Cost will keep UI from sending all Marching Illini to bowl game
When the Illini take the field for the Dec. 31 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco, the full Marching Illini probably won't be cheering them on.
The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics plans to send only a small band contingent to the bowl game because of the prohibitive cost of flying all 350 band members to the West Coast, officials said Wednesday.
The current plan is to send 49 band members plus Marching Illini Director Barry Houser, but "it's a work in progress right now," Houser said Wednesday.
The problem is that the payout to the UI for the Kraft bowl game is $750,000, and "that is not a substantial amount to charter a flight to get the football team and all 350 members of the Marching Illini" to San Francisco, Houser said.
The UI would likely need to charter two planes, at roughly $300,000 each, he said, plus pay for food and lodging. He estimated the band's total costs at $500,000.
"It's just too expensive," Houser said.
The full band typically accompanies the football team to bowl games, including the 2008 Rose Bowl. But larger bowl games provide more money to the schools for expenses — well in excess of $1 million, said Kent Brown, UI director of sports information. And other bowls, such as last year's Texas Bowl in Houston, are close enough to use buses, he said.
The athletic department has to try to cover all its expenses with the bowl allocation, Brown said.
"It's going to be very, very difficult to make this trip with the entire football team for five days with a charter flight out and back and stay close to that $750,000," Brown said.
In 1999, band members voted to travel by bus to Florida rather than fly a smaller group to the MicronPC.com Bowl in Orlando, said UI spokeswoman Robin Kaler.
See more in Thursday's News-Gazette.
Sad. Just sad. What more can you say? We've got our AD out trying to lure in a new coach with millions of dollars, we're bragging about bowl games two years in a row, and it was pretty obvious that the Marching Illini were responsible for one of the six wins that made this team bowl eligible, yet we can't send them to the bowl game. The band shows up for every home game, maintains a good attitude, and provides fans with a great show even when the football team doesn't. The 49 member allotment doesn't even cover all the seniors--band members who have never gotten to travel to another Big 10 stadium to perform and didn't travel anywhere this year. Sad. Just sad.
Plenty of money to pay losing coaches multiple 100's of thousands of dollars or millions of dollars per year (women's bkb over the past several years, and football), but not enought to send a great representative of our fine institution that works hard all year and does a great job every gameday. I'm so sorry for the band that the DIA doesn't appreciate you. We true Illini do!!!!
Marching Illini students work from mid August to the end of the football season and do a fantastic job. They are all volunteers - no scholarship money for being a member of MI. The one perk they may get is a trip to a bowl game.
The new AD was out on the field to shake/slap hands with the football players after every home game - never saw him even acknowledge the band members.
DIA will spend 2.6 million dollars for Ron Zook to water ski at his home in Florida for the next two years, but they can't find the $$ to provide a once in a lifetime experience for some of the finest students at the University of Illinois.
Speaking of short changed - word also has it that the AD is requiring the interim coaching staff to pare down the number of football players that get to travel to SanFran too. Why accept a bowl bid if you can't cover the costs?
The number of fans the show up on game day at Memorial Stadium just to see the band play....a handful.
Everyone else is there to see the football team.
The MI are very good and contribute to a better game day atmosphere but 500K is simply too much money to be squandering so all band members can blow a horn, bang on a drum or twirl a flag in San Fran. There WILL be a limited band going just not all members.
Hopefully they find a coach that can lead them to better bowls games with a better payout in future years that allow the full MI to go.
Sad in deed. Just think we will be paying a man who is not worth 2 cents-$2 million just to fade away in the dust but we can't send the band to the bowl. Why did this happen? The band is worth so much more than the man. I only wish I had the money to send the band. It would be worh it. It is sad....very sad.
Very sad for Band members. our Daughter was so excited on Sunday for here first trip to a bowl game and to Californa. Then to have her very upset on Wednesday when she heard she wasn't going. Hope they can sell there alotment of tickets. the M.B. familys would have bought close to 700 bowl tickets. we cancelled our 4 tickets, flights and hotel plans
Couple things:
1. It's a football game, not a band concert. The number one priority here is seeing to it that the football team has extra time to practice, play an additional game, and potentially open pathways for further recruiting of fans, students, and athletes. I agree, it sucks that the band will not get to go in full force, they are good at what they do, but this is not about them. The football team would still exist without the presesnce of the band, the opposite does not stand true (at least in sheer numbers). - Oh and the band did not help win a football game for the Illini. The penalty Northwestern had received was actually a delay of game penalty that was waived off because of the band. Northwestern should have lost 5 yards on the play, they didn't.
