With more students joining than ever before, the marching band is requesting to have additional seating at football games, according to Morgan Donnelly, Student Senate campus community committee chair.
Marching band members have sat in section 113, with the exception of the top five rows, but she said the band has requested the entire section.
Tiffany Grovenstein, a junior in psychology, said her saxophone section has increased by 10 people.
“There’s no way we can fit into the stands without having extra seats,” she said. “We have over 100 freshman alone. It’s the largest marching band N.C. State has ever had.”
Donnelly said her committee will hold a meeting on Sunday to write a bill that will move to the Student Senate for approval. This is scheduled to occur during its first meeting next Wednesday.
By allowing the marching band access to the additional rows of section 113, they will be displacing 80 general admission tickets, she said.
“It’s a pretty big issue, not being able to accommodate the band, but so is displacing 80 student tickets,” she said.
Grayson Halstead, a sophomore in communication, said he believes themarching band needs the extra room.
“I don’t know how much each row is supposed to handle, but we had 14 to 15 people in one row,” he said. “This year, we have more people and we definitely need the space because we were packed in there last year.”
He said they get crowded because some of their routines require them to get up and dance in the stands.
Halstead also said some people would be opposed to it because of the lack of space for general admission tickets, but that the band deserves it because of all the time they put in for each game.
“We’re one of the biggest supporters of the football team and the University in general,” he said. “We represent the school and the football team, and we’re there for every home game.”
Some students, like Michael James, echoed Donnelly’s worry about displacing general admission tickets. James, a freshman in political science, said he wants to have a seat at every game, and if the marching band took the five additional rows of sections 113, seats would be harder to come by.
“It’s only fair that every student should get a seat at the game,” he said. “They represent their school too.”
Jackie Varner, a sophomore in food science, said she can see the argument from both points of view. While she said she would like the band to have more seats, she added that she also wants to be able to find a seat for herself.
“I want to go both ways. The marching band needs room, but I don’t think they should have all five rows, but maybe two or three,” she said. “It’s unfair for the students to not be able to sit in the seats they’re entitled to. I’ve had problems getting seats at football games before, and that’s with the top five rows. Without those seats, it’ll be even harder for students to find seats.” Donnelly said she hopes the bill drafted this Sunday can move throughthe Senate quickly.
“Hopefully, by next Wednesday night, the band will have a definitive answer before the next football game.”