Move the Band?

[Mad Hatter]

My original post turned into another topic, so I wanted to hear your feedback on this.

Can we/should we move the band down another section or two towards the endzone?  It breaks up the student section a bit, and with the band going down to the field before the game and at halftime, it takes some of the student/crowd energy away.  Plus on TV games when they show the crowd during those times it's a big hole.  I know the good part of having them there is the large crowd in that section even when the students don't show.  Are we not there yet?  If we could consistently get more students there would it be time to move them?  Or will they always be in that spot even if we were selling out games every week?

[Tyler Maryak]

Having 15,000 people in a 35,000 person stadium doesn't look good any way you organize it, so I don't think moving them down is that big a deal. That would be a nice area for fans to be able to sit. I'm sure the logistics of getting them on/off the field is the key issue considering where the ramps are set up in the stadium design.

[drex]

The least of the athletic  department's worries at this time.

[SilverEagle]

28 minutes ago, drex said:

The least of the athletic  department's worries at this time.

Agree

They need to start being a real football band B4 we worry about where they sit in the stands. 

[kj86]

Not yet.  When the team gets good enough that we are consistently getting 7000-8000 on that side, then it'll be time.  As TM mentioned, they would have to reconfigure field access to do it.  

[UNT 90 Grad]

I think we want the band as close to being directly behind the visiting bench as possible.  A lot of what they do is intended to distract or interfere with the opposing team.  In year 1 at Apogee, they were just one over from the middle section. 

Then:

Now:

[greenminer]

1 hour ago, UNT 90 Grad said:

 A lot of what they do is intended to distract or interfere with the opposing team.

That is secondary to engaging the home crowd.

[SilverEagle]

17 minutes ago, greenminer said:

That is secondary to engaging the home crowd.

[GreenBacker]

Unfortunately there are many times at UNT where the band is pretty much all that is left on that side by the 4th quarter.  Unless you are filling all of the seats, you leave them there to be behind the visitors bench and facing the home fans.  Teams that sell out stadiums consistently often move the band to an end zone section and and then have a more premium seat available for paying fans or students. 

[UNTexas]

I have a better idea, how about the band wears uniforms instead of khakis and t-shirts? 

Edited October 8, 2016 by UNTexas

[Mike Jackson]

I think logistically it would be better to have them next to the visitor section.  And they can drown out the cheers from the visiting team's fan too.  

[MeanGreen17]

1 hour ago, UNTexas said:

I have a better idea, how about the band wears uniforms instead of khakis and t-shirts? 

You must not have been there Saturday.

[tmjerm]

19 minutes ago, Mike Jackson said:

I think logistically it would be better to have them next to the visitor section.  And they can drown out the cheers from the visiting team's fan too.  

I also notice how lots of stadiums have visitor sections far away from having an opportunity to connect with their team.  E.g. at Kansas State the visiting team comes onto the field in one end zone and the fans are sitting in the opposite end zone.  I remember feeling so far from our boys in Manhattan.  Perhaps we could seat the opposing fans in the northeast corner of the stadium instead...not that our opponents bring many fans but it still gives them something to tether to when they come out of the locker room and they're immediately seeing family and friends. 

[Stix]

I like the idea of the band being in the north end zone, so they are playing to the entire stadium (except those who would be above them in the wing zone).  But that would really make the student section look even more empty, since I would expect the current season ticket holders in the end zone would probably want to be moved to the alumni side, and not into the sun on the east side.

I know, if we could win consistently, then the student section would easily fill up...

The alternative of moving the band next to the visitor section is OK, except when the visiting team's band comes, then that's not ideal.

4 minutes ago, tmjerm said:

I also notice how lots of stadiums have visitor sections far away from having an opportunity to connect with their team.  E.g. at Kansas State the visiting team comes onto the field in one end zone and the fans are sitting in the opposite end zone.  I remember feeling so far from our boys in Manhattan.  Perhaps we could seat the opposing fans in the northeast corner of the stadium instead...not that our opponents bring many fans but it still gives them something to tether to when they come out of the locker room and they're immediately seeing family and friends. 

No, give them the southwest corner.

[tmjerm]

6 minutes ago, Stix said:

I like the idea of the band being in the north end zone, so they are playing to the entire stadium (except those are to elaborate  who would be above them in the wing zone).  But that would really make the student section look even more empty, since I would expect the current season ticket holders in the end zone would probably want to be moved to the alumni side, and not into the sun on the east side.

I know, if we could win consistently, then the student section would easily fill up...

The alternative of moving the band next to the visitor section is OK, except when the visiting team's band comes, then that's not ideal.

No, give them the southwest corner.

Care to elaborate why that's a bad idea? 

[Stix]

1 minute ago, tmjerm said:

Care to elaborate why that's a bad idea? 

Oh, I don't know - It would be like having the visiting team on the same sideline as our team. 

Well, you know, that's just, like, my opinion, man.

[tmjerm]

12 minutes ago, Stix said:

Oh, I don't know - It would be like having the visiting team on the same sideline as our team. 

Well, you know, that's just, like, my opinion, man.

Perhaps I'm off on my directions.  I mean the opposite part of the side they already sit on.  Still on the visitor side, just the corner where the wing is rather than the open end of the stadium.  Is that not the northeast corner?   

Edited October 8, 2016 by tmjerm

[Stix]

25 minutes ago, tmjerm said:

Perhaps I'm off on my directions.  I mean the opposite part of the side they already sit on.  Still on the visitor side, just the corner where the wing is rather than the open end of the stadium.  Is that not the northeast corner?   

Your directions aren't wrong, but I think if you really want to isolate the visitor's fans, have them sit in the southwest corner, opposite of the current visitor's section.  Never mind that it isn't the "visitors side" - it's as far away from their team as possible.

Unless you want to create a hostile situation for the visitor's fans - then the northeast corner might do the trick.

[tmjerm]

9 hours ago, Stix said:

Your directions aren't wrong, but I think if you really want to isolate the visitor's fans, have them sit in the southwest corner, opposite of the current visitor's section.  Never mind that it isn't the "visitors side" - it's as far away from their team as possible.

Unless you want to create a hostile situation for the visitor's fans - then the northeast corner might do the trick.

Ah!  I misunderstood 

[Mike Jackson]

11 hours ago, Stix said:

The alternative of moving the band next to the visitor section is OK, except when the visiting team's band comes, then that's not ideal.

But out of the 6 home games we have (most years) maybe one brings their band.  Maybe two if SMU and UTSA are scheduled to visit Apogee in the same year right now they are alternating.  I go to a lot of games but not all  (4 out of 6 a year) so I maybe wrong, but I can't think of a CUSA program that brings their band every visit to Apogee except UTSA.  Did La Tech bring their band last time?

[untjim1995]

I'd be willing to bet that if they asked the Green Brigade to move to the end zone,  they'd feel insulted, get the NT daily on their side, and just stop going to games.