No Marching Band

[HuskyBandDad]

There will be no band at any of the football games. Including no Pep bands at all basketball and hockey games.

 

[CL82]

There will be no band at any of the football games. Including no Pep bands at all basketball and hockey games.

Bummer. The band is part of what makes college sports so fun.

 

[cohenzone]

As an ancient UConn Marching Bandsman: this sucks. What is, is. I don’t know if most fans know how much time band members put in to rehearsals per game

 

[Alum86]

Good lord this has gone too far. Really?

 

[HartfordHank]

Ridiculous decision. If you can have football, and I hope we do, you can have a band. Same for basketball and hockey!

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Good lord this has gone too far. Really?

Yes. My daughter who is an alum got email.

 

[huskymedic]

Yes. My daughter who is an alum got email.

HBD... isn’t there like 250+ plus kids in the UCMB?

When do the normally head to campus to begin ramp up for the year?

 

[Bobol]

The loss of the approximately 250 students with UConn’s matching band will be hit on the already poor football attendance stats.

 

[Life Is Good]

We need the band!

 

[Padutch5]

Good lord this has gone too far. Really?

Lamont knows best. If Rutgers and BC have bands he will change his mind!

 

[jdb50]

Looking at this, with the Band you have everyone exhaling their asses off at the game, all sitting one above the other. Add in the bus travel, the practice which is a lot and if one kid gets covid the whole Band is quarantined. I can see why the school says let's try and deal with keeping the team viable and see if we can do that. This year is a loss for normal procedure. They are "calling it" and I think it is the safest decision.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

This sucks. No matter how the team played, the marching band was always P5 quality.

 

[uconnbill]

Sorry this is bull hockey and they are taking away from the college experience from a number of students and the fans

 

[Alum86]

We love watching the band at halftime for the many years we have been going to Memorial as students, and then the Rent. They need to revisit this. It also worries me that FB may be in danger. CV-19 trending down. C’mon.

 

[Woof 101]

WOW such a sad thread to see and I hope it does not wander as many do. I have a few takes on this as it hits close to tailgate. We (my group) often set up near the band just to enjoy the pregame practice, jamming and general non alcoholic revelry, theirs not ours.

Got to know Dr Mills and his wonderful staff over the years and realized as we wait for our team to become one of the elite in the nation our marching band has achieved that status. This from 2009 pregame, I could have used any year but this came up with the block C on the field and they started in that formation.


Social distance the band! Good God with our season ticket sales the last few years large crowds are not expected. (I do have mine) They could give the band their section and the entire student section from what we have seen. This would have them 10' apart in every direction and playing loud and proud.
UCMB ROCK ON !!!

 

[HuskyBandDad]

HBD... isn’t there like 250+ plus kids in the UCMB?

When do the normally head to campus to begin ramp up for the year?

Close to 300 kids.
If I remember correctly. Camp would start approx 1-2 weeks before classes.
It would make moving into the dorms so much easier.

 

[huskeynut]

Question #1: Who made this decision? Is it the University or Lamont?

Question #2: Is this part of cost cutting?

As a former high school/ middle school band director, this is a terrible decision. One of our sons is a UCMB alum. One of his best experiences at UConn.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

The university made decision.
There was no mention of cost cutting.
Same experience for my daughter. She played pep bands too and traveled to bowl games including Fiesta Bowl and many NCAA tournament with men’s and women’s hoops. Including 3 Final Fours.
She also has a mens and womens national championship ring that they gave to all the pep band members who played at the game.

 

[pepband99]

WOW such a sad thread to see and I hope it does not wander as many do. I have a few takes on this as it hits close to tailgate. We (my group) often set up near the band just to enjoy the pregame practice, jamming and general non alcoholic revelry, theirs not ours.

Got to know Dr Mills and his wonderful staff over the years and realized as we wait for our team to become one of the elite in the nation our marching band has achieved that status. This from 2009 pregame, I could have used any year but this came up with the block C on the field and they started in that formation.


Social distance the band! Good God with our season ticket sales the last few years large crowds are not expected. (I do have mine) They could give the band their section and the entire student section from what we have seen. This would have them 10' apart in every direction and playing loud and proud.
UCMB ROCK ON !!!

