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Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville

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Having a family member in the band, I am sad to inform FAU fans that it appears the Marching Owls will not be going to Gainesville as the football team faces perhaps its greatest challenge in history.

I understand there have been budget cuts, but the failure to send what is perhaps the Owls' biggest support group only five hours up the Turnpike for at least a day trip is just horrible. (The original plan had the band staying overnight.)

This hard-working band was told that it would attend at least one of the away games last year. Then that decision was rescinded.

Last year, they were told they would, at the very least, attend the UF game, and perhaps even a SunBelt away game (as most 'Belt bands do). Now, we're hearing that it might be another season with no away trip.

UF allows bands. The 300-member Troy band is going there in two weeks.

Remember, last year, the FAU band wasn't allowed to go to the SunBelt hoops tourney, when other Belt bands were there. Some band members went all the way to Louisiana on their own, just to cheer on the basketball team.

I don't blame the director. He's a hard working, well liked guy.

I do blame the administration for another penny-wise, pound-foolish decision.

Throw hundreds of thousands of dollars at a disgruntled, job-hunting administrator, but don't spend a few thousand dollars on a few buses and a day trip to Gainesville - when FAU is collecting something like a half-million dollars for the game?

If you all want to see your school represented in Gainesville - and the members rewarded for a season of hard work - please contact President Frank Brogan and other decision makers and ask that the Marching Owls go to Gainesville, and perhaps a SunBelt away game. And I don't mean FIU!

I'll add some contact information later. I just wanted to get the word out now so that the Owl community can get some pressure going to erase this mistake in the making.
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Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville

Does anyone know what the cost would be to send the band up there for the day? Is this something the band could look for sponsors on their own or have fund raising activities? I know its tough when your in college to spend time on these things but I'm trying to think of a solution.

FAU - THE REAL SLEEPING GIANT
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Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville

Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville

I posted this because I figure the band will not be allowed to get involved in any public pressure or politicing. But the fund-raiser idea is good. The band wants to go.

They would need four buses, a few meals and game tickets.

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Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville

Do they know how many members they will have?

Just wondering if they can do the math to figure out how much money will be needed to get them there.

Can't they share a bus with the cheerleaders? Then the only extra expense is tickets, they should be able to feed themselves.

GO OWLS!
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Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville

Not sure why they would need tickets to represent the university. isn't there a band section for both schools or do those seats actually require a ticket?

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Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville


faualum said

Not sure why they would need tickets to represent the university. isn't there a band section for both schools or do those seats actually require a ticket?

I don't know anything about this either but I thought the university was alloted tickets for the band. I saw on another post that USF is bringing their entire 300+ band, did they purchase those tickets?

I also found this on they other post "In fact, we only have about 50 members again this year"


GO OWLS!
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Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville

The problem isnt the expense of sending the band to Gainesville its the lack of tickets. Its true Florida allows road teams to bring bands but their tickets are taken out of the road teams allotment so schools have to weigh whether its worth bringing their bands to games over the hundreds of dollars each ticket is worth. FAU's marketing department has been promising season ticket holders opportunities to buy Florida-FAU tickets and there are so few allotted seats that UF sent its just not practical to send the band. I understand the bands disappointment but selling season tickets is more important for FAU at this point and being able to offfer FAU/UF tickets to buy is the incentive thats helping do that.
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Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville

Very disappointing…

FAU might not have much of a chance in actual winning this one but there's much more meaning to this game than another W. An in-state game against a team like Florida is a statement and when the opportunity is so close by then there should be no penny-pinching excuses. The marching band is a critical component of spirit and pride, another important part of FAU getting it's name out there. To not bring the band out to this one is definitely missing a major opportunity.

I keep hearing budget cuts involved in these discussions, are these the same cuts that are affecting the whole SUS? From what I've seen at USF and other institutions the cuts are bleeding these schools dry.
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Pressure Admin or FAU Band Won't Be In Gainesville

Not practical to send the band? You must be joking.

FAU must make a showing of pride and support at Florida. To leave out the band is criminal. Every other OOC visitor brings its band.

The tickets cost $35 or $40 apiece - not the hundreds of dollars a prime seat would cost from a scalper. FAU is receiving something like $500,000 to play the game, with low travel expenses. The money is there, but perhaps it's being sent to a former administrator's "bye-bye" fund? :)

I have read that SEC schools force the bands to purchase tickets. I might be wrong (hope I am). I know LSU does.

We're talking about 50-100 tickets. Certainly, the athletic deparatment can come up with that number. Troy was given 5,000 tickets for fans, band, etc. (FSU gave Troy something like 14,000 tickets) and is bringing its 300-plus-member band.

Perhaps, the tickets could be amassed from extra family/player seats and seats of season ticket holders who don't plan to go. If The Voice wants to band to go, it will go. He has been very supportive of the band in the past.

I believe the SunBelt allows visiting bands to attend for free.

Finally, I can't believe anyone would rather see a few well-heeled ticket holders use the tickets intended for the greatest FAU support group on campus.
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