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Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

BMarkey said

The band, cheerleaders, dance team, etc. ARE the essentials. They are part of the program, without which none of the games would be half as interesting.

The money CAN be found.

BMarkey: I'm not challenging you on this, because I think part of what you said is right, and I have the utmost respect for you and what you and your family has brought to the program and the university.

But I'd like to know your opinion on where you think they can find what would probably amount to $100,000 to send the spirit teams?

What I thought of was contacting one of the game guarantees for 2009 or 2010 and seeing if they would pay for the trip.

For example: Contact Texas and say "instead of paying us $900,000 in 2010 (or whatever it is), you can pay us $600,000, if you give us $200,000 right now to help us with the bowl game."

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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

'Not a bad idea, Smitty.

I believe in the budget of a 27,000-student university (one that can find more than $500k for a disgruntled ex-admin and a Corvette for an outgoing president), the money can be found. Maybe as little as $50,000? In a community with as much philanthropy money as Boca Raton and the Palm Beaches?

Troy is managing to send its entire 300-member band to NOLA, although it will be bused, for a bowl that technically pays out less money.

How much is the SunBelt helping with this bowl? It gave MTSU something like $270,000 a few years ago.
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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

BMarkey said

The band, cheerleaders, dance team, etc. ARE the essentials. They are part of the program, without which none of the games would be half as interesting.

The money CAN be found.

Yeah I go to games to watch them. (OK maybe a couple of the cheerleaders do occasionally catch my eye). They are a part of the scene but in no way do I consider them essential to a bowl game. I wish they could make the game and I know they have worked hard and deserve a trip.  It's not if the money could be found, it's should the money be spent. 
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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

BMarkey:
I've read in some reports that while FAU may have some money in different places, that this bowl game will be funded solely from the athletics department and any dollars they manage to fund raise.

And while I'm a huge proponent of the team, the spirit squads and the band, I'm glad to see that money that are in other departments are not being used.

We don't want the XXX department to all of the sudden not like football since $50,000 of their money is being used for another department.

What I'd like to see is local businesses step up to the plate for $2,000 - $3,000 a piece and send the squads. In exchange, the dance, cheer, band and football players will make apperances at their locations heading in to the next football season.

Not only does the business get a tax write-off, they get an appearance (almost pep rally like) "party" at their location to promote their company, all the while FAU will get promotions heading into next football season at their businesses.

Some local businesses that may be interested:
Chipotle/T-Mobile (right next to each other)
Boca Raton Mall
Mizner Park Mall
Duffy's
Ale House
Murphy's
etc.

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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

The key element to this "charity" is finding someone that is as passionate about the band making the trip as BMarkey is but with deep enough pockets to make it happen.

It's similar to the problem we have with finding people in this city that think FOOTBALL is a good idea and want to support it (remember that whole stadium drive?)

It's easy to say there's a ton of money here in Boca and someone should donate it but we have to remember that it's their money, they can choose to do what they want with it. If they love the Boca Ballet or Museum and that's where they think their millions would be best spent, so be it.

So…any ex band member millionaire retirees here in Boca care to chip in? Otherwise, I don't see it happening.
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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

As much as I wish we (the band) we're going to the bowl, we're not! Oh well! End of story!

But now my opinion….LOL!

I TOTALLY understand the lack of funds, I really do. But to say that it's OK not to send the spirit groups because we're a young program, and that it'll get better in time is just validating a stupid excuse.

Last year the band almost didn't go to the UF game because of money. That was an in state game that we (a 60 member band) were bused to and we almost didn't go (I believe it was SG that gave us money, not sure on that). If we wouldn't have gone to that game it would have been ridiculous. Thankfully everything worked out.

The band, cheerleaders, and dance team are an essential part of football! It's time to realize that. Just because our football program is young (and our marching band even younger) doesn't mean that we should settle. We are playing Div I football and need to act like it (wether it's sending our spirit groups to games, marketing, or just playing top notch football).

The main thing that bothers me about this is that this bowl game is one that FAU lobbied hard for! We barely got this spot and unfortunately not many fans are going to be able to travel to the game to support our team. That is already against us and now we're not even going to have our own spirit groups there to support our Owls!

OK rant done! It's a fact of life that money is tight. I get it.

GO OWLS!!!

AEA
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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

I love the band, CL & DT and what they bring to the game time atmosphere and YES they should be able to make the trip, yet we are a young program fighting everyday to stay in the BLACK and keeping from slipping in the RED which was made a priority for the program.

We made the move to 1-A very quickly which did very little to help make sure all the resources where in place to facilitate all the many athletics needs.

Hasty as the move may have been, it was the right one.

The fact is we are a young program, still in its infancy stages that found some great early successes.

In a perfect world, the band & spirit squats would be making the trip & I would love nothing more then for them to be making the trip.  They do bring a element of pride that is very much a part of what college athletics is all about and are good ambassadors for the program & university.

Unfortunately, the money isn't available.

Sure it sticks, it would definitely add to the atmoshpere and help show support for FAU during the game.

I won't be making the trip for a couple of reasons & funding is definitely a part of it, I even planned for an eventual bowl trip this year, but had to use those funds on more important things.  It also sticks that I won't be making the trip I had planned & saved for, life is not always fair.

This program has come a long way since it's inception, let embrace those achievements by continuing to support the program in what ever means we can.  It's time like these that shows we ALL need to continue to work together & harder to pull the program to the level that it is heading.

Maybe, now that we have made two consecutive bowl trip (& hopefully it becomes a norm), we can start planning ahead, making sure we can send the band & spirit squad in the future by securing funds for that purpose.
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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

I love the Band, the DT and the Cheerios and I think they have come along way over a very few years on very little money but as Bytor stated…the money just doesn't exist to send them.  Life is not fair, never has been.  I have been trying to figure out a way to go to the game but unfortunately due to time and money constraints it just appear it's going to happen.  I have been to virtually every home game and many away games including Hawaii and New Orleans but this year, like many others, things are different.

What  am going to do instead is buy 2 of the stocking stuffer tickets and buy a few extra toys for tots with some of the money since I can't go, then scream from home, maybe the team can hear me if I am loud enough.  GO OWLS!

GO OWLS!
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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

I wonder if the band, dance and cheerleaders feel shafted, or if they understand the predicament. I wouldn't want them to feel disenfranchised and not be part of the squads anymore.

Any dance, cheer of band driving/flying up there on their own dime?

I'm a proud lifetime member of the FAU National Alumni Association. Are you a member? Join now at www.faualumni.org.
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Re: Dance Team, Cheerleaders and Band not going to Bowl Game?

dusky256fc said

I love the Band, the DT and the Cheerios and I think they have come along way over a very few years on very little money but as Bytor stated…the money just doesn't exist to send them.  Life is not fair, never has been. 

Hate to say it but nobody reallys pays attention to the cheerleaders at home (admit it… you're all looking at the DT and you only really pay attention to the cheerleaders when you yell, "backflip!") so it's not a huge loss for them not to go.

Of the three groups, I think the band is the most important to go.
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