Answers To Some Of Your Questions

[SMU SID]

In the interest of transparency, let's see if I can answer some of your questions/complaints...

1. Corndogs - Talked with Aramark again today. The corndog vendor elected to not come this season after the code issues were brought to light. This was their decision. Felt the could make more money elsewhere on weekends (They were at the Balloon Festival this weekend). Aramark decided to go with another type vendor (Dickie's - for a signature Texas item - BBQ) as opposed to looking for another vendor for corndogs that would face the same code issues.

2. M&Ms - I asked about this specifically. In short, their costs had gone up on the M&M bags and they were faced with either raising the price on the bigger bags to $5-6 range or going to the smaller bag. They felt the smaller bag was more palatable to fans than charging $6 for candy.

3. Wireless/Cell Issues - It is a big issue. No one debates that. Cell service in the Park Cities is not great and when you put 35,000 people in Ford, it causes big problems. The main issue is that Ford lacks a DAS (distributed antenna system). When Moody was re-done, that was included in the project. To retrofit Ford, the estimated cost is in excess of $1M. (Wisconsin had to spend $6.2M retrofitting Camp-Randall, as a reference.) So while it's a priority, it's not at the top of our list right now. Things like increased meals and snacks for student-athletes and things of the like are at the top of the list (http://www.smumustangs.com/genrel/090514aab.html) since they directly impact student-athletes. If any of you have an extra $1-2M laying around, I'll make sure we earmark it for the project .

Hope this clears some stuff up and thanks for the feedback. Our goal is to get better each week.

[PK]

Are there any food trucks that do corndogs or would that cover the code problems anyway?

[mrydel]

Thank you as always Brad for you attention to these matters.

[skyscraper]

Thanks for the details.

[SmooBoy]

Any thoughts on reducing the piped in music? I really like to hear the band(s) at college games, and it's a total beating to hear rock/rap songs I would not listen to on the radio. There are live kids there ready to play their instruments.

We appreciate you taking the feedback, SID.

[Rebel10]

If the band plays the same old stuff I would rather listen to ther piped in music as long as it is up to date.

[Junior]

SID, thanks for the post. It was very honest and straightforward, which is appreciated.

On another note, anyone interested in starting a corndog/cell antenna food truck? I know a few places that would use it.

[PonyPlayer4]

If the band plays the same old stuff I would rather listen to ther piped in music as long as it is p to date.

Band music selection needs a major facelift.

[malonish]

If the band plays the same old stuff I would rather listen to ther piped in music as long as it is p to date.

Band music selection needs a major facelift.

No room for a facelift if they only have time to play two songs. That's 12 songs over 6 home games. Why practice 40 if you can only play 12 with the terrible PA stuff picking up the rest of the time?

[floridianstang]

Any thoughts on reducing the piped in music? I really like to hear the band(s) at college games, and it's a total beating to hear rock/rap songs I would not listen to on the radio. There are live kids there ready to play their instruments.

We appreciate you taking the feedback, SID.

Please Mic the Band from now on and never play rap music in Ford ever again. Maybe a pump up techno song like Darude - Sandstorm or Avicii - Levels/wake me up for kickoffs but that is it. More band please.

[SMU SID]

Are there any food trucks that do corndogs or would that cover the code problems anyway?

None that Aramark knows of (I Googled it and didn't find one, either), but if you see one, email me. I can't take much more of Insane Pony Posse putting me on blast.

[TidePony]

Increase the size to 150 and put 10 twirlers out front and update their selections and it will be awesome! Our band is great, just too small.

[Rebel10]

Any thoughts on reducing the piped in music? I really like to hear the band(s) at college games, and it's a total beating to hear rock/rap songs I would not listen to on the radio. There are live kids there ready to play their instruments.

We appreciate you taking the feedback, SID.

Please Mic the Band from now on and never play rap music in Ford ever again. Maybe a pump up techno song like Darude - Sandstorm or Avicii - Levels/wake me up for kickoffs but that is it. More band please.

What's wrong with rap? Just because you like some other style of music doesn't mean that recruits don't like it. That goes for rock or rap.

[Rebel10]

If the band plays the same old stuff I would rather listen to ther piped in music as long as it is p to date.

Band music selection needs a major facelift.

No room for a facelift if they only have time to play two songs. That's 12 songs over 6 home games. Why practice 40 if you can only play 12 with the terrible PA stuff picking up the rest of the time?

Can they at least get 2 or 3 up to date songs over a 2 year period?

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Thank you for the information, SMU SID.