The man behind one of the biggest HBCU band events in the country is expanding his reach and his mission.
Derek Webber, CEO of Webber Marketing and Consulting and the creator behind the Pepsi National Battle of the Bands, has a new chapter to add to an already remarkable story. The entrepreneur and HBCU culture champion recently sat down with HBCU Sports’ Kenn Rashad to discuss his newly released documentary, Celebrating Champions of Culture, now available on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video.
The documentary offers an inside look at the journey behind one of the most celebrated HBCU events in the country. For Webber, it represents more than just a film. It’s a strategic move to grow the platform and strengthen the financial ecosystem surrounding HBCU programs.
“We have to be very intentional in how we grow our platform,” Webber told HBCU Sports. “With the industry landscape changing with sponsorships and moving more towards media, we knew this was an easy decision for us to really grow our presence within the media space.”
Ten Years in the Making
Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the National Battle of the Bands has grown from modest beginnings into a cultural juggernaut. Held annually at NRG Stadium in Houston, the event has generated over $120 million in economic impact for the city of Houston and Harris County over the past six years alone. But perhaps more importantly, it has awarded more than $2.4 million in scholarships to HBCU bands, growing from $5,000 per school in its early years to $50,000 today.
Webber is candid about those early years, acknowledging that sustainability was once far from guaranteed.
“In the beginning, making sure that we were able to stay consistent and to be around and be sustainable was probably some of the challenging times,” he said, “but it was some of the times that really helped us build the character that we are to be consistent and keep growing in what we want to do.”
More Than an HBCU Halftime Show
For the students and band members who take the field at the National Battle of the Bands, this is no ordinary performance. Webber is intentional about making the experience feel different, from hosting band directors at press conferences to ensuring every element of the weekend centers the students’ experience.
“This is all about them,” Webber explained. “This is all about their talent, highlighting them as an individual, as a school, as a band.”
For those unfamiliar with HBCU marching band culture, encountering the event for the first time can be a revelation. Webber shared a recent encounter at the airport with a couple from Florida, non-HBCU alumni, who were blown away by what they experienced at NRG Stadium. It’s a reminder that the event’s reach is expanding well beyond the traditional HBCU community.
What’s Next
With the documentary now streaming, Webber has his sights set on a broader media footprint, including live performance programming on linear and streaming platforms, more scholarship funding tied to media revenue, and an expanded college fair that connects youth directly to HBCU opportunities.
His vision is ambitious but clear: a 365-day platform that generates meaningful revenue and funnels it back to the universities that make it all possible.
Watch the entire interview below.
