After a day of carrying around heavy instruments, the University’s Redcoat band needs a meal or two — and the Athletic Association understands.

This year the Association allocated more than $136,000 to be divided among Redcoat band members performing at football games for a food and travel stipend, or per diem.

For basketball and volleyball, they allocated $50,000 over the course of the season.

Members of the Redcoats band get paid for their performances during the football, basketball and volleyball seasons through the Athletic Association. FILE/Red & Black

The Redcoats are also paid for special events such as the SEC Championship. But this money comes from a separate general post-season budget, according to Bateman.

“We have standard per diem rates that we follow for in state and out of state games,” said John Bateman, director for marketing at the Association and acting liaison between the association and the band. “Every year when we create the budget we come up with what we need. Before every trip the band will request per diem, through me and I sign off on who is traveling.”

The amount band members receive for each performance varies since the band instructors divides up the money as they wish, Bateman said.

Efforts to reach band director Dr. Michael Robinson were unsuccessful.

Stephen Callaway, a senior engineer major from Dalton and former Redcoat, said only 50 of the 450 band members perform for volleyball and basketball games. He said these performances were voluntary and money was dispersed at the end of the season.

While some may question the necessity of giving the band stipends, Bateman said this practice is standard. He said he was unsure how long the practice of giving per diem has been in effect at the University, but Bateman said it wasn’t something new.

Allison Turner, a junior public relations and Spanish major from Acworth, said she thought she knew people who attended the University as a part of the band during the 1980s who recalled receiving per diem for their trips

Still, the Redcoats aren’t the only ones getting a stipend for their trips. Bateman said those who go on trips for the University are reimbursed for their travel, no different from a campus official.

“Each team has meal money and how sports use their meal money is up to the coaches,” he said. The meals are either scheduled or money is given out.

“They are carrying out official responsibilities of the UGA Athletic Association,” Bateman said. “They are going on a trip that they otherwise would not be going on. As we do for any of our staff, we cover the cost of meals; same as faculty and staff member or someone traveling on the road on behalf of the University.”

Turner, also the social chair and piccolo player of the Redcoats Band, said when the band performed in Tampa, Fla. for the Outback Bowl, they received $160 — a larger than normal sum. She said this was more likely due to the five days and four nights the band spent there.

Though this may seem like a hefty amount, Callaway said when you take into consideration the economic situation of each city, it’s understandable.

“They take in consideration if it’s Atlanta versus Oxford, Miss.” Callaway said. “They do take into consideration the market of the city.”