Concord High School’s marching band will occupy approximately half of the home-side stands during Friday’s Homecoming football game, a move that has left football families questioning where spectators will sit, the Concord Monitor reported.
According to the Monitor, the school has designated a section behind the end zone closest to the scoreboard for students, while the band receives the home-side seating. Football families have raised concerns that the arrangement displaces students and spectators who attend to support the team.
The letter published by the Monitor asks whether alternatives have been considered, including folding chairs or temporary seating in the opposite end zone, or use of another area of Memorial Field. Families noted that seating concerns at Memorial Field are not new and have previously been raised with school and athletic department leadership.
The letter states that replacing Memorial Field may be a long-term answer but does not address the immediate need for students playing now. Families, friends, classmates and community members should be able to attend games and have a reasonable place to sit, the letter says.
The Monitor reported that families are asking the school to find a solution that works for everyone, acknowledging that the band deserves a place at Homecoming while urging reconsideration of the current seating plan.
For more information, visit concordmonitor.com.