NCAA Enforces “Neutral Event” Policy

The Virginia Tech Hokies women’s basketball team has a tradition of revving up their fans with Metallica’s 1991 hit “Enter Sandman.” However, during their recent March Madness games, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) enforced a no-music rule to create a “neutral event” atmosphere, preventing any perceived advantages for the home team.

Fans Chant “Enter Sandman” Regardless of Ban

Despite the NCAA’s decision, Virginia Tech Hokies fans demonstrated their passion by chanting “Enter Sandman” lyrics during the game. NBC 12 weekend news anchor Riley Wyant shared video footage of the chant and clarified that Virginia Tech hosted the Women’s NCAA Tournament game as a “neutral site.”

Wyant added, “So, the NCAA said the Hokies would be fined if they played their traditional ‘Enter Sandman’ entrance. So yes, the song was banned for this instance but not for usual home games.”

Virginia Tech’s History with “Enter Sandman”

This is not the first time that Virginia Tech has shown immense enthusiasm for “Enter Sandman.” The college football team’s fans once chanted the song so loudly that it registered on a seismograph. While Metallica frontman James Hetfield hasn’t commented on this recent event, he expressed excitement about the football instance.

Hetfield recalled, “I get goosebumps just talking about it. It was spectacular. The VT game, everyone jumping. I mean the military, the crowd, the team. Everyone. And I tell you, it has been an eight-year progression with it, but to be a part of their lives, to be a part of their team, and to pump people up with that, there’s no way. We can sit and try to write something that, ‘Oh, we need a song to pump the crowd up.'”

He continued, “…you can try to do that, but it’s not gonna work. It’s just not. So all of these things happen for a reason. It was out of our hands, out of our control. I mean, those fans of Virginia Tech, they’re the ones that made that. I mean, they needed that. So they found our song and we’re grateful for that. So we’re grateful.”