Merry Band of Students

The arc of an innocuous piece of rubber: from cancer fundraiser to fad to school spirit franchise opportunity—where will its story end?

Georgetown sophomores Tamiz R. Ahmed and Lana M. Donahue are pioneering their own form of fashionable charity. Noting the ubiquity of the Lance Armstrong “LiveStrong” bands, the duo founded the College Bands Network, marketing their own HoyaBands. The two sports enthusiasts are donating the profits of the bands to the Georgetown Athletic Department.

Ahmed says he views the bands as a subtle means of displaying school spirit and unity. But he has grander aspirations as well: “I love Georgetown. I went to all the basketball games last year and I dream of seeing everyone on campus wearing a HoyaBand.” Ahmed’s dream might not be that far from realization. In only two weeks of sales, HoyaBands have already taken 1,500 orders.

Inspired by this success, two Harvard students have joined forces with the Georgetown entrepreneurs. Carl P. Desir ’05 and Zareef J. N. Ahmed ’05—brother of company founder Tamiz Ahmed—are willing to find out. Their franchise division is appropriately named CrimsonBands. Desir says that the bands are “low-key pieces,” something that can be worn everyday. The pair say they think of the bands as comparable to class rings but much less expensive—two bands for $5.

However, Desir and Ahmed are crossing their fingers that the “LiveStrong” phenomenon won’t die out before the first order is shipped. The bands are manufactured in China and take eight weeks to be received back stateside. If University Hall signs off on their venture, CrimsonBands anticipates a sea of jovial crimson and white wrists come Harvard-Yale in November.