The 2022 National Battle of the Bands (NBOTB) once again packed the house at NRG Stadium. Over 55,000 fans from across the nation gathered together to see 8 of the best HBCU marching band’s spirited and passionate performances. To make things even better, the evening culminated with an electric performance by GRAMMY®-nominated hip-hop artists Quavo & Takeoff.
Hosted for the first time in Houston in 2019, The NBOTB event was created to be the nation’s kick-off to the fall marching band season. This annual event hosted by the Harris County – Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA), in partnership with Webber Marketing, serves as a yearly celebration of arts, education, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) culture.
“The NBOTB serves as an annual opportunity to not only celebrate HBCU culture but as a chance to create positive change within the community through educational and cultural initiatives,” said Harris County – Houston Sports Authority Vice President, Chris Massey. “The NBOTB platform allows event organizers to create change through scholarship opportunities, community initiatives, and arts and educational programming. Moving forward, we will continue to work towards using the NBOTB as a platform to bring new and exciting opportunities to the city of Houston.”
This year over 3,000 area youth were provided tickets to attend the HBCU S.T.E.M. College Recruitment Fair and the NBOTB event. This opportunity allowed local students not only an opportunity to experience HBCU culture and spirit but access to educational opportunities and resources. Students in attendance were able to speak with representatives from 22 universities, with real-time scholarship and acceptance opportunities. Over $700,000 in scholarships have also been donated throughout the event’s history to support educational and cultural initiatives.
Along with the educational and cultural opportunities, the NBOTB also takes pride in its efforts to provide a positive economic impact to the city of Houston. Specifically, the NBOTB is a proud supporter of local minority-owned businesses. In 2021 NBOTB helped provide over $100,000 in revenue for minority-owned businesses in Houston by contracting with them for various products and services. NBOTB once again supported local minority-owned businesses in the lead-up to the 2022 NBOTB and will continue to do so for years to come.
Photos by: Erik Rios
