Campus Activities Council is canceling its annual Big Red Rally event this year due to budget cuts and similar programming.

The Big Red Rally was a public pep rally held before the first home football game of the season that featured the football team, cheerleaders, coaches and more, according to past CAC websites.

One reason for the cancellation of the event, which has taken place since at least 2000, was because of budget cuts, Student Life Assistant Director Quy Nguyen said.

“We are trying to be more responsible with how we spend our money,” Nguyen said. “Instead we’re working with the Athletics Department to help them promote their events since Big Red Rally has always been an athletic event.”

CAC also cut the rally because it was similar to other campus programs in place, Nguyen said.

“We also do the Homecoming pep rally,” Nguyen said. “It’s a big rally also, so it was like we were doing double rallies.”

Vocal performance sophomore Caitlin Wetmore attended the rally last year for the first time with her sorority and said she will miss it.

“A lot of the sorority houses all go together and dress in their shirts,” Wetmore said. “It was just a lot of fun before the game.”

When Wetmore described the event to University College freshman Michael Carango, he expressed disappointment in not being able to attend for the first time.

“The whole atmosphere sounds fun,” Carango said. “This is a big football school, so it would be fun to get pumped up and see [football coach Bob Stoops].”

Political science senior Brett Burch said he never heard of the event and understood why CAC would cancel it.

Burch said Saturday’s game against Utah State may not be exciting, so people might not want to go to a pep rally the night before.