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What six years ago may have seemed like a far-off dream is about to become a reality. Touchdown Jesus is about to meet all 260 members of the UCLA marching band, because the Solid Gold Sound is headed to South Bend. All it took to make this dream a reality was six years of toil, $150,000, and a whole lot of self-belief. That’s nothing, right? Well, no. It’s a whole lot of something, and to do what the band has been able to do, given the resources at its disposal, is pretty astounding. And for the most part, the band can give itself a heartfelt congratulations for this one, because in the end it’s the band’s initiative and perseverance, led by director Gordon Henderson, that has made the dream a reality. The UCLA administration and athletic department perhaps deserve a little credit. But that credit shouldn’t be much more than a gentle pat on the back, because they didn’t do that much. No, the onus for this trip fell squarely on the band, as will the onus for new instruments, new uniforms, and subsequent trips in the future. It’s a costly endeavor, this marching band business, and it’s a real challenge when so much of the time you’re forced to go it alone.

The logistics of sending 260 band members to a football game at Notre Dame are fairly staggering. The band will leave tonight for Chicago on four different airplanes. On Friday, it will rehearse at a high school in Chicago, visit the Navy Pier, and perform at the UCLA Bruin Bash and a rally for the Chicago Bruins Club. The band will leave Chicago at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, perform at a rally for Bruin fans in South Bend, then perform on the field both before the game and during halftime. On Sunday, members will fly back from Chicago on five different airplanes. That’s 260 people, 260 round-trip flights, hundreds of instruments, a number of busses, two nights in hotels and the experience of a lifetime. Price tag: $150,000. Money built into the band’s annual budget for such a trip: $0. When Henderson discovered six years ago that Notre Dame was on the UCLA schedule, attending the game became a goal. Whether it was attainable, he wasn’t so sure; but it was a goal nonetheless. Though the band has a history of traveling to road games (In 1931 the marching band traveled by boat to play at the Stanford game), travel is certainly not a foregone conclusion. That’s because travel requires money, and traditionally the UCLA band hasn’t had very much of it. In 1997, Henderson, who became the band director in 1982, organized the Solid Gold Sound Club for donors to the band’s travel fund. When Notre Dame came on the schedule, Henderson had something to sell, something for donors to get behind. And for the most part, people have gotten behind it. It’s taken a mammoth effort, but not only will the UCLA marching band travel to South Bend this year, it will also travel to Berkeley (At one point Henderson thought the band might have to choose). While these are all good things, the story isn’t all good. I believe the band is collectively a tremendous ambassador for the university, but it seems like the university has for too long left this ambassador out to fend for itself. Because of its development, the band isn’t funded by the athletic department, as it is at other universities. Furthermore, the funding that the band receives from the student registration fee committee was deemed to be insufficient back in 2000 (by the Marching Band Task Force). Very little has been done with those findings, and prior to this year, the band’s budget was reduced by $34,000. Make sense? Didn’t’ think so. “It would be nice if it was easier,” Henderson said.

I know where it is easier, and it hurts me to say it, but if you ever find yourself talking to USC band director Arthur C. Bartner, you will be talking to one very happy man. You will hear that the Trojan family is the greatest thing in the world. You will hear that Pete Carroll is the greatest coach in the world. A part of you will eventually think that it would be pretty cool to be in the USC marching band. Whereas this is a unique year in which the UCLA band gets to take two road trips, USC has had band members at over 230 consecutive games, home or away. Though USC only takes its full band to the Bay Area and Notre Dame, it takes approximately 60 band members to every road game. The USC athletic department paid for the band’s plane tickets to travel to Arkansas for their season opener this year. A part of the USC season ticket application allows fans to donate to the band for its biannual trip to South Bend. That method alone generates $25,000 a year (the UCLA band receives approximately $4,250 from season ticket donations each year). When the USC band holds its band camp before school starts, Carroll brings his entire team over for a meet-and-greet. “Without the support of the athletic department, what we do would be next to impossible,” Bartner said. In addition to the athletic department, the USC administration pays the travel expenses for the band’s annual trip to the Bay Area. “I believe in the Trojan family,” Bartner said. “If the Trojans feel like it’s important, it gets done.” I dislike the Trojan family, and maybe I’m comparing apples and oranges here. USC has the established football tradition. Its fan base really seems to care about its band. The Notre Dame-USC rivalry is unlike any other. USC has been at its serious fundraising efforts for over 30 years, while Henderson has been at it for less than 10. But I just don’t like it when I hear USC doing something better than we do it.

When I asked Henderson if USC is sort of the model for a band to achieve, he was careful with his words. He clearly believes that his on-the-field product is better, and I wholeheartedly agree. But as far as fundraising goes, the Trojans have set the bar. When Henderson arrived at UCLA, the UCLA band had no money endowed. Through hard work and determination, the band now has three endowed funds totaling $250,000. By comparison, USC’s band has endowments totaling over $5 million. “The model is the endowment,” Henderson said. “You can’t be living hand to mouth.” But right now UCLA is in a tough spot. This $150,000 for Notre Dame could have gone to create an endowment fund, but it’s difficult to get people behind something that isn’t tangible. UCLA’s uniforms are 22 years old and in dire need of replacement. That will cost $100,000 that Henderson doesn’t have. He’ll have a great trip to South Bend, but problems will remain when he returns. “I wish it was a bit easier for us to obtain that funding. When you’re depending on that fundraising, you don’t really know where you’ll be day to day,” Henderson said. It’s pretty clear that someone needs to step up. Probably the administration. Maybe the athletic department. Perhaps donors. It will take time, but if USC can do it, we can do it better.

E-mail Regan at dregan@media.ucla.edu if you wouldn’t want to wear a 22-year-old uniform either.