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I know its a little bit high schoolish to have a band show, but who else here thinks that it would be awesome to have an annual MAC Marching Band Showcase? A different school could host the event every year at the end of the football season. Have some 'competition' just for the bandies. I think this could go a long way in strengthening school spirit for every school in the MAC. Who knows, maybe it would give some of the MAC schools a chance to get their marching bands the respect they deserve for all their hard work. Nothing brings out the best in a group like trying to be the best.

The Niz wrote:I know its a little bit high schoolish to have a band show, but who else here thinks that it would be awesome to have an annual MAC Marching Band Showcase? A different school could host the event every year at the end of the football season. Have some 'competition' just for the bandies. I think this could go a long way in strengthening school spirit for every school in the MAC. Who knows, maybe it would give some of the MAC schools a chance to get their marching bands the respect they deserve for all their hard work. Nothing brings out the best in a group like trying to be the best.

Awesome. Yes.

Two questions arise though.

1. What weekend are you going to do this on?
Its either got to be in late August, or early December. August doesn't work, as no one would want to put on a show for all to see whilst Freshman (and others) are still figuring out their new systems. December would be tough because of weather, and forcing kids to do this AFTER the season is over.

2. Who's paying for it?

Bussing in bands from all over the MAC to any location, simply for an exhibition would cost the bands/schools a lot of money that could probably be better spent elsewhere. This would be a trip where the bands would have to stay in hotels, as not all of the bands could stay with host families, unless it was held in/near a large metropolitan area such as Chicago, Cleveland (MAC offices), Cinci, etc.

Yeah, thats what I think. Good idea, but it'd be terribly hard to execute.

1. It could be held at Ford Field in December.

2. This could obviously only work if the MAC was willing to foot the bill. Especially if it were held at Ford Field.

i bet we could get mr. whipple to give us some money if it we could tie everything together in order to do it. seems like he's always got money hiding for the band somewhere!

good idea, niz!

For some reson I feel like I'm gonna look stupid for asking this, but who exactly is Mr. Whipple?

Dr. Edward G. Whipple, Vice President for Student Affairs




he helped get the band a bigger budget this year....

yeah, he's a really cool guy. i talked with him a few times regarding some things in UAO this past year.

I generally like what Dr. Whipple has done at BG.

I have some FAB blackmail pics of him at the Centennial Gala a few years back that involves dancing and oversized foam cowboy hats.

I think a MAC band showcase would be wonderful but a logistical nightmare. You'd have to create new job positions simply to organize the entire thing, and no MAC school I can think of would be willing to fork out the money to front it, and you can bet the MAC wouldn't either.

If there was a way to make money off of it I be the MAC would be supportive. I'm a little torn on the location thing right now. The problem with Ford Field is that its in the middle of Detroit which isn't exactly a family community. Cold weather is a pain in the azz otherwise my original thought of having it rotate to a new school each year would have been golden. If it worked that way then the money that could be made through local advertising and sponsors could almost be enough to pull off the event. Deals could be worked out with hotels for band housing and hotels would probably have a huge weekend with all the parents and fans coming from out of town. In the long run it could actually end up being financially beneficial to the schools, the MAC, and the towns.

If only the forward march foundation could have survived....

there are supposedly all these organizations that claim to support the music and things like this..i really think we should try to get this off the ground. I mean, i'm sure it wouldn't happen anytime this year, next year, or before i graduate...but hey...it's worth looking into!

Everyone I know thinks it would be a GREAT idea to build a MB-only stadium

My idea is to build it either between cleveland and Arkon, down by dayton, or my favorite - as a concert venue in Sandusky. Build an outdoor ampitheater on a fake turf field. Make it a moveable stage.

Bands would come to the band show on one evening and head to CP the next day....

A marching band only stadium? Forgive my sarcasm....but..........

would that look like a football stadium without a scoreboard???

Falcons4Life wrote:A marching band only stadium? Forgive my sarcasm....but..........

would that look like a football stadium without a scoreboard???

One side of stands (i.e. only 'home' stands). Like a short, wide ampitheater. Luxury / press box along the top. I have the whole thing planned out.

Falcon30 wrote:I have the whole thing planned out.

Why does THAT not surprise me?