Wisconsin Women's Hockey 2024-2025

[BadgerPete]

There certainly are enough band members that the same ones don't have to do all the events in one weekend. Apparently there are 224 marchers on the field and another 76 in reserve. Maybe the VB team doesn't get the band one weekend and WH does instead if for some reason they are hand-cuffed. Whose got more Natties???

By that logic, football shouldn't even get a band since it hasn't made a playoff at all.

The problem in fall is that the band members are putting in 10-15 hour weeks (if not more) just for marching band obligations. That's why the band shows up more in the spring semester when things loosen up. Cannibalizing the band from other popular women's sports is not the answer.

[CrazyDave]

Someone like CrazyDave could better speak to this, but UM has a GWH hockey pep band for most games. Perhaps it is better supported by the music department, but my assumption was that given the marching band is huge, the same people don't need to attend all of the events that the band plays. Why do they play at women's hockey? I think they enjoy it. I would assume that band members at Wisconsin would also enjoy that women's hockey team, if the music department makes if feasible for them to play those games. Again, those with actual band experience are in a much better position to explain the thinking than I am.

A couple of things have happened since my time actually in the Gopher Athletics Bands, so bear with me.

At Minnesota, the pep bands -- and there are three for winter sports (plus volleyball) -- are operated by the School of Music with funding from the Athletic Department. The funding is based on a certain amount per band member per event. The third band was added shortly after women's hockey became a varsity sport because there were too many requests for coverage from just the two existing bands. My understanding -- and this may be completely incorrect, so apologies if that's the case -- is that Wisconsin only has a single winter pep band; that could be due to funding, that could be due to staffing (i.e. directors), or it could be due to another difference in the operating model.

But even if everything else is ideal with no limits to funding or staffing, having only a single pep band limits the number of events which can be covered; the band members are students, too, so the time commitment comes into play. For some instruments, there are physical limitations, too, to how much playing can be done in a certain amount of time (the chops of trumpet players is typically limited).

Just a few thoughts.

[BadgerPete]

A couple of things have happened since my time actually in the Gopher Athletics Bands, so bear with me.

At Minnesota, the pep bands -- and there are three for winter sports (plus volleyball) -- are operated by the School of Music with funding from the Athletic Department. The funding is based on a certain amount per band member per event. The third band was added shortly after women's hockey became a varsity sport because there were too many requests for coverage from just the two existing bands. My understanding -- and this may be completely incorrect, so apologies if that's the case -- is that Wisconsin only has a single winter pep band; that could be due to funding, that could be due to staffing (i.e. directors), or it could be due to another difference in the operating model.

But even if everything else is ideal with no limits to funding or staffing, having only a single pep band limits the number of events which can be covered; the band members are students, too, so the time commitment comes into play. For some instruments, there are physical limitations, too, to how much playing can be done in a certain amount of time (the chops of trumpet players is typically limited).

Just a few thoughts.

The chops issue is a good one to bring up, particularly when you look at a typical football game day.
You have the morning run-through at Camp Randall.
You have the pep rally at Union South.
Pregame
Playing during the first half
Halftime
Playing during the second half
Fifth Quarter
Back to Humanities, a little more playing

After some game days I was *maybe* able to play again by Monday.

[robertearle]

You have the morning run-through at Camp Randall.

Just to highlight: "morning run-through" for an 11 AM kickoff happens at 6 or 7 in the morning, right?

[Ooftah]

That has a Monty Python feel to it. I'm going to steal this.

Fast forward a few generations. Think: Harry Potter.

[Ooftah]

By that logic, football shouldn't even get a band since it hasn't made a playoff at all...

Who needs football?

https://tinyurl.com/22uxerjg

[Timothy A]

Fast forward a few generations. Think: Harry Potter.

Harry Who?

[Timothy A]

Cannibalizing the band from other popular women's sports is not the answer.

Sure it is. VB can share the fall band with WH. The point with the Natties was comparing VB to WH.

[BadgerPete]

Sure it is. VB can share the fall band with WH. The point with the Natties was comparing VB to WH.

Again, by that logic, ditch the football band. And men's hockey while you're at it since they haven't won one in 18 years. Basketball certainly doesn't need one.

I've had season tickets to both volleyball and women's hockey for the entire 21st century. If you're going to cannibalize a band from somewhere, find a different sport. And it would have only made a difference once this year, Sunday, October 13th, when they played at the same time in the afternoon. (I went to women's hockey because Wisconsin/UMD was a better matchup in WoHo than Wisconsin/Northwestern in volleyball. Had it been Wisconsin/Bemidji and Wisconsin/Penn State or the like, I would have gone the other way.)

[BadgerPete]

Just to highlight: "morning run-through" for an 11 AM kickoff happens at 6 or 7 in the morning, right?

Something like that. You need to be at Union South for the pep rally by 9:30 or so, so we were usually out of Camp Randall by 7:30 because it gave you enough time to find breakfast, get home, get into your uniform, and be ready to go for the Badger Bash.

[Steamboat]

That has a Monty Python feel to it. I'm going to steal this.

Watch out for rabbits though, they're killers!

[Ditra]

Sounds like marching bands are the next class action lawsuit as it obvious they are being taken advantage of by the universities. Scholarships and wages for everyone.

[Timothy A]

Watch out for rabbits though, they're killers!

Run away!

[Timothy A]

Again, by that logic, ditch the football band. And men's hockey while you're at it since they haven't won one in 18 years. Basketball certainly doesn't need one.

I've had season tickets to both volleyball and women's hockey for the entire 21st century. If you're going to cannibalize a band from somewhere, find a different sport. And it would have only made a difference once this year, Sunday, October 13th, when they played at the same time in the afternoon. (I went to women's hockey because Wisconsin/UMD was a better matchup in WoHo than Wisconsin/Northwestern in volleyball. Had it been Wisconsin/Bemidji and Wisconsin/Penn State or the like, I would have gone the other way.)

So basically you can't imagine a volleyball game without the band lol.

[Lindsay]

Sounds like marching bands are the next class action lawsuit as it obvious they are being taken advantage of by the universities. Scholarships and wages for everyone.

Along these lines, UW hockey could hire a non university affiliated band to perform if they wanted.