2. Ron Zook's, and the yet to be named coach's contracts have zero to do with the football or band budget. Those contracts are made up 100% from Booster and I-Fund donations. No tax-payer dollars are used, and the DIA is free to use those donations however they please, in terms of coaching contracts. Mike Thomas potentially throwing millions at a new coach has absolutely no connection to whether or not the band can afford to go to the bowl game. There are band boosters out there, request their assistance all you want. But you can not place any blame on the DIA, Mike Thomas, or the football program. Nobody is going to the bowl game to support the band. This is strictly about football and the dollars generated by a bowl eligible football team.
Don't get me wrong, I love the support offered by the band towards Illini athletics, but half a million dollars so 350 band members can toot their horns in San Francisco for 3 hours is hardly worth it. As bad as the team ended the season, they are still the ones that put fans in the seats and they are still the biggest money maker on campus. GO ILLINI!
As an MI alum and the parent of a former and current MI member, I am disappointed in the DIA's decision, but not surprised. It's obviously a very minor bowl (I heard the team was staying in a building made from mac and cheese boxes, but that's just a rumor) and the amount allotted for travel is small. And, obviously it costs a bundle to charter a plane for 350 band members. I get all that.
The unfortuante thing is that this shows just how rinky dink our DIA is. Do you think Ohio State or Michigan would do this? Heck no. They send their band to their rivalry game every year. Every single year. The Marching Illini have been to (other than the St. Louis/Mizzou fiascos) once in the last five years.
Yes, most people attend football games to see football, with the band as a nice side attraction. Yes, it costs a lot to send 350 people somewhere for a few days on a plane.
And apparently, yes, we have just a small time DIA, not equal to the likes of the conference powers. Did we mention that we have great academics, and that's what we focus on? Schools like Michigan focus on sports. But, oh yeah, they're pretty darn good at academics too.
Can we do both? I sure hope the new leadership at both the university and the DIA have what it takes. Clearly those that have been leading did not.
Good gawd, this is not battle of the bands people. This is a football game. If you're mad because not every single one of the 350 band members can get flown out free for a week in San Fran, get some perspective. Either that or get some buses and drivers, but I wouldn't be too hot on that idea either because driving through the Rockies in December can get a little hairy.
Please do not forget the band students PAY for the privilege of participating in MI, playing and practicing 20+ hours a week during the fall term for one credit hour towards graduation. I always look forward to the pre-game and halftime performances by MI, acknowledging their commitment and hard work towards the game day experience.
Reminds me of lyrics from Don McLean's "American Pie"....
The players tried to take the field, the marching band refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed the day the music died?
Pay up Athletic Department! Do the right thing for once instead of squandering your copious amounts of money on hack football coaches with golden parachutes and facility renovations that only serve the lucky sperm club!
Plenty of high roller alums with a half million doing nothing but serving self when a big statement could be made to assist so many students at UIUC!
It was points missed due to noise and commotion in the band section that won the game, not the waived off penalty. And no, it's not a band concert. It IS a major part of the game day experience, though. Yes, there are people who come to support the band while they watch some bad football.
Marching Illini holds summer sectional mini-camps and 12 hour/day band camp for a week mid-August. Game weeks they rehearse over 10 hours and perform at least 5 hours on game days including pre-game, game, post-game. Those in Orange and Blues tailgate bands spend additional time performing for tailgates, university events, and private parties throughout football season. They all learn the music on their own time. Not unlike the time commitment of the football players. They don't get paid. They don't get scholarships. They do get one credit hour applied to graduation. They are basically volunteers.
Speaking of Orange and Blues, they were scheduled to accompany the volleyball team to Florida for the NCAA tournament tomorrow. Some had to reschedule early finals and other commitments to go. On Monday they learned they had to leave today, but no word on timing so they had to clear all day today as well. Marching Illini formal dinner/dance (paid for by students) was scheduled for tonight. Barry changed it (three days in advance...at a cost, I presume?) so kids going to Florida wouldn't miss it. Tuesday, late afternoon, DIA tells them they've decided not to take a band after all. Wednesday, late afternoon, DIA tells them most aren't going to the bowl game either.
Additional administrative commotion regarding retiring the Three-In-One has been uncovered recently as well. Make minor changes until it just goes away. Step one was asking athletic teams to take the court and lead the singing of the Alma Mater at basketball games, changing the focus of the event. The plan back-fired when the soccer team joined Orange Krush in clapping for the Chief after they finished singing. Other teams have been warned not to do that.
Now, band members, clear your minds and do well on your finals.
