 again. I also sent an email to MFA. Crickets to date. I will miss watching the bands but it’s now based on principle. 

Bands of America. Why Change Anything?TM

[LeanderMomma]

1 hour ago, Vegas Band Fan said:

I heard back from the owner of Box5. His comments were borderline condescending. No apologies at all. I had made a comment about some on the HornRank site being upset with their product. He stated that he could care less what a bunch of young people or teens (don’t remember his exact words) on an unmoderated site think about Box5. Guess he doesn’t know it’s not all young people who visit this site and yes it is moderated. He also said that he went to that site and could not find any comments about the issues. Guess he didn’t look long enough. 
 

I have disputed part of the season fee paid with Amex. I was willing to let it slide until I received his two emails. I won’t be purchasing next year as BOA has hooked up with Box5 again. I also sent an email to MFA. Crickets to date. I will miss watching the bands but it’s now based on principle. 

I’d love to see the receipts on this. Astonishing really!

[jmartin1056]

1 hour ago, Vegas Band Fan said:

I heard back from the owner of Box5. His comments were borderline condescending. No apologies at all. I had made a comment about some on the HornRank site being upset with their product. He stated that he could care less what a bunch of young people or teens (don’t remember his exact words) on an unmoderated site think about Box5. Guess he doesn’t know it’s not all young people who visit this site and yes it is moderated. He also said that he went to that site and could not find any comments about the issues. Guess he didn’t look long enough. 
 

I have disputed part of the season fee paid with Amex. I was willing to let it slide until I received his two emails. I won’t be purchasing next year as BOA has hooked up with Box5 again. I also sent an email to MFA. Crickets to date. I will miss watching the bands but it’s now based on principle. 

That’s crazy. Sad to see grown adults act so childish. Own up to your own mistakes and try to make things better for the future.

 

On a side note, has anyone had issues getting the hornrank forums to load? I haven’t been able to load the site since Sunday.

[LeanderMomma]

9 minutes ago, jmartin1056 said:

On a side note, has anyone had issues getting the hornrank forums to load? I haven’t been able to load the site since Sunday.

No troubles for me. Have you tried different browsers?

[jmartin1056]

10 minutes ago, LeanderMomma said:

No troubles for me. Have you tried different browsers?

No, I haven’t. That would probably help though lol. I’m just surprised it suddenly stopped working on my phone.

[LeanderMomma]

3 minutes ago, jmartin1056 said:

No, I haven’t. That would probably help though lol. I’m just surprised it suddenly stopped working on my phone.

It could be something as simple as needing to update your phone, close out your browser and sign back in, or turning your phone off and back on. Who knows why these things happen but I understand how frustrating it is when they do!

[bassboneman]

16 hours ago, Vegas Band Fan said:

I have disputed part of the season fee paid with Amex. I was willing to let it slide until I received his two emails. I won’t be purchasing next year as BOA has hooked up with Box5 again. I also sent an email to MFA. Crickets to date. I will miss watching the bands but it’s now based on principle. 

There is normally YouTube videos right after words and sometimes someone streams it on yt....