Men's Basketball | Rollouts part of Big 5 tradition for generations

Only in Philadelphia can oversized signs with messages on them be such a large part of a city's tradition.

Dating back 50-plus years, the "Big 5" is made up of St. Joe's, La Salle, Penn, Temple and Villanova. The Big 5 is filled with traditions, some old and some new. Thousands of students, alumni, and fans have taken part in the traditions over the years and continue to carry them into the future. One tradition that continues to be evident in Big 5 play is known to many as "bannerball."

Bannerball is battle that takes place off the court between  opposing student sections. Students take turns rolling out large banners displaying messages that support their own team, or more often insult the other team in some way. The messages typically utilize pop-culture references, professional athletes, coaches and anything and everything else that students can think of. 

Making rollouts is often a great way for student leaders to show their creativity.  Each school has developed their own way of physically making rollouts. For example, the St. Joe's booster club chooses to use spray paint where as Temple boosters use brush-on paint. The time and effort put into making rollouts before each Big 5 bout shows the importance of these large banners. To many in the stands, bannerball is a very important part of a Big 5 game, second only to the game itself.

For many students, rollouts offer an opportunity to showcase high knowledge and cultural aptitude.

"It shows other teams and fans that we are not just a student section with chants, we have a high basketball IQ and are well educated in popular culture," said Dave Brisbane, '12.
Bannerball is one tradition which has not faded as time has passed. It continues to be evident in each Big 5 game as students and fans alike wait for timeouts, stops in play or any other reason for banners to be rolled out. Even young children are influenced by Big 5 traditions when they are growing up watching Philadelphia basketball games. Booster club member Mark Wehrle, '11, recalls his experience living the Philadelphian tradition. 

"Growing up, [rollouts] were my favorite part of watching basketball in Philadelphia. It's the fans' way of battling with each other while the teams battle on the court," said Wehrle.

As time goes on, children at games will grow up with a great sense of what college basketball is all about.  Many take for granted how rich  this city is with basketball tradition, but continuing the things that make the Big 5 special will hopefully show fans how lucky they are. Some think the Big 5 has died, but many would beg to differ. The Big 5 has changed, and will continue to change, but anyone who thinks it is dead has not been to the Palestra on a Saturday afternoon. The Big 5 is a tradition that many grew up with and if the booster clubs, fans, and alumni continue rolling out, it's poised to remain for years to come.