...you're completely forgetting that there is the small matter of getting the band to/from the Rent, too. How many buses would it take to have a socially distanced group of 300? It's a sneaky massive expense.

This is undoubtedly somewhat a financial decision, but i can absolutely see the educational and logistical sides of this, too.

As for the "calling it now" whiners - you would invite the scenario of throwing away 1000s of hours of planning work by going into the summer with an open plan. The pep bands are an unfortunate collateral piece, but trust me on this one - the product itself would suffer without the marching band rehearsal/performance time. It's not unreasonable.

And @HartfordHank - really pipe down, because your band is hot garbage.

 

[ASweet3781]

...you're completely forgetting that there is the small matter of getting the band to/from the Rent, too. How many buses would it take to have a socially distanced group of 300? It's a sneaky massive expense.

This is undoubtedly somewhat a financial decision, but i can absolutely see the educational and logistical sides of this, too.

As for the "calling it now" whiners - you would invite the scenario of throwing away 1000s of hours of planning work by going into the summer with an open plan. The pep bands are an unfortunate collateral piece, but trust me on this one - the product itself would suffer without the marching band rehearsal/performance time. It's not unreasonable.

And @HartfordHank - really pipe down, because your band is hot garbage.

It is total nonsense that you can’t have a pep band because of this. There are plenty of basketball only schools with pep bands. So we are going to make our triumphant returns to MSG for the BET and not have the band there? The women are playing for the National Title and no UConn Husky after they win? Come on. This is as small time and bush league as it comes. And what is the band, it’s directors, it’s members, family, and supporters doing to raise money if cost is the issue?

 

[huskymedic]

 

[zls44]

So we are going to make our triumphant returns to MSG for the BET and not have the band there? The women are playing for the National Title and no UConn Husky after they win?

Considering the chance that there won't be fans in those events anyway...?

 

[HuskyBandDad]

It is total nonsense that you can’t have a pep band because of this. There are plenty of basketball only schools with pep bands. So we are going to make our triumphant returns to MSG for the BET and not have the band there? The women are playing for the National Title and no UConn Husky after they win? Come on. This is as small time and bush league as it comes. And what is the band, it’s directors, it’s members, family, and supporters doing to raise money if cost is the issue?

Agree the band needs to be at games.
The band does do fundraising. Like all other school groups.
The athletic department pays the costs when the band goes to games. At least it used to pay.
When the pep band plays at home games during the semester break the members provide their own transportation and are paid $15-$20 for gas/parking. Paid by the AD.

 

[buddy]

UConn has made many blunders, and this will be one of them. The way things have been going, there will be plenty of room for social distancing at the Rent, and to my knowledge I don't think the corona virus is spread by blowing into musical instruments, provided they are not shared. If there is no pep band at basketball games, then basically there should be no fans either if the virus is the issue. If UConn can't afford a band, then they cannot afford athletics period. Penny wise, dollar foolish, as usual.

 

[UCFBfan]

UConn has made many blunders, and this will be one of them. The way things have been going, there will be plenty of room for social distancing at the Rent, and to my knowledge I don't think the corona virus is spread by blowing into musical instruments, provided they are not shared. If there is no pep band at basketball games, then basically there should be no fans either if the virus is the issue. If UConn can't afford a band, then they cannot afford athletics period. Penny wise, dollar foolish, as usual.

Unfortunately you are so far wrong with your take. Do you know how much saliva and spit is sent out of instruments? Every brass instrument has a spit valve. Many schools are referring to instrumental and choir programs as "super spreaders" and won't be happening in middle schools and high schools. My friend is a middle school choir teacher in Enfield and was informed of this in May.

This is definitely not a cost cutting move and strictly a safety move. There's no way the University was going to put the band out there, packed together in their section, and have them play on top of each other.

I am a UCMB alum and played in the Pep Band. I know my stuff. It really blows and I feel for these kids. Like HBD said, you'd go 1-2 weeks early for Pre Season and get to move in early and have that time to have the campus to yourselves, mostly. I loved the UCMB and it was a large part of my college life. However, I'm not shocked one bit that this move was made. It won't be the only school to do this. There is likely no financial reason attached here.