Fans and Alumni of the Delaware State University Marching Band better known as
"The Approaching Storm" Has a few choice words and wants answers as to why their Beloved Band were castaways in their own home? As far as anyone can remember the Approaching storms home in the stands is and thought to always be Section "D", Not the whole section but about Half of it and they Share it with their die hard hornets, and Band Alumni. This was a shocking case for everyone when the First home game of the season , and , Where's the Band? MilRo Entertainment later found out that the new DSU Athletic director, made a decision to move the bands seating , without the Band Directors knowledge, consent, or input on the matter. Question is Why? Our Office tried to contact Mr Derek Carter with no luck. One Alumnus made a comment that "they did it to make money on the seats spite all the band does" Money for seats? The house was EMPTY!!! MilRo Entertainment wanted to give our readers incite as to what the band does all year you'll be amazed to find out that the approaching storm as well as other HBCU Marching Bands are required to Practice/perform 6 days a week, Preform for All home football games, A few Select Away games, Campus Events, Parades, Woman's Basketball games, Men's Basketball Games, and students still have to maintain a 2.0 GPA or better to maintain and Keep partial scholarships where Some athletes receive full scholarships and are required to do less. Please believe that this would never happen at any other Institution. Could you imagine Hampton or Howard telling their band we need to put you aside to sell seats? Especially when Maybe more than half of the ticket sales are from those who want to see the Marching Band.
"The Approaching Storm" Has a few choice words and wants answers as to why their Beloved Band were castaways in their own home? As far as anyone can remember the Approaching storms home in the stands is and thought to always be Section "D", Not the whole section but about Half of it and they Share it with their die hard hornets, and Band Alumni. This was a shocking case for everyone when the First home game of the season , and , Where's the Band? MilRo Entertainment later found out that the new DSU Athletic director, made a decision to move the bands seating , without the Band Directors knowledge, consent, or input on the matter. Question is Why? Our Office tried to contact Mr Derek Carter with no luck. One Alumnus made a comment that "they did it to make money on the seats spite all the band does" Money for seats? The house was EMPTY!!! MilRo Entertainment wanted to give our readers incite as to what the band does all year you'll be amazed to find out that the approaching storm as well as other HBCU Marching Bands are required to Practice/perform 6 days a week, Preform for All home football games, A few Select Away games, Campus Events, Parades, Woman's Basketball games, Men's Basketball Games, and students still have to maintain a 2.0 GPA or better to maintain and Keep partial scholarships where Some athletes receive full scholarships and are required to do less. Please believe that this would never happen at any other Institution. Could you imagine Hampton or Howard telling their band we need to put you aside to sell seats? Especially when Maybe more than half of the ticket sales are from those who want to see the Marching Band.
How could you expect the students to keep a good moral when you have an athletic director cares more for money than a school Spirit and Support? Its evident, when you Cancel a HBCU Game against NCAT to Play Michigan , request the band be there and then not pay for them but make them pay for their own travel? Take their seats for a less than sold out Home game? making your own students sit on the visitors side and make them believe that it's OK?.. Derek Carter you need to Wake UP!!! Embrace your New University and not see it as dollar signs.
In my opinion this is a shared perspective amoung many students at this campus. As a member of the band many of my peers have come and asked me why didnt they see us and why couldnt they hear us. I personally took it as an insault and I feel like we were down graded...
ReplyDeleteIM SO GLAD THAT SOMEONE REALIZES THIS. THE WHOLE BAND THINKS THEM MOVING US IS A HUGE MISTAKE. WE DESERVE MORE RESPECT THAN THE FOOTBAL PLAYERS AT DSU BECAUSE WHILE THEY ARE PLAYIN FOR A SEASON, WE PLAY ALL YEAR ROUND. AND ALSO WE PRACTICE JUST AS HARD AND MUCH. TO MAKE MONEY FOR WHAT? THE SCHOOL MAKES MONEY ALREADY AND THEY ARE STINGY TO EVEN GIVE IT AWAY. ALSO WHEN THE FIRST GAME OCCURED NO ONE WAS EVEN SITTIN IN SECTION D THROUGH OUT THE WHOLE GAME. WE NEED THEM TO PUT THE BAND BACK IN SECTION D
ReplyDeleteI am also a member of the band and i felt offended. The band is just as vital to a football game as the team itself. This seating arrangement made it hard for us to see the game and hard for the crowd to see us. Hopefully some changes will be made for the Homecoming game...
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly with the writer of this column. Nearly 100% of the members of the marching band practice hard during the week, and have the best time of there lives in those stands. We deserve to be in the big stands. This move shows how little we are thought of among various members of the administration. Besides, having the band in the stands is part of the WHOLE FOOTBALL GAME EXPERIENCE!. The marching band is there to make the game more enjoyable by bringing some vitality to the day/night. Hell, the football team isnt doing any good, maybe THEY should be put on the side bleachers. And perhaps we would recieve more money if our students werent such morons. Ever think of that athletic director?
ReplyDeleteI don't mean to disrespect anyone, however i wanted to add that since we are required to come to the games its not right that we have to come and sit uncomfortably where we cant even do our part. if the band is so insignificant then how would they feel if we didn't come at all?
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard the news just two hours before the game I was shocked and upset at the same time. I was asking myself, "What was Derek Carter thinking." Did he really expect at packed house last Saturday night? No. The reason because most delawareans were at the University of Delaware's home game on the same night. Normally during all the years at Delaware State, The Approaching Storm Marching band always sit in section D right next to the alumni. In fall 2005, the band sat next to our Delaware State Students and we had a blast. This isn't the first time the band sat in those "isolated bleachers." It happened before in fall 2006 and that plan didn't even worked. Next home game later they were back in their regular seats of section D. I will tell you this if Derek Carter don't get his act in order and understand the great history of Delaware State Univeristy's Marching Band he will get the coldest shoulder of his life and get no respect. Besides last Saturday night the Stadium was scattered everywhere with only 3,000 people. You called that selling tickets? I don't think so. With Homecoming around the corner the Admistration and Derek Carter better put the band back to their regular seating at section D or there will be major problems ahead. Give the band their seats back!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm a former memember of the Approaching storm. I do think it was wrongfully done and not a professional move to not inform the band director of the changes made to the seating arrangement of his band. However, at least u guys are on the home side still because I can remember a year that I marched and we had to sit on the visitors side.
ReplyDelete