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FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

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As I listen to the North Texas band and its fans go crazy yelling and playing in Hot Springs, I can't help but be disappointed in FAU Athletics for failing to send the Owls band.

Most other bands are at the Sun belt tournament. I believe FIU and perhaps another program did not send their bands. There was talk of FAU and FIU sharing a bus, but even that collaboration didn't happen.

As North Texas pulls away late in this game, I wonder how much lift the FAU players might have received with the music and cheering of their best fans, the band.

I'll bet FAU managed to send a bunch of administrators, special guests, a couple of photographers (who missed all but one or two home games this year!) and probably the dance team. But FAU chose to be penny wise and pound foolish again.

You blew it, FAU. And you just don't get it.
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Re: FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

There is no business case you can bring forth that would justify sending the band to BF Arkansas.  I love the band and appreciate the value they bring.  But this is not one of the times that make business sense.  Same for FIU and Denver.  I would guess those are the other schools that did not send bands.

Fiscal responsibility is a terrible thing to waste…
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Re: FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

This not a business! If it were a business, FAU would have no sports, bands, etc. A stadium would not be rising right now!

There are many intangibles to sending the band. FAU wastes more each year in unnecessary expenses than it would spend to sent the band.

FAU would have shown it was serious about its sports program, would have celebrated and promoted its regular season title by sending the band. FAU would have had some rabid fans (versus none, as it turned out) by sending the band. FAU would have rewarded a small groups of students who bust their asses all season long by sending the band.

FAU would not have been embarrassed by being one of only two or three schools not to send its band, not to participate in band competitions and activities and other events that promote the university.

FAU has no problem paying off disgruntled former administrators, but is penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to promoting the brand that has managed to double its freshman applications this year.

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Re: FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

BMarkey said

This not a business!

You lost me after this!
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Re: FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

The thing is if FAU wants it's fans to shell out the money to travel to away football games or basketball tourneys then it needs to do the same with the spirit groups. The other school that was talking about not sending their band was ULM.

I understand many people have the "nerd" perception about the band but there are many people who think athletes are "dumb jocks." These people take time to practice just like the team, they are at all the games (early) just like the team and then they have to see that FAU cares nothing about them and hires a high school "rent a band" to play at major games such as the conference basketball tourneys and the Motor City Bowl. How does that foster "school spirit?"

Why would our band ever grow larger and gain more respect when potential members see that we never get to participate in events that the rest of the country's band get to.

It is what it is but I think FAU needs to show more support for its teams and spirit groups if it wants respect from everyone else.

AEA
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Re: FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

I agree with the Markey's, the pep band should have gone, period!

As for it being a business, you have to spend money to make money in any business.

Who knows, mayne the presence of the pep band helps the Owl's through the rough spells of the game, they win the game. They go on and win the tourney and make it to the NCAA. Then maybe they pull off an upset ot two and get national TV exposure for both them AND FAU! The get better recruits for the team so they remain a national level program and the school gets more and better apllications to remain a NATIONAL level University!

We won't know now though will we, we still have not won a conference tourney game….and so on and the cycle remains the same for our 4th tier school……….

Maybe this is a stretch…maybe it hits the nail on the head???

If the team wins a few and gets to go to Madison Square Garden in NY on national tv, does the band go or just the administrators??? sadly, I think we all know the answer to that.

Go Owl's…as they say in a certain popular sports movie….win the whole f____ing thing!
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Re: FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

I don't think there is any "nerd" perception involved.  We all love the band!  They are as important as the other athletes.  Sorry you chose to play the dumb jock card because I don't think anyone has any ill perceptions about the band.

This IS a business.  The band like many other sports are non-revenue sports and thus decisions have to be made that make sense.  No, it is not fair, but that is the way our society has elected to support sports.

At many schools, football and basketball revenue support all other sports.

I think FAU shows support and their fans show support of the band.  Everyone has only had good things to say about the band.  The band is essential to the athletics department.  That doesn't mean we have to take them to every sporting event that costs lots of money.

Tough decisions have to be made for the overall benefit to the bottom line.  Go ask the tennis, softball, golf, and swimming teams if they feel slighted at times.  I guarantee they do.

Don't take it personally.  We all love you!!

Hopefully someday we have tons of extra cash and you will be included every time.
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Re: FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

This is certainly not a business. If it was a business, it would be out of business!

FAU charges its students one of the highest fees to support sports in the country. Without that fee, most sports, including football, would be non-existent at FAU. If the athletics program were operated as a business, there would be only a few, low-costs sports offered.

One other point I failed to make earlier: The band, cheerleaders, dance team, bench warmers, trainers, water boys, etc. deserve to go to the post-season and tournaments. That should be their reward for busting their asses for the entire year. Without the rewards, what incentive is there to get people to perform these essential duties with little or no pay?

The sight and sound of a "rent-a-band" at a bowl game or post-game tourney - when almost every other school in our conference, including some with greater financial issues than FAU - is just embarrassing.

The band coud have been VERY essential last night when the team had a total of zero support (except for the women's team) in the arena. Fan support has been mentioned several times this year by Mike Jarvis as being critical to Owls wins. It sure could have been used last night.
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Re: FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

BMarkey said

This is certainly not a business.

You lost me after this!
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Re: FAU Blows It Again By Failing To Send Band

Unless someone from the band was going to jump in the game and hit some free throws, I don't think it would have helped. ;)
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