Fmr FCS School Cuts the Band

[TexasTerror]

Going FBS does not work for everyone. Nevada, formerly of the Big Sky, is having problems having the funds to put together a band for football and basketball games.

Must wonder if they stayed at the FCS level and were able to pay less on the gridiron, would they still have a band? More than likely, yes...


University officials say cutting the band would save UNR about $200,000 a year. Groth says you can expect music at games, but it may be coming from high school bands instead. "It's just tough times these are tough decision to make... Those youngsters provided us a great service and we'll miss them."

As of June, 2009, UNR is expected to be the only school in the Western Athletic Conference without a marching band.

http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=8582041&nav=menu549_2

[dbackjon]

That is pretty pathetic to not have a marching band...

[SideLine Shooter]

Going FBS does not work for everyone. Nevada, formerly of the Big Sky, is having problems having the funds to put together a band for football and basketball games.

Must wonder if they stayed at the FCS level and were able to pay less on the gridiron, would they still have a band? More than likely, yes...



http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=8582041&nav=menu549_2

I think you might have something. Bigger (FBS) is not ALWAYS better.

[Col Hogan]

Is MplsBison on their Board of Regents????

[I Bleed Purple]

Nevada is a solid FBS program, though. Mid to Upper in Football, upper level in Basketball.

Kind of odd, actually. But a college to not have a marching/pep band is pretty inexcusable. I hope it doesn't give other programs any ideas.

[813Jag]

I doubt they regret it.

[dakotadan]

Kind of weird if you ask me. Doesn't Nevada have any sort of a music department where they can basically get students to volunteer to just play in an athletic band? Or run it as a student group. You have to wonder about a school that can't even afford a marching/athletic band.

[dungeonjoe]

That is pretty pathetic to not have a marching band...

Wofford does not have one. It has to do with the size of the school. We had the SCSU Marching Band at the Richmond game.

[Cobblestone]

Sucks. A marching band is a big part of college football.

[dbackjon]

Wofford does not have one. It has to do with the size of the school. We had the SCSU Marching Band at the Richmond game.

Interesting. Of course, Nevada is a whole lot bigger than Wofford...

[andy7171]

Is MplsBison on their Board of Regents????

No. This is a thread about cutting the band, he's for cutting the books. :D

[mebisonII]

Kind of weird if you ask me. Doesn't Nevada have any sort of a music department where they can basically get students to volunteer to just play in an athletic band? Or run it as a student group. You have to wonder about a school that can't even afford a marching/athletic band.

Just curious, you know UND didn't have a marching band for a while, right? I think they had a (underappreciated) pep band during that period though.

It is strange that Nevada cut theirs. Do they have a music program? Athletic band funding is kind of a grey area in my experience. Everyone wants one, but music departments, athletics, student gov't and other entities sometimes squabble about who's going to pay for it.

[813Jag]

I think Tulane got their band back in the past few years.

[TexasTerror]

I think Tulane got their band back in the past few years.

According to what I've read, the Tulane band is making some major strides in the right direction. They're looking at some large increases in bands and have been able to get the support to hire some people on full-time in that area...

[siuham]

Kind of weird if you ask me. Doesn't Nevada have any sort of a music department where they can basically get students to volunteer to just play in an athletic band? Or run it as a student group. You have to wonder about a school that can't even afford a marching/athletic band.

That's what Creighton has, though they don't have football. They've had a student-led pep-band for basketball for years.

[813Jag]

According to what I've read, the Tulane band is making some major strides in the right direction. They're looking at some large increases in bands and have been able to get the support to hire some people on full-time in that area...
I'm glad, it was weird going to a game and not seeing a band. They had a high school play when we visited them in 01.

[dakotadan]

Just curious, you know UND didn't have a marching band for a while, right? I think they had a (underappreciated) pep band during that period though.

Yeah, I knew that. Even though they didn't have a "marching" band they did still have a pep band that played. At one point they would pay students $5 or $10 bucks a game to play. When the university started to get an actual marching band back it was in large part because of the music department. It eventually became a class in the music department that students got 1 credit for. Even though students then had to pay tuition on that 1 credit, the money went to cover new uniforms that were purchased in 2000, new instruments and to cover the cost of away games and road trips. I was in UND's Pride of the North marching band for 3 years right when it was getting back off of the ground. xthumbsupx

UND's athletic department doesn't support the athletic band to play at football, hockey and basketball games. It does however help line up donors when things such as playoff road trips come up that weren't maybe in the band's budget.

If UNR's athletic department can't afford to sponsor a band I don't see why the school couldn't look at doing something similar with it becoming a class for credit or making it a student organization that does it's own fund raising.

[mebisonII]

Yeah, I knew that. Even though they didn't have a "marching" band they did still have a pep band that played. At one point they would pay students $5 or $10 bucks a game to play. When the university started to get an actual marching band back it was in large part because of the music department. It eventually became a class in the music department that students got 1 credit for. Even though students then had to pay tuition on that 1 credit, the money went to cover new uniforms that were purchased in 2000, new instruments and to cover the cost of away games and road trips. I was in UND's Pride of the North marching band for 3 years right when it was getting back off of the ground. xthumbsupx

UND's athletic department doesn't support the athletic band to play at football, hockey and basketball games. It does however help line up donors when things such as playoff road trips come up that weren't maybe in the band's budget.

If UNR's athletic department can't afford to sponsor a band I don't see why the school couldn't look at doing something similar with it becoming a class for credit or making it a student organization that does it's own fund raising.


I've probably met you, or at least shared a field with you then. I played for NDSU's MB for 4 years (2000-2003) including hosting UND at the Fargodome and going to the Alerus for the UND-NDSU game up there.

NDSU's band is structured very similarly to UNDs (i.e. class for credit, little to no athletic support), although the president has gotten involved now and they've hired a specific 'director of athletic bands', gotten new uniforms, new equipment, and stipends for band members. Pushing for a 200 person band ASAP. Should be exciting times for those who are involved. :) xnodx

[chrisattsu]

That's lame. The band is a staple in football culture. They monitor and regulate the energy of the crowd. Plus they can provide some of your most rabid fans.