Well donate money for the poor ones to go; and the others have Mom, and Dad pay for it. What did they do during the Depression? Oh, there was not many bowls to attend at that time....... After the team's season, it is surprising that a bowl appearance is happening. I had no idea that there was a Kraft Bowl for Fighting Hunger. What's next the Tidy Bowl? I sincerely hope that the students who work during the break, and the semester have a good holiday season. Hang in there, it will pay off.
If you do a bit of rough math calculations, the 350 members of MI put in about 132,000 hours of time during the season to perform at home games.
When you look at the cost of sending the band to a bowl game, haven't they earned it? Iowa routinely sends their band to every bowl game for a week.
This is just assinine. Why don't you add up how many hours of studying they do, and deduct money from their tuition. Or add up the miles they drive to and from band practice, and deduct money for gas. They chose to be in the band, that means they have to perform the required work to stay in the band. They are not part of the football team, and their presence makes no difference in the outcome of the game. Also, Iowa is able to send their band to bowl games because they typically play in higher paying bowl games. The payout for this game is $750,000. The cost of sending the band would be around $500,000. Do the math. It does not make for a worthwhile expense.
"It was points missed due to noise and commotion in the band section that won the game, not the waived off penalty."
No, it wasn't. And that assumption shows that you have zero knowledge of the game of football.
The opposing team was about to receive a delay of game penalty, but because of the band playing well into the snap count that penalty was waived off. What should have been a 5 yard loss turned into a free play with no +/- yardage. Luckily the DEFENSE was able to keep points off the board.
Admit to poor explanation but not to lack of knowledge of a defensive stop. The band was fired up all day and even more so after the penalty issue. Their enthusiasm, noise, commotion, however you want to describe it, fired up the defense which very likely would have folded and let them score. If Zook was still here you could ask his opinion because he thanked them, gave them credit, and told them to do it again anytime. No, they didn't tackle anyone. Yes, they were a major player. Anyone who thinks the team doesn't need them in San Fran doesn't have much knowledge of the game of college football.
Could the university rent a semi-tractor trailer and load all the equipment in that and find an alum that could get them a sweet deal on flying all members out and back on commercial flights? I'm not a travel agent or an economist but I would think doing that would be a fraction of the 300K they say it would cost to do otherwise. Just a thought.
I am a band parent and am saddened the circumstances (including O&B not traveling, the formal being moved, basketball band loss of classic rugbys for Nike sponsorship, and the impending loss of 3-in-1) and I don't want to debate what is fair/unfair.
This just confirms the validity of this article that the Kraft Bowl is the most depressing.
I will NOT be watching/listening to the game at all. I will just catch the partial band's performance on YouTube.
I won't be watching either....I'll be in Mackey Arena watching the men's basketball team. We were on the fence about staying home to watch football and basketball on tv but kicking the band to the curb swayed us to head to West LaFayette to watch hoop.
PS to the DIA: Can the 3-in-1 and I'll no longer purchase season tickets for football and basketball.
As a MI parent and Alumni, I'm very disappointed that the DIA and the University has decided to only look at the financial bottom line on this Bowl Game.
Although it is a Football game, the Marching Illini does provide enthusiasm and support to the Football team. The Illini football players and coaches all recognize this.
By not sending the MI, we allow UCLA to gain an advantage in this Bowl Game. They will certainly send their Band as it's only a 500 mile trip from Westwood (West LA) to San Francisco.
Best Wishes to the Football Team.
ILL...
Hey Everyone,
Thanks for the support! Please take to time to like this video on Facebook. We're doing everything we can to properly represent our team and school! http://tinyurl.com/marchingillini
Thanks!
As MI parents, we do attend every football game just to see the Marching Band. As I realize that there would not be a marching band if there were not a football team, the band is an integral part of the game. It would be like watching a movie without the soundtrack. Because my student is a member of the band, I have become a supporter of the Fighting Illini. These kids are volunteers, they do not receive a penny of scholarship money, and they work very hard, which means they do it because they love it. It is sad that the band is just as much part of the Big 10 experience and they are not given the respect they deserve. The band did not start the season 6-0 and finish a mediocre 6-6. It's not the band's fault that the team did not earn a decent bowl berth with enough money to send everyone. It's not the music department's fault for accepting a bowl invitation that they could not afford, but it's the band that gets penalized. Well, it's not the first time. The Illini nation should hang their head in shame because this would not happen at any other school in the Big 10. So the kids don't go to San Francisco. Life goes on. Just don't take away the 3 in 1. That would be the real tragedy. If you really are Fighting Illini, then fight to maintain your traditions.
Hopefully, a charitalbe organization can be established for donations to prevent this from happening in the future. Missing New Year's Eve in San Francisco is a bummer. I doubt this would have happened if it were the Rose Bowl. The student body may decide to financially support their band; or the MI alumni may do it.
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