The University of Florida brought back its "gator bait" cheer on Saturday night during its season opener, more than six years after the university banned it due to its association with "horrific historic racist imagery."
New university president Stuart Bell had indicated the cheer might return, stating in June that "traditions matter" and that the phrase was "meaningful to the Gator family."
The cheer was heard at the Swamp early in the first quarter of the game against Florida Atlantic and was met with an enthusiastic response from fans. The return was anticipated, as clips of the university's band practicing the accompanying tune had circulated on social media in the week prior.
History of the Cheer
In June 2020, then-University of Florida president Kent Fuchs announced that the university's band would no longer play the musical cue that prompted fans to chant "gator bait." This decision was made amid growing concerns about the phrase's potential racial undertones. Historical imagery from the late 1800s and early 1900s depicted alligator hunters using Black babies to lure the animals, a practice linked to the cheer.
The ban came during a period of national focus on racial justice following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Many University of Florida fans at the time expressed dissatisfaction with the ban, arguing that the cheer was a long-standing tradition and was not intended to be racist.
Leadership and DEI Initiatives
Bell took over the university's leadership after a search process that saw the rejection of Dr. Santa Ono, former president of the University of Michigan, by the Board of Governors in June 2025. Bell's presidency follows the university's elimination of all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) positions in 2024, a move prompted by a new state law prohibiting the addition of such programs. The university also closed the Office of the Chief Diversity Officer and ended DEI-focused contracts with external vendors. Funds previously allocated to DEI initiatives, totaling $5 million annually, were redirected to a faculty recruitment fund.