Band Not Going To Dallas Comment Count

Brian

scientist[1]

Dave Brandon creates the future: the tag: the picture

The Michigan Marching Band has been informed that they won't be going to Dallas, presumably because it puts a dent in the pile of money Michigan will get by selling a home game. Sorry, people who bought tickets. Yes, seats for the band are in the contract. Yes, you've been duped. No, you can't get a refund unless you pay $500 to get on the refund waiting list.

Think about that as you look at a home schedule on which Michigan State is the featured attraction. Dave Brandon couldn't even get the Nebraska game to not be on the road in the same year OSU and ND are. He sold a home game to Jerry Jones because it sounded like a lot of money, then we found out that because the minimum ticket price was $125 he could have scheduled a home and home instead. Jerry Jones is probably laughing his ass off somewhere.

Anyway. I think we should start a Dave Brandon for Governor fund. I'd vote for him! With no ulterior motives whatsoever! #DB4MGov!

Comments

Feat of Clay

April 19th, 2012 at 5:22 PM ^

That is bullsh*t. 

It is cheap and it is bush league and U-M is better than that.   It is worth making it happen.  Given everything the MMB does for athletics and UM fans, they deserve to be a part of this deal.  And putting it another way, why would you want to send our team down into hostile territory without our band there to play for them and the fans?

I suspect this short-sighted decision will be reversed, and I will be bent if it doesn't.

markusr2007

April 19th, 2012 at 5:29 PM ^

Detroit City government has Emergency Manager.....since 2010.

Bravo David Brandon, or should we call you Ebenezer from now on?  

Sucks that there will be no musical retort to the incessantly played "Go, Bama, Go"  diddy.

God damn! Listening to that football tune for an entire afternoon is not quite living hell, but it's a close second best.

 

Michael Scarn

April 19th, 2012 at 5:28 PM ^

Let's wait to see if he can respond to all the strongly worded letters we're going to write to him, but if nothing changes, I propose that we do something similar to the "kickstarter" campaign to get the band there.  If Brian doesn't want to deal with it, I volunteer to undertake this.  Not sure how about the exact logistics of fundraising, but I'll figure out a way.  Which, strangely enough, should've been Brandon's response to this issue.  

WolverBean

April 19th, 2012 at 8:02 PM ^

I'd be whole-heartedly in support of a kickstarter campaign... but NOT YET. This is something the athletic department SHOULD be paying for, and right now the focus should be on maximizing our pressure on it to do so. Only if, several weeks from now, it proves that no amount of backlash will result in the university paying for the band to attend, only then should we launch a kickstarter campaign. Otherwise such a campaign actually benefits the AD for making what we view as a poor decision.

dahblue

April 19th, 2012 at 5:43 PM ^

Nothing says "college football" like a game in an NFL stadium, nowhere near either school (though much closer to one), no student section and no band!  I love this Dave Brandon guy and his Pop Evilry.

ryebreadboy

April 19th, 2012 at 5:44 PM ^

I find this absolutely shocking.  We all know DB plays fast and loose with what we consider tradition -- RAWK, Arby's, Pop Evil, jerseys -- but the MMB is an integral part of both Michigan tradition and game day.  The idea that they won't be at this game, which let's face it, is in a large part about building Michigan's "brand" in the SEC and drawing national attention, is ridiculous.  I will tweet my anger immediately.

Perkis-Size Me

April 19th, 2012 at 5:47 PM ^

NO BAND?!? ARE YOU KIDDING??

I was on the fence about coming down for this game. Now there's no way in hell I'm going. So much of the college football experience comes from hearing the band.

Brandon, why could you not have scheduled a home-and-home?

rockediny

April 19th, 2012 at 6:08 PM ^

I have to say, I love Michigan even more now (if that's possible). As someone who was in a marching band in high school , it makes me happy that we are appreciated to this extent at Michigan. I'm smiling (even though I should be disappointed, considering the circumstances) reading all these comments of support. Thank you.

mad magician

April 19th, 2012 at 6:24 PM ^

This costs a lot of money.

Ohio sent their band to Austin thanks to a massive private donation. So it's not feasible for the Athletic Department. 

So we are you so mad at Dave Brandon? The band will be at Notre Dame and Columbus. Get back on the meds.

M-Dog

April 19th, 2012 at 8:03 PM ^

Yes, if brining the band was out of the question why not make it clear right away?  Why an ambush in April?  I smell something fishy going on . . . save costs on the band and sell their seats for extra revenue.  

I got an idea . . . let's save even more costs by not bringing anyone from the Michigan Administration.  We can also make extra revenue by selling the expensive suites they would have used.  

Sounds fair.

MMBbones

April 19th, 2012 at 11:19 PM ^

The MMB has always been a part of the School of Music, unlike most colleges where the marching band is part of the athletic department. Of course, the athletic department transfers monies to the School of Music for bowl game expenses for the MMB, and other expenses where appropriate. But I think the separation of MMB from the athletic dept has always limited MMB funding vis-a-vis other schools.

WolverineHistorian

April 19th, 2012 at 6:50 PM ^

This much backlash just hours after the annoucement, I don't see how the band won't be able to go now.  There's plenty of time to raise money.  I'll be sending Brandon an email right away. 

Bama fans have a much shorter distance to travel so I've feared from day one that our fans will be badly outnumbered at this game.  The least Brandon and the athletic department can do is send the band. 

aaamichfan

April 19th, 2012 at 6:50 PM ^

Apparently I'm in the extreme minority, but I really don't give a fuck if the band is allowed to go on this trip or not. It's a game in a massive NFL stadium, and won't have any of the pageantry of a typical college football weekend. 

Basically what is happening here is Dave Brandon is saving the AD many dollars by denying a group of people(who will not be properly appreciated there) a free trip to Dallas(which is a shitty vacation place).

In the end, I think even band members will be happy with this decision. 

aaamichfan

April 19th, 2012 at 7:45 PM ^

Key words, "In the end".

Of course people are pissy right now, because their emotions have been carefully manipulated in order to convince some donor to step up and fund the trip. If nobody steps up though, I think the band members will eventually realize that they didn't actually miss out on much.