Explicit Walk Up Music

[RJK]

I don't think umpires should have to worry about the type of music being played, only if it's still being played when the batter is in the box. There are no official rules to walk up music (unless tournament made rules for it) just music ettiquite, which people tend to not follow, but umpires can't enforce ettiquite. In a 14u game especially, there isn't anything these kids havent heard or said at school so I wouldn't sweat it. Should the lyrics be clean...? Sure but why make a big spectacle if they aren't? I find it more irritating when teams dont follow basic ettiquite like the team warming up on defense inbetween innings plays the song and the offense does the walk up music. Instead sometimes you have 2 sides clashing music between innings and it sounds awful on the field.

 

[Imalt]

If you sit far enough out behind the outfield fence you won't even hear the walk up songs.

 

[Northball]

I could see an umpire being put between a rock and a hard place with this. Angry people on one side accusing ump of being the fun-killing morality police. Angry people on the other side accusing ump of condoning the language, attitudes, and behavior in the lyrics by not putting a stop to it.
Personal stance, if it can't be played over the radio airwaves, it has no place in a public setting.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Personal stance, if it can't be played over the radio airwaves, it has no place in a public setting.

That's the best way of handling it.

 

[_MIA_]

If you sit far enough out behind the outfield fence you won't even hear the walk up songs.

I like the way you think

 

[MightyMO]

I'm not a big fan of walkup music at tournaments. It can be fun for the younger kids but when multiple fields are doing it, it becomes a problem. Honestly, younger baseball teams are the worst about this. Typically that's the baseball mom picking little Jimmy's music and dressing him to the nines with chains and all so he can stand in the box while the other 9 year old can struggle to throw a strike...

Back on topic. DD's high school team has allowed walk up music for the last few years. They actually purchase a license to a piece of software that supplies a library of edited portions of songs to be used for walkup music and warm up/between inning music. They are covered on the music licensing part and they are assured the songs are very clean. We are talking everything is removed that may slightly offend someone. The software even offers a "radio" option that splices in school branded and sportsmanship type of messages between songs.

 

[Dabears17]

Back on topic. DD's high school team has allowed walk up music for the last few years. They actually purchase a license to a piece of software that supplies a library of edited portions of songs to be used for walkup music and warm up/between inning music. They are covered on the music licensing part and they are assured the songs are very clean. We are talking everything is removed that may slightly offend someone. The software even offers a "radio" option that splices in school branded and sportsmanship type of messages between songs.

I was at a conference where I think the same "clean lyrics" music license vendor was at. I can't remember their name and didn't pick up any of their information because I don't like walk-up music.

 

[MightyMO]

I was at a conference where I think the same "clean lyrics" music license vendor was at. I can't remember their name and didn't pick up any of their information because I don't like walk-up music.

I'm pretty sure it's not cheap. But it was worth it for the admin to not have to worry about it. They use it for all sports warm up music or in game music and even some of the cheerleader performances.

 

[pbyebye]

DD used the same walk up song most of her college career. There were definitely explicit lyrics in the song but they cut it to a few non explicit lines and only played that.
This is what was played
“Get out the way
Pretty boy comin' through
Me and my crew we swaggin' in the room”

She was lead off batter

That I like

 

[uncdrew]

I like the player announcements and the walk-up songs. Like being at an MLB game, it makes it more interesting and enjoyable (to me). I also like songs between innings. So do the girls on our team.

I do think the umpire has a say over this stuff. It's their field, they're in charge. If they don't want drumsticks, then tell us and we won't use them. If they don't wanting banging on buckets, just tell us and we'll stop.