Unacceptable Seating for Band in New Moody

[CoxMustangFan]

The Band is important and a great part of the game day atmosphere -- no doubt about it. However, until SMU stops hemorrhaging cash they need to sell every prime location for money. SMU needs to be able to keep the lights on.

[Dukie]

Diamond M Club board members were informed by the directors this weekend that the seating chart is not reflective of where the actual seats have been allocated. They have told they will get 35 seats that will not be courtside.

And while I agree that the Band spreads out too much in the stands (both at football games and basketball games), 35 seats is not enough. One of the nice things about having such a small band (hooray, an upside to the small size so many of you complain about) is that unlike a 400 piece state school band, the entire band can, and does, play at basketball games. If you want that to continue, then they need more than 35 seats.

I'm curious where they will actually be if not courtside. One cannot put a college band behind ANY spectators -- at least any spectators who want to be able to hear the next day. So where will the seats be?

As for numbers, Jennifer, you know better than I do but I don't recall the Duke BBall pep band being more than 35. It definitely was never the same size as the football band when I was there (88-92).

[DiamondM]

Dukie, you're wrong on this. The ENTIRE Duke Band, except for percussion, played in the stands while I was there. It was the perk of "suffering" through the football season and marching (of course, I actually went to that bowl game 19 years ago on Jan 1 1995 so it wasn't all bad). We took up an entire half of the baseline bleachers; I think we marched about 150-170 or so back then. it wasn't a huge band (their band was even less supported financially than the SMU Mustang Band back then --- director was part time, his other job was a middle school band director, there was no band hall at all, not even in a basement under a natatorium). I have noticed in recent years, the band now takes up only 1/4-1/3 of the baseline bleachers with more students crammed in the remainer of the baseline bleachers, but there are probably still at least 7-10 per row and there are at least 10 rows. I could be wrong, but it is definitely more that 35!

PS. When I called up Neil Boumpani, the longish-time director, that summer to ask if it was possible for a law student to play in band, it had apparently never been done, and he said I could but in order to be in Cameron, I needed to march. It didn't sound like a new policy and certainly the kids in the band had always done both, so I think you must be underestimating the size of the band in Cameron in your mind.

[DiamondM]

One thing about the Duke band in Cameron though is that we crowded together and never sat down, no luxurious spreading out with seats in between people or skipping rows.

[Rebel10]

(hooray, an upside to the small size so many of you complain about)

Do you like everything small?

[DiamondM]

I'm curious where they will actually be if not courtside. One cannot put a college band behind ANY spectators -- at least any spectators who want to be able to hear the next day. So where will the seats be?

As for numbers, Jennifer, you know better than I do but I don't recall the Duke BBall pep band being more than 35. It definitely was never the same size as the football band when I was there (88-92).

In the interest of full disclosure, I grew up in Kansas, where many of my friends from high school went, and on Christmas breaks, I would often get in and sit with the KU pep band in Allen Field House as well (a couple of times for SMU games). The KU band, surprisingly, at least back then, did sit up higher in the crowd behind a section of student spectators. I always thought it kind of sucked, both for the band and the people sitting in front of them. It was not the entire KU Marching Band (a state school where any music majors are required to spend some time in the marching band). You had to audition to get to play in the basketball band, but there were more than 35 players (probably closer to 50 would be my guess). Maybe Larry Brown is the genesis of this, I don't know. But frankly, the Mustang Band has always been courtside (used to be bleachers on the other end when I was there, rather than the blue seats they are in now) and until Moody has the kind of consistent attendance Allen Field House has, there is no basis for booting the band to the upper level.

[DiamondM]

(hooray, an upside to the small size so many of you complain about)

Do you like everything small?

No. I'm just surprised that so many of the guys here keep underestimating the size of something (namely the band). Usually, it's the opposite.

[Rebel10]

The band.

[LHS81]

Attended half of SMU's home games in Coach Brown's first year, and it sure didn't look like a band of 90 to me.

[Smerkins]

I would like to bring attention that they are also going to do student seating in a really weird manner. I don't remember the specifics, but it was on the mob info card they gave out. Basically they are spreading us out into 4 or 5 different sections instead of just unifying us.

[DiamondM]

Attended half of SMU's home games in Coach Brown's first year, and it sure didn't look like a band of 90 to me.

I think the last few years, they have done a rotation where maybe 1/2 to 1/3 get some weekday nights off (I don't particularly agree with this policy myself). But for all of the big games, the entire band has always attended.

[Charleston Pony]

I agree the band needs to be on the baseline where they have always been and nobody should have to sit in front of them (that would be too much for anyone who wants to have their hearing afterwards) but I don't ever remember the band having more than 35-45 members playing at Moody. Even the small versions that played during the semester break games cranks out a good volume in a venue like Moody, which should be even cozier in the new configuration.

What's more important to me is that whatever number of seats that are allocated to students sitting courtside and/or baseline are FULL with kids who will get rowdy to support this team and set the tone for Moody going forward

[ponydawg]

Agreed. And I would assume the passionate band members who are "off" that night would still come and be rowdy. Who knows, having them sprinkled into the other student sections might actually benefit the students who need to learn to cheer!

I hope the students have to EARN the best seating at moody, so the rowdies will be down on the court, while the texters will be up high.

[couch 'em]

So I went and found pics of the band during games. Surprisingly hard to find.

Here we have a recent picture:

I counted about 35 members.

Here is an older picture during the time of the previous band director without what is apparently now some kind if rotation scheme.

Clearly larger, not a great pic but blowing it up on the computer I count about 50. Makes sense as in this era the band was probably only 60-70 people at football games.

[SMU 86]

Good picture Couchem.