Eagles' Pep Band Nears End After 28 Years: Members Feel Shocked But Not Bitter

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The Eagles are discontinuing their relationship with the pep band, which consists of musicians playing for the games every Sunday at the stadium. aided in making "Fly, Eagles Fly" the unofficial anthem of Philadelphia The group began their journey in 1996 and accompanied the squad to New Orleans recently for the Super Bowl. On Wednesday morning, they were shocked to discover that their services had been terminated.

We're not bitter," remarked Bobby Mansure, co-founder of the Eagles Pep Band. "It has all been wonderful. From Super Bowl victories to standing on the field and getting to meet families, players, and friends. We leave with smiles on our faces.

As reported by CBS 3, The Eagles have decided to evolve Their in-stadium entertainment is changing. A DJ will be present at each home game from now on. Meanwhile, the Eagles Pep Band will be released in early April but will fulfill their last scheduled performance for the Eagles on Thursday morning in Montgomery County.

The group frequently appears across the area, performing their rendition of "Fly, Eagles Fly" at events like weddings, parades, and various gatherings. They play this anthem during pre-game tailgate sessions prior to kickoffs and sing it on the field before home matches. After each touchdown scored at Lincoln Financial Field, the tune echoes through the stadium. This iconic moment occurred shortly following the Eagles' victory in their second Super Bowl when enthusiastic Bird fans filled the stands of the Superdome and joined in singing. The Eagles Pep Band has been instrumental in bringing this song into existence.

How two Mummers transformed 'Fly, Eagles Fly' into Philadelphia's anthem

In 1996, the Eagles brought in the band to perform music at the parking lot of Veterans Stadium. Mansure, Brian Saunders, and Anthony "Skull" DiMeo adorned themselves with Ricky Watters jerseys and dubbed their group "The Fly Guys." The organization provided them with an outdated recording of "The Eagles Victory Song," originally composed in 1957 by Charles Borelli and Roger Courtland, both from Philadelphia’s advertising scene.

The lyrics starting with "Fight, Eagles, fight on your way to victory," appeared in the team’s programs at Connie Mack Stadium. The song was played by the Sound of Brass, a marching band introduced by the Eagles in the 1960s. However, the initial "Victory Song" did not gain traction and gradually disappeared over time.

The Fly Guys increased the song's pace and penned the famous line "Fly, Eagles Fly," which wasn’t part of the initial version. They altered roughly 20 percent of the lyrics, replacing “on your way to victory” with “on the road to victory.” This revamped the classic melody into one perfect for group singing.

When I included those words in 'Fly, Eagles Fly,' they seemed tailor-made," Saunders stated. "It was exactly right. My aim was for everyone to be able to chant it.

“'Fly, Eagles Fly': The Brief History of the Eagles’ Anthem”

The Fly Guys quickly transformed into the Eagles Pep Band, abandoned the Watters jerseys, and carried their music back to the parking lots.

We distributed flyers at each tailgate we visited," Mansure explained. "We marketed them throughout the parking areas too. Rather than marching along, we halted at tailgates and engaged with individuals. We collected contact details. We simply made connections with people, and before long, they started asking us, 'Will you come to our tailgate?'

As the Eagles regained their status with Andy Reid at the helm, the song gained traction. This 33-second tune—simple enough for even a young child to memorize—transformed into an anthem for Philadelphia fans. It's difficult to picture the team scoring touchdowns without hearing this fight song playing afterward. Over time, it became integral to the Sunday game-day routine.

In the upcoming season, the song will continue to play following Eagles touchdowns; however, the band that originated it won't be performing live for those moments anymore.

©2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Access inquirer.com for more information. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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