For the first time, the Syracuse University football team might hear boos and jeers drowned out by the familiar sounds of the Syracuse University Marching Band at away games this year.

With three days left in its crowdfunding campaign, SUMB has raised 87 percent of its fundraising goal to perform during the away football game at Pittsburgh.

Last year, SUMB band took a high-profile trip to MetLife Stadium to perform at the pre-game show for Super Bowl XLVIII. This year they’re looking to take a trip to Pitt on Nov. 22.

In order to raise the money to send its members to perform at the game, the marching band launched a crowdfunding campaign on ‘CuseFunder. The marching band set out to raise $35,000 to cover things such as transportation, housing and food. So far the group has raised $30,860.

“To have the band present at a football game, whether it’s in the Dome, in Pittsburgh or anywhere is very, very logical when you remember that college bands are the authentic sound of college sports and are a real big part of and are tightly intertwined with intercollegiate athletics,” said Justin Mertz, the director of the marching band.

When Syracuse joined the ACC last year, Mertz and his colleagues collected data about other bands in the conference. They found that other teams in the ACC often travel to perform during away games.

“We were the only band that wasn’t going to any away games to support the team, and we thought that was something that we should really try and solve,” he said.

Based on the success of a campaign for new uniforms last year, the marching band partnered with ‘CuseFunder and the Office of Advancement in the School of Visual and Performing Arts to start the project, Mertz said. He added that members chose the Pittsburgh game because it was within driving distance of Syracuse.

Mertz said SUMB is on track to collect the money the group needs, but if is unable to do so, he thinks the band members will still be able to attend the game.

“Because we are so close to finishing, if we don’t finish, it is my belief that the university will find a way to make the trip happen,” Mertz said. “The marching band is a community good that touches every aspect of the university, and it’s a really nice thing to be able to create a little bit of a home field advantage at an away game.”

The page for the ‘CuseFunder campaign lets donors know what their money goes to. For example, a $25 contribution feeds two band members or a $75 donation covers transportation for one band member to the game.

Jeff Comanici, assistant dean in the Office of Advancement for the College of Visual and Performing Arts, helped with the marketing of the campaign. He said that he was happy to see support from new donors.

Comanici added that sending the band members on the trip would “enhance the student experience with the band.”

Senior Anthony Veiga, a drum major for SUMB, said that traveling to away games is a good experience for the band members and a good way to represent the university.

Said Viega: “We are a good marching band, and it’s a good image for us to at least try to go out into public places that aren’t necessarily the Syracuse community, just so we can shed some light on how great the Syracuse community is.”

Published on October 8, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact: clmoran@syr.edu