Veishea is approaching quickly, and now, people may not have to drive to Ames to see it – well the parade anyway. Now that the Government of the Student Body has successfully negotiated a deal with FOX 17, $6,000 – $1,500 from Veishea and $4,500 from GSB – has been put aside to televise the popular Veishea parade to most of Central Iowa – according to a Daily staff report.

From a business standpoint, this could be a great advantage for Iowa State’s reputation.

Having the parade televised could reflect on the positives of the weeklong celebration, rather than what the 2004 riots expended upon us over the past two years. A more positive image could mean extra revenue and therefore further justification for the decision to bring Veishea back after the rioting occurred more than a year before that.

Six thousand dollars may seem like a waste of money to some people, especially since it’s for a parade that would appear to attract minimal viewing, but Veishea is actually quite the Iowa tradition.

With the many ISU graduates who live within range of FOX 17 who cannot make the trip to Ames for any of the week, the decision to have the television event may turn out to be a surprisingly good one after all.

Think about what it could mean for our local businesses, as well as the extra money it could bring to the event. Maybe after seeing the parade on television, those particular ISU alumnus whose image of Veishea has been marred by the riots of 2004, or other bad experiences at Veishea, will return next year after being reminded of the positives of the annual celebration.

Apparently, GSB saw it the same way, as the bill passed 25-3-1.

Veishea has been a mainstay at Iowa State since 1922, and now that GSB and Veishea have spent money to have it televised, graduates and other Cyclone faithful across Central Iowa can bring part of the tradition into their own homes.