Schnauzer
Pretty Sure You are Wrong
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2009
- Messages
- 6,948
- Reaction score
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The University of Minnesota marching band deserves better than the sunken, sound-challenged current band pit in Huntington Bank Stadium.
I know on paper it seemed like a great idea. A dedicated spot for the band that created room for fans seated behind the band to still easily see the field. The band was to be front and center.
In theory, it was a great design for the band. In practice, it was not. It was a very troubled design for the band. It is long past the time to admit to the mistake and make it right.
1. The band is hard to hear in its sunken, nearly sound-proof location.
2. The design somehow allowed for the size of the band... WITHOUT instruments!! So now the band pit is shared with other seating for the overflow band nearby to wedge in the rest of the group. Both appearance and sound are compromised.
So what is the solution? Move the band up, and over to the lower bowl in the NE corner of the stadium. The band would still be seen, would sound much better, and would still have easy access to the field through stairs installed in the corner. Use the old band pit area to create some sort of "student club seating" arrangement that could be reserved for various clubs, organizations, etc.
Fix this 16 year old issue once and for all.
This is a part of a larger question: What other longer term issues are present that a stadium "refresher" could address? We are nearing two decades in the "new" stadium and very few changes have been made from the night it opened in that game vs Air Force.
I know on paper it seemed like a great idea. A dedicated spot for the band that created room for fans seated behind the band to still easily see the field. The band was to be front and center.
In theory, it was a great design for the band. In practice, it was not. It was a very troubled design for the band. It is long past the time to admit to the mistake and make it right.
1. The band is hard to hear in its sunken, nearly sound-proof location.
2. The design somehow allowed for the size of the band... WITHOUT instruments!! So now the band pit is shared with other seating for the overflow band nearby to wedge in the rest of the group. Both appearance and sound are compromised.
So what is the solution? Move the band up, and over to the lower bowl in the NE corner of the stadium. The band would still be seen, would sound much better, and would still have easy access to the field through stairs installed in the corner. Use the old band pit area to create some sort of "student club seating" arrangement that could be reserved for various clubs, organizations, etc.
Fix this 16 year old issue once and for all.
This is a part of a larger question: What other longer term issues are present that a stadium "refresher" could address? We are nearing two decades in the "new" stadium and very few changes have been made from the night it opened in that game vs Air Force.
