The University of Wisconsin marching band will have a different view of the field at the start of the 2005 football season when the group will be relocated to the Camp Randall Stadium stands.
The change is due to safety reasons and is a part of the stadium’s renovations, which are set for completion by the start of the new season, according to Associate Director of Athletics Steve Malchow.
“It is my understanding the university feels moving the band off the field and into the bleachers at the north end of the stadium enhances the life-safety plan for game day at Camp Randall Stadium,” Malchow said.
Malchow said the new stadium renovations include a newly designed section featuring cross aisles that will ease the flow of pedestrians and improve safety. The section where the band will sit is at the north end of the stadium, which is where the student section is located, and this will effect the location of some student seating, Malchow said.
“The change will require [the Athletic Department] to locate more seats for UW students in a section contiguous to present student sections,” Malchow said. “Some season-ticket patrons from Section J are going to be relocated so we can maintain 14,000 season tickets for UW students.”
Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Planning and Management Al Fish said the changes are part of UW’s ongoing plan to improve safety at football games since security issues at games in 1993.
At a football game Oct. 30, 1993, more than 70 students were injured after Wisconsin upset Michigan, and members of the student section rushed the field to celebrate.
The incident prompted officials to take measures to increase fan safety at football games, which included moving the band to the open area in the north end zone to increase student-seating capacity. The band occupied this area through last season.
UW sophomore Eric Vanderzanden, who is in the band, said he heard of the band’s impending relocation into the stands but does not support the move.
“I do not really think this is a good change. I do not see the purpose in creating more seats to move the band … out of the end zone,” Vanderzanden said.
Vanderzanden said band spirit will not be affected, but it could hurt some traditions.
“We will get along with it, but we were better off where we were,” Vanderzanden said. “[The tradition of] of jump around could be effected though — We cannot do that in the stands.”
Only some students will be affected though, Vanderzanden said.
“It depends on where the students are in relation to the band,” Vanderzanden said. “Students who are closer will not like it, but the students who are farther away will not care.”