The city of Rome (that's Italy, people) wants the University of South Florida's Herd of Thunder marching band to come play in their New Year's Day parade. It would mean that the tens of thousands gathered in and around St. Peter's Square would get to hear the band, which most famously hits the field for football games at Raymond James Stadium.

The trip come just three years after the band performed in London's New Year's Day parade and is an amazing opportunity for band members, but the Herd needs help.

About $48,000 worth of help to be exact.

"The marching band will be in a huge parade with thousands lining the streets," Matt McCutchen told CL in a message. He's USF's director of athletic bands and adds that the woodwind choir, brass choir, and small wind ensemble will perform in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran – which is the ecclesiastical seat of the Pope.

"Both groups will perform in a festival in the small Italian village of Frascati, and in St. Peter’s Square in front of the Vatican," he added. "This is a very public way to promote the University of South Florida overseas and provides cultural and historic education for our students."

The $48,000 figure comes from a crowdfunding campaign the band has staged to help with the costs of getting human bodies, plus crates and crates of gear overseas. WUSF says the band sent 100 band members and 95 crates of gear to London in 2013. The trip to rome features 135 Herd members, so the load is going to be even larger.

Any assistance, even if they don't meet the goal, helps offset costs for students. McCutchen says the trip itself is $3,700, per kid and estimates that students will spend "something in the neighborhood of $200 apiece while they are over there."

"While we may or may not reach the goal, even small donations are an indication that people support this program and are appreciative of the efforts of the band students," he said.

Read more about the fundraiser and pitch in here. Watch them play "Funiculi, Funicula" below.