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This is rediculous. SMU Spirit consists of the Mustang Band, the Cheerleaders, and the Pom Squad. This is a little over 100 people all together. All of these men and women are present at EVERY home game and travel to about 1 or 2 away games each football season. Lori White (VP of Student Affairs) said that $500,000 is needed to have SMU Spirit attend the bowl game in Hawaii. I am pretty sure that every single bowl that SMU has been to they have brought their spirit. I didn't even think it would be a questions on whether or not they would go. But $500,000 seems to be in their way. Dr. White claims that President Turner and the President of SMU Athletics is doing everything they can to come up with this money but it's not looking too good.

With this bowl game being on Christmas Eve, it is very likely that a slim number of students will actually be able to attend. This is why having SMU Spirit there would be crucial.

How devastating it would be for SMU to WIN the Sheraton Hawaii bowl but then have no band, cheer, or pom to play and sing "Varsity" with.

SMU PLEASE LET THEM GO.

how is it that this costs 500 grand? are they chartering a plane? we've seen packages ranging from 700-1500 all over pf.com for the better part of the last month. 5 grand a person? How much are they planning to eat when they're there?

I am guessing the extra equipment (megaphones, horns, unis) will definitely up the normal price, but 500K still seems excessive.

SmooBoy wrote:I am guessing the extra equipment (megaphones, horns, unis) will definitely up the normal price, but 500K still seems excessive.

I agree, $500K seems to be WAAAYYYY over the mark.

I honestly don't mean this in a smart-ass way, but I thought travel was no big deal during the Liberty Bowl/Hawaii Bowl 6-Day War.

"Chump change," "the league picks it up," etc.

SmooBoy wrote:I am guessing the extra equipment (megaphones, horns, unis) will definitely up the normal price, but 500K still seems excessive.

Seconded.

I have no doubt that it costs more than it would for you or I to travel to Hawaii... but $500K seems like a ridiculous number.

Traveling in a group (we're probably talking 150+ people) is way different than booking the $799 special on priceline. Those deals are made by filling up extra rooms and seats here and there, not booking in bulk. The band alone will probably travel with 2.5-3 tons of equipment, so that's also a factor.

ponyup2009 wrote:This is rediculous. SMU Spirit consists of the Mustang Band, the Cheerleaders, and the Pom Squad. This is a little over 100 people all together. All of these men and women are present at EVERY home game and travel to about 1 or 2 away games each football season. Lori White (VP of Student Affairs) said that $500,000 is needed to have SMU Spirit attend the bowl game in Hawaii. I am pretty sure that every single bowl that SMU has been to they have brought their spirit. I didn't even think it would be a questions on whether or not they would go. But $500,000 seems to be in their way. Dr. White claims that President Turner and the President of SMU Athletics is doing everything they can to come up with this money but it's not looking too good.

With this bowl game being on Christmas Eve, it is very likely that a slim number of students will actually be able to attend. This is why having SMU Spirit there would be crucial.

How devastating it would be for SMU to WIN the Sheraton Hawaii bowl but then have no band, cheer, or pom to play and sing "Varsity" with.

SMU PLEASE LET THEM GO.

For every foot soldier deployed, there are 3 supply personnel.

Furthermore, the last time we went to a bowl (the 'era' I speak of) there weren't many "travel" bowls - Cotton was always on the mind. Aloha Bowl was an anomaly back then.

Maybe we borrow horns when we get there?

No way....even a charter can be alot less than that IF they go there and come back promptly.

Are you all including room and meal money and busses to get the band to the stadium and anything else I'm not thinking of?

SmooBoy wrote:

SmooBoy wrote:I am guessing the extra equipment (megaphones, horns, unis, whiskey) will definitely up the normal price, but 500K still seems excessive.

Sorry forgot the whiskey.

The Spaz wrote:Are you all including room and meal money and busses to get the band to the stadium and anything else I'm not thinking of?

Souvenirs!!

A school with a billion dollar endowment can't scrape up enough money to send Peruna and the band to our first bowl game in twenty years?

If we want to be taken seriously we're going to have to start acting like a serious football school.

ponyup2009 wrote: SMU Athletics is doing everything they can to come up with this money but it's not looking too good. SMU PLEASE LET THEM GO.

The whole group will be there. Go Mustangs!