Of all college traditions, nothing trumps the moment when the beats of House of Pain’s “Jump Around” blast from the Camp Randall speakers, when the crowd erupts and the bleachers start to shake. In that moment — win, lose or draw — the game pauses and everyone jumps. This custom has become a hallmark of Wisconsin football for the last 27 years.
But now, with disappointing performances week after week, one has to wonder: when students’ attention spans are at an all-time low, is this staple enough to keep spectators in the stands?
The first game the stadium speakers played “Jump Around” on Oct. 10, 1998, was an attempt to bring energy back into Camp Randall. With multiple injuries and a tight game going into the fourth quarter, students and fans erupted in excitement at the first four notes from House of Pain.
All of those years ago, “Jump Around” marked the final stretch of the game and replenished the spirit needed to push the team through. This season though, the University of Wisconsin football team has gone two consecutive games scoreless. First against Iowa losing 0-37 and the following week against Ohio State at 0-34. The next week at Oregon, we held the Ducks to 21 points against our seven.
“Jump Around” has worked for the last 27 years, playing consistently right before the fourth quarter at every home game. Fans wait in anticipation for it, stopping hundreds of students from leaving early.
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“I think every person that goes to the football games waits for ‘Jump Around,’” UW 2024 graduate Ainsley McElligott said. “You really haven’t got to a Badger game if you haven’t jumped around.”
The tradition is something students are proud of, giving the feeling that we are all part of something larger than ourselves. It has been a solid anchor, keeping fans in attendance no matter how the team is performing.
Yet, despite the deep history of “Jump Around,” it seems that even the strongest traditions can lose their power when other aspects of the game begin to unravel. Student attendance is declining. Photos from the Ohio State game showed that less than half of the student section was full after the first quarter.
This decrease in attendance goes to show that performance does, in fact, matter. If students get the sense that the game is no longer competitive — Iowa sitting a full 37 points ahead — they no longer see a reason to stay.
We also need to remember that these students have a million other things to do with their time — from exams, student organizations and even joining nightlife, sometimes spending $20-200 on a student section ticket is not rational anymore.
There has been a “leave after jump” phenomenon since the tradition began, keeping students in the stands until right after the crowd has settled. Because the song plays right before the fourth, fans often can be convinced to say that last quarter to finish out the game, with hopes of a win. Recently, the only hope is that the team is able to rush 50 yards.
Traditions are strongest when the community feels connected and proud. The second the fans begin to feel disconnected, and attendance feels almost obligatory, the tradition begins to crack.
Though it has held strong for over two decades, “Jump Around” has lost the original excitement it once had. Keeping the joy of the song requires innovation.
The ballad remains a powerful tradition, however, its effectiveness, especially in a season the team is playing so poorly, is diminishing. Other pillars of the game day experience are beginning to triumph over the song, like tailgating.
Some may say that with such consistent poor performance, overindulging at the pregame tailgate is necessary.
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So what could they do to revitalize the atmosphere? The answer you’re all probably thinking of is to fire head coach Luke Fickell — and while I agree, that won’t be happening any time soon.
One idea is to promote staying until the end of the game. This could be anything from giveaways at the end or post-game concerts.
Another, is evolving what we currently have. Every game day is the exact same, like clockwork. Although this has worked thus far, it clearly isn’t anymore. Future games introduce new fan competitions or other interactive evens during breaks to integrate more student engagement.
Finally, and we can all say it in unison, figure out what’s happening on the field. None of the traditions held at Camp Randall are more important than the product on the field. When students aren’t proud of their team, they will stop showing up.
For Wisconsin, “Jump Around” is more than a House of Pain song — it’s part of UW culture. It is a high point of a lot of students’ weekends, and the fact that it has held strong for 27 years is something to be proud of.
But just because it has lasted for this long, does not mean it is untouchable. When the team is playing the worst it has in decades, and student attendance is comically low, “Jump Around” may not be enough on its own to keep people in the stands.
The question is not necessarily whether the tradition is good, but is the rest of the game day experience still enough?
Yes, “Jump Around” still matters, and it will keep me in my section until the fourth quarter, but it may not be enough on its own. The challenge persists: how can we improve the entire Badger experience that makes home games memorable? And not just the three minutes and 34 seconds that House of Pain has so graciously given us.