The USC Band garnered backlash this weekend for playing during a portion of the University of California, Berkeley game that was allotted for honoring a Cal football player who died earlier this year.
USC Spirit of Troy members interrupted Cal’s on-field memorial for Bryce Turner, a 20-year-old defensive back who died in January following a medical emergency from a non-team workout, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Cal announced last week that it would pay tribute to Turner and his family during the game. As the family was being honored on the field, the USC band played the fight song.
USC band plays while @CalFootball honors recently deceased player on the field. @USCTMB needs to apologize or not be invited back to Berkeley pic.twitter.com/X5hefPjGOE
— Andy Nevis (@AVNevis) November 17, 2019
“Sincere apologies to the family of Bryce Turner and Cal fans for inadvertently performing during his memorial earlier,” the Spirit of Troy tweeted following the incident.
Arthur Bartner, who has been the band director since 1970, also issued a formal apology to Turner’s family and the university.
“Please accept my sincere apology for the USC Trojan Marching Band playing during the tribute to Mr. Turner,” he said in a statement, which was later posted on Facebook. “Due to a breakdown in communications, I was unaware of the memorial. However, that does not excuse our mistake. As the band director, I would never knowingly interrupt such a solemn event. We should have stood silently in respect to this young man. I accept full responsibility for our oversight, and apologize for our disruption.”
In an internal email obtained by Annenberg Media, marching band members were told not to “make any statements or comments to anyone asking about the memorial held during the football game.”
Meanwhile, Twitter went abuzz after the apology issued by the Spirit of Troy with some considering the band’s apology to be inadequate.
“I have been a USC fan for nearly 50 years and I am embarrassed by the insincere apology by this excellent band,” wrote Twitter user Ric Ruffinelli on Sunday.
Some echoed Ruffinelli’s sentiment, while others pointed out the marching band took the responsibility for the mistake in Bartner’s statement posted on Facebook.
“[It’s] good for Dr. Bartner showing people how to behave with class and grace,” wrote Facebook user Julia Wash. “It was a mistake that nobody who knows anything about TMB or Dr. Bartner believes was intentional.”
In a statement sent to Annenberg Media, USC Marching Band said that “TMB Alumni Association will make a donation to Bryce Turner’s memorial GoFundMe.”
Michael Runzler, communications chairman for USC Marching Band Alumni Association, said they are reaching out to Turner’s family on the GoFundme page and supporting him individually through donations.
“We’re stepping up as board members to show that this is what the Trojan family does,”
Runzler said. “It’s humanistic outreach to somebody who unfortunately died far too young and far too early.”