What is the NBL?

The National Band League (NBL) is the premier professional show-style marching band league, dedicated to showcasing elite musicianship, dynamic performances, and the rich tradition of marching culture at the highest level. With a competitive structure modeled after professional sports leagues, the NBL features eight bands split into two conferences, battling head-to-head in a season-long competition that culminates in a high-stakes championship event.

How It Works

Each band competes in a structured season where performances are judged through the innovative BandScore™ system—an advanced voting and adjudication method that balances expert evaluations with fan engagement. Battles are streamed virtually on YouTube, making the excitement of the NBL accessible to audiences worldwide.

More Than Just a Competition

The NBL isn’t just about winning battles; it’s about advancing the art of show-style marching, creating opportunities for talented musicians, and elevating the culture to new heights. Fans can engage by voting, checking in at events, and even earning multipliers through participation and contributions to the league.

With plans for future live events, gaming integration, and a cutting-edge fan experience, the National Band League is redefining what it means to compete in the world of marching arts. Whether you're a performer, a fan, or a supporter of the culture, the NBL is where passion and performance catapults our sport to the next level.

Rules

Band Composition and Instrumentation

Each NBL band must include the following instruments: 8 trumpets, 4 French horns, 4 baritones/euphoniums, 8 trombones, 4 tubas, and a percussion section consisting of 2 snares, 2 tenors, 2 bass drums, and 2 cymbals. Uniforms are at the discretion of the Band Director or Team President and must be worn during official performances.

General Competition Rules

Eligible setups for performances include the Battle Formation (used in pre-parade battles or street sound checks) and the Stand Formation (used in football games or BOTB settings). Performances must be recorded in one of these setups and in uniform to qualify as eligible clips. Bands compile their "book" (repertoire of eligible songs) by recording performances in eligible setups and submitting clips to the league using the official recording device.

Regular Season Structure

Each team competes in 15 games, including two games against each team (home and away) and one additional game against a divisional rival.

Playoff Structure

The Play-In round features the two 3rd-place teams from each conference competing for the 5th seed. Seeding for the playoffs is realigned by record, with tiebreakers determined by conference record and, if necessary, a mini 2-song battle. The 1st seed receives a bye, while the 2nd seed faces the 5th seed and the 3rd seed faces the 4th seed. Reseeding ensures that the 1st seed plays the lowest remaining seed. The NBL Cup, the championship match, is held at a major summer event.

Scoring

Scoring is determined by the BandScore™ system, which combines fan votes and judge scores. Uniforms and formations are mandatory for all eligible submissions.

Treble Clef Conference

The Treble Clef Conference is one of the two conferences in the National Band League. It features teams on the western region of the NBL map.

Teams

• Baton Rouge
• Dallas
• Houston
• New Orleans

Bass Clef Conference

The Bass Clef Conference is one of the two conferences in the National Band League. It features teams on the eastern region of the NBL map.

Teams

• Atlanta
• Chicago
• Memphis

BandScore™

BandScore™ is the innovative scoring system used by the National Band League to evaluate performances and legitimately determine a true winner and loser in a band battle. It combines expert adjudication with fan engagement to ensure a fair and exciting competition, and to ensure unbiased and legitimate scoring.

How It Works

Each performance is judged by a panel of experts who are selected and predetermined to be Official BandScore Judges. Their votes create a score, then fans vote on the battle as well. Through the fan vote, there are a multitude of factors that contribute a multiplier to your vote based off of different factors. The combination of these scores determines the BandScore™, which is used to rank teams throughout the season and create winners/losers that aren't just created by opinion. While opinion is still the basis of BandScore™, the multipliers and the unbiased judging gives the BandScore™ system the honesty and integrity to advanceourbeloved sport and add the last missing element in making our sport an ACTUAL SPORT! BandScore™ app COMING VERY SOON!

COMING SOON!

Standings

Contact Us

For general inquiries, sponsorship, and job opportunities, please use the following contact information:

• Email: natlbandlg@gmail.com
• Phone: (281) 946-9445

I Want To Play

Do you want to be a player in the National Band League? Please submit this form with all required information.

COMING SOON!