Bluecoats Monday Memory: A Season That You Won’t Want To Miss

After stabilizing as a Top 12 Finalist in 1988, the Bluecoats took a new competitive step in 1989 with a different design staff. Entering the winter season, business appeared as usual as members reported for their first camp after Thanksgiving and picked up the “blue pages” of rules, regulations and the cost of being a Bluecoat. Touted as one of the least expensive Top 12 corps, the dues structure for 1989 was a paltry, by today’s standards, $125 for rookie “member” dues. But the Bluecoats of that era put together an ala carte cost structure. Winter Camps ranged from $6 to $10 per camp. Tack on about another $100 for 11 off-season camps (compare that to four camps for the brass section of the corps, two for guard and percussion today) and the cost rises to $250. An approximate $200 summer meal fee was payable on the first day of tour, and of course the incidentals of gloves, shoes (in 1989 that would be all members, switching from black to white) and so that topped the total dollar amount to right around $500. Adjusted for inflation, that comes to about $1750 in 2018 dollars and about half the price today’s Bluecoat pays.

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