Some Redcoats have to keep their seats in Athens this Saturday — budget cuts around the SEC made bringing all 420 members impossible.

The Redcoat Band has accompanied the football team to South Carolina for the past several years because it is such a close game. This year, however, only one-fourth of the band is able to go.

“It was a general decision across the SEC,” said Sean Bailey, a baritone player from Warner Robins.

Only one-fourth of the Redcoat Band will travel to South Carolina Saturday due to budget cutbacks. Photo by MIRIAM CAMP

Garrett Dye, the tenor saxophone rank leader, said the decision had to do with budget cuts — just not ones at the University.

“The rest of the athletic associations in the SEC are hurting a little bit, whereas ours is sitting on a budget this year so we are all right,” Dye said. “So to be fair to everyone, they cut one of our band trips because all the other band organizations cut their band trips by one.”

It was explained to the Redcoats early on that only the Derbies Pep Band was going to South Carolina this weekend. The Derbies Pep Band is a smaller band the University sends to far away games — such as Arizona State a few years ago — and special performances at the games.

“Derbies is about 100 people this year,” Dye said. “We are sending all of Derbies as opposed to a smaller amount like we would normally.”

Derbies is the pep band for anyone who wants to try out, but it usually consists of experienced Redcoat members. Both Dye and Bailey are a part of the Derbies and are excited about going to the game this weekend.

“It’s a shame, though, because a lot of freshmen won’t be able to experience South Carolina until their later years,” Bailey said. “South Carolina’s got a cool stadium, too. That’s the sad part because I got to experience it my freshman year.”

One freshman is not too sad about not going.

“I don’t really mind because it gives me more free time, which I don’t really have a lot,” said Ian Burkes, a freshman trombone player. “But I can see how some people might be mad because it is so close and makes sense that we go.”

Since the Redcoat Band has 420 members, the band has to budget at least nine charter buses, three to four equipment trucks, food and water to make it to each away game.

Several trombone players practice Thursday, but many will spend time resting this weekend. Photo by MIRIAM CAMP

“We have up-sized the band — on the field there’s 420 people with guard and everybody,” Dye said. “It’s a monster of a thing to transport. I can understand not wanting to drag everybody to South Carolina.”

And what are the rest of the band members going to be doing with their rare weekend of vacation?

“I don’t know about anyone else,” Burkes said. “But I’m not really all that disappointed because there’s a lot of people back home to go see.”