Ask The AD

[JohnKX512]

Does the Athletic Department provide financial support to The Furman Marching Band and Pep Band in return for their participation at Football and Basketball games? What is the best way for us to show our support for the student musicians who devote their time & talents to enhancing the Game Day experience?

I heard they have to buy tickets.

It has been a bit (10 years+), but here is what I recall on the band's involvement:

Football: The school and the music department have music scholarships they provide to students to attend Furman. Generally if you play a wind or percussion instrument, the scholarship mandates that you participate in marching band. The students get a free drink or snack from the athletic department during the homes games. The athletic department also pays for the band to go to the one FBS away game every year if it is drivable in a day (Clemson, South Carolina, Tennessee, etc.) I believe there usually isn't enough money to pay for overnight lodging or go to a 2nd away game.

Basketball: The band is limited per NCAA rules to 30 people. The school pays each student $10 per home game (usually 16 games between men and women). The NCAA covers the entire cost of transporting, housing, and feeding the band, team, and cheerleaders for the SoCon tournament and NCAA/NIT tournament if the team makes it.

A lot may have changed in 10 years, but this is how I recall the band finances were managed.

PaladinFan coming in hot with info. This is great to know. We always question this.

From my point of view, the band is on scholarship and their main goal is to graduate with their credits. Great performers with talent that we somewhat take advantage of in athletics.

But, from my music friends I had at FU, performing at games is a good respite and opportunity to have fun. I am extremely proud of our music department and the talent we have. No one is coming here to be in a loud obnoxious marching band (ie Clemson and SEC); however, we have talented music major students/fans that can make noise with instruments in the most harmonious way.

Their priorities are music and education. As the teams progress, we will need them more than ever.

[Davemeister]

Thanks, paladinfan & John, for your great answers.

[FU Hoopla]

So they are on scholarship and getting something big out of the deal, good to know and what I figured.

Thus they should be at all football and basketball games of course.

The University must be provided return on that scholarship investment to the music department just as they do with the athletics programs to deem worthy, and they do provide it in an important way with the marching band and pep band.

[Louis Tully]

I’ve always enjoyed the Furman band. They were almost always at the Auditorium back in the 70’s .

[FurmanFan23]

That is still how the band currently works.

The band should be at all basketball and football games!

[gofurman]

Do note that this above is only for those already on music scholarships. My roommate was in marching band (football) and went to home and away games - he had no scholarship. He just took music courses and volunteered to help. Not everyone out there is getting financial aid by any means. I think he got in games free and travel etc. But certainly no scholarship.

[Davemeister]

Do note that this above is only for those already on music scholarships. My roommate was in marching band (football) and went to home and away games - he had no scholarship. He just took music courses and volunteered to help. Not everyone out there is getting financial aid by any means. I think he got in games free and travel etc. But certainly no scholarship.

I never received a dime for performing at the games. If anyone had told me I was "required" to do so I would have given them the Middle Finger.

[Affirm]

Ask the AD what he envisions, along with CCH, for future OOC football regular season scheduling. Maybe that has already been addressed recently in “Ask the AD”.
Also ask for thoughts related to possible SoCon expansion, such as possibly pulling in 1, 2, 3, or more, from CAA.

[Flagman]

Ask the AD what he envisions, along with CCH, for future OOC football regular season scheduling. Maybe that has already been addressed recently in “Ask the AD”.
Also ask for thoughts related to possible SoCon expansion, such as possibly pulling in 1, 2, 3, or more, from CAA.

Elon certainly doesn’t want to come back.

[FU Hoopla]

Do note that this above is only for those already on music scholarships. My roommate was in marching band (football) and went to home and away games - he had no scholarship. He just took music courses and volunteered to help. Not everyone out there is getting financial aid by any means. I think he got in games free and travel etc. But certainly no scholarship.

I never received a dime for performing at the games. If anyone had told me I was "required" to do so I would have given them the Middle Finger.

That's more than fair for someone to feel that way
Honest question, may I ask what other music functions the band members do that would be considered more important than preforming for the crowds at the football and basketball games?

[Davemeister]

Previously scheduled commitments.

[apaladin]

Do note that this above is only for those already on music scholarships. My roommate was in marching band (football) and went to home and away games - he had no scholarship. He just took music courses and volunteered to help. Not everyone out there is getting financial aid by any means. I think he got in games free and travel etc. But certainly no scholarship.

I never received a dime for performing at the games. If anyone had told me I was "required" to do so I would have given them the Middle Finger.

That's more than fair for someone to feel that way
Honest question, may I ask what other music functions the band members do that would be considered more important than preforming for the crowds at the football and basketball games?

There are none.

[FU Hoopla]

Previously scheduled commitments.

Like performing for band member parents? Anything else?

[Davemeister]

If that is the case, then the Athletic Dept. should have paid for the Band to accompany the Football Team to San Antonio. Right?

[FU Hoopla]

Pep Band has attended 1 home basketball game out of 4 all season, that's pretty disappointing