UTAD cutting band funding/involvement? (Merged)

#126
#126
crusse10 said:
If the band routinely worked on stands tunes to make them better and more exciting, this would have never happened.
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I could be wrong, but I think the band performs a new show just about every week and that is no small feat. "Learn these four new songs and these few hundres steps in a few days." That takes up the large majority of their time I would think. I'm not disagreeing with your point because it is valid. But that would obviously take a small change in priorities. I'm honestly on the fence on this one. I would like to have some newer music to get the crowd going. But a Tennessee game is just not the same with out the Pride of the South Land in attendance, even if it's on the moon!
 
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#127
#127
well if it is true,all i can say is our Ad doesn't get it,i haven't seen Hart do anything that i went wow that was great,the first thing he done was get rid of Wilcox and company,that's right,wasn't he the one that said no contracts over a year ?he cut Dooley off at the knees in a hurry and then surprise, Bammers were hired ,with good sized contracts

don't get me wrong,I really do like that CBJ was hired,but Hart backed into that hire,his guys all turned him down right? and now something like this,how could he or any others at UT not want The Pride of the Southland Marching Band to be with the team ?

Hart seems to be a culled Brick to me,hopefully the problem will get rectified,but i doubt it,time will tell

Go Vols

Salute to the Hill - UT Band - Rocky Top - YouTube

Pride of the Southland Band Circle Drill - Music City Bowl 2010 - YouTube

2011-12 Pride of the Southland Marching Band forming the T - YouTube
 
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#130
#130
DeerPark12 said:
The band will still perform pregame and at halftime and will still play after scores and at various times between plays.

However, the plan to increase the amount of upbeat music played over the speakers at times the band had usually played is absolutely real and is absolutely happening.

Band travel has been cut slowly over the last few years. It's not as simple as "putting the kids on a bus," as one poster suggested. If the band travels, they have to play for hotel rooms and meals/per diem at the normal university rate. 400 band members and staff, even at 4 to a room is 100 hotel rooms.

Let's go on the low end and say each room is $90/night (any of you that have traveled to away games know rooms are MUCH more than this on a game weekend). Even if they only stay one night, that's $9,000 just for rooms. If they leave on Friday afternoon, they have to pay them standard per diem of $22 for dinner Friday, $10 breakfast Saturday, $12 lunch Saturday and $22 dinner Saturday. That's another $66 each, so another $26,400. The band tickets to the road game aren't free. Alabama tickets this year are $75. So there's another $30,000 for tickets. How do they get to the game? That would be seven coach busses,rented for two days with a driver for around $4k each. Another $28k.

So, on the absolute low end, it costs at least $93,400 to take the full band to a road game that they can drive to and only stay one night.
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First, I want you to understand that I don't completely disagree with the point you are trying to make. I just think your numbers are way too high.

I am in the hotel business and I promise you, if a group guarantees to rent 100 rooms, the rate is going to be much, much lower than $90. I'm talking like $50 a room...IF UT feels like paying that much. They could just go to another hotel if not. UT has been doing this for years and I have no doubt they have agreements with hotels in different areas to guarantee them a low rate. Not only is the rate going to be super low, but there are going to be clauses in the contract that give complimentary rooms. (IE staff AND something like 1 comp per 15 rooms).

I realize this doesn't save a ton of money in the big picture, but I have a hard time believing they don't have similar agreements with bus companies, which would help a lot according to your calculations. The tickets to away games I am sure are sold in a block at a rate much lower than $75 a ticket. The per diem I can't argue with.

The point is, these numbers may seem like a lot to everyday people like us, but when you add in all the discounts that universities receive vs income, it kind of becomes chump change to them.
 
#131
#131
Well since Kiffin don't have a job , maybe him and Lil Wayne can team up together and do their #1 hit Karma is a Butch at the halftime show
 
#133
#133
DeerPark12 said:
It seems many are missing the point. They aren't cutting the band playing at home games to show more commercials. They aren't doing it to save money. They are cutting the band to play more rock/rap music to fire fans up, like is done at NFL stadiums and is increasingly being done at college stadiums. The fan satisfaction survey done a couple of years ago indicated many fans wanted more of this.

The fact that the band director has actively fostered a toxic relationship with the athletic department and the last two athletic directors has only made this decision easier for the AD to make.
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That last part confirms what a lot of people in my section have thought for a while. Spreading only a quarter of the story on social media to rile up the masses isn't going to help that relationship.


Hopefully somebody in the UTAD can get out in front of this today...otherwise they will have already lost the PR battle.

A lot of the dimmer bulbs are already buying the bands' story that they're being cut/minimized for money.
 
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#134
#134
Its a marching band....and one not known to be creative or visionary...are their really that many band geeks (AKA misfits) on here?
 
#135
#135
If what deerpark is saying is true and that's all there is to it then oh well we have heard the same 5 songs since 1998 it's gotten old plus half of these kids today don't even Bon jovi is.
 
#138
#138
crusse10 said:
Sounds pretty legit. There is very little argument to the notion that high school and collegiate football players prefer popular music to marching bands
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Yeah..bump rap and other pop crap and watch those stands be filled to max capacity.........said no one ever.
 
#142
#142
So then what will be the use of the band at UT. Will they quit giving Band schollies? I don't think so. Our band is a long tradition at UT and brings in a lot of revenue and a lot of kids go to school for free because of the band. They will hurt a lot of kids now and in the future if they ever get rid of the band. No way this happens.
 
#143
#143
If this ends up true, I can have a better experience at home where I won't be hassled having my drink in hand while being thrown consumerism at me. As an ex band member (not the pride. Carson Newman obviously) who went through a budget cut, I hope the big boosters and crowd step up at UT like they did at Carson Newman. We were without a marching band for a whole semester....and the boosters had a fit.
 
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#144
#144
Playing Living on a Prayer is completely inappropriate. Whoever believes anyone wants to hear that is an idiot. I assume this idiot holds some position with the band. He or she needs to resign their song choosing duties immediately. I love the band but that crap is ridiculous.
 
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#145
#145
chatt-townVOL said:
My question is, how would it save money for the band to play less songs during the games?

Not buying it.
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Nobody would go along without our traditional run through the T, pregame show... That is one reason I come to the game instead of watching on TV.

As long as they don't eliminate them all together, I don't see how it saves money either. Also, I like it when they travel to away game, fills the stands with more cheering fans for our side.
 
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#146
#146
Speaking of prayer, are they still doing the pregame prayer? I remember someone suing over it
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#147
#147
I don't believe the band will be totally be done away with. I think they will come to a solution in the middle. They would probably reduce the band some but don't worry they will still be there. Even though the Pride isn't good for nothing else butting playing Rocky Top and a few other songs I still believe they need them at that game if not just for that. Also if they get rid of the band How in the heck are they suppose to run through the T now that is what I am more pissed about
 
#148
#148
WallyBalls said:
That last part confirms what a lot of people in my section have thought for a while. Spreading only a quarter of the story on social media to rile up the masses isn't going to help that relationship.


Hopefully somebody in the UTAD can get out in front of this today...otherwise they will have already lost the PR battle.

A lot of the dimmer bulbs are already buying the bands' story that they're being cut/minimized for money.
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I will be one of the few to say this, but our band is pretty weak, and most of that is due to song selection and the band director. Hire someone else to perform his job. I don't know how many games I've seen where the opposing team's band plays a song that gets me fired up, and then our band plays "Immigrant Song" by Zepplin and it does absolutely nothing for me.

It's time for a change.
 
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