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I concur with this statement. Heck, if they set up the largest ballroom at the convention center for an Alumni Spectacular, or found a nice place outdoors downtown for standstills, put out a cash bar and brought it some food trucks, this might feature the groups better than a mostly empty stadium. Make it like a festival atmosphere. Heck, hey DCA... give me a call I'll help you organize it.

Many valid points stated and leads me to think that alumni corps might look to the very popular and free mini corps show on Friday night. For the most part quality, limited size and current musicianship standards are on display as competition is in play. For some alumni units standing around on a football field and blowing it out their *** isn't an appealing sight for an audience on a weekend morning. Witnessing a corps at far less than their glory days can be painful at times. An important part of the DCA weekend is the sense of gathering one final time or once again. Picking up the sticks or testing their lips is priority for some but fraternity and story telling at a friendly tavern seems a better use of their time. Going to the Hall of Fame luncheon can bring back the good times and updating their resume. Alumni corps are more a reflection of how important your participation was to you at some point in the distance past and truly a sweet memory. But the truth be told the word alumni today doesn't reflect the actual membership but rather a tribute to tunes that seemed important at the time. Heritage is important and to be done well is worth the effort but to be a shell of what it once was is melancholy enterprise. All this said, I am amazed by the number of alumni corps that have come and gone over the years or evolved into a new ensemble. The drum corps effect lingers on long past your salad days and goes to show how permanent the memories are.

To those that will celebrate Saint Andrew's 50th tomorrow night, have a great time. From humble beginnings on 4th St. to a bunch of high school kids competing at Nationals. Memories and friendships to last a lifetime! Be safe and have fun. Miss those that are no longer with us. Please remember them all.

H.S. Marching Bands might be able to struggle along and survive without H.S. football ( although even here, it would be a huge blow ). But the College and University Marching Band programs ? Could they survive without football ? Hmnnn, I really don't think so. And DCI does get quite a few of their MM's from the College/ University Marching Band programs. Anything that would potentially cripple the MB programs at the Higher Ed level would likewise cripple DCI Drum Corps in my opinion. Thats why paying attention to what the Medical Science is increasingly now showing between the relationship of football participation concussions and its long term potential harmful effects to one's future cognitive abilities does bear watching for those interested in the long term viability of College MB, and DCI Drum Corps.

Not to throw a fly into the ointment, BUT a lot of these corps also depend on the check they receive, regardless of the amount, to help off-set expenses incurred in just getting there. Trust me, not all alumni corps are well-heeled or have a sponsor with a bottomless check book. Most members pay their own way to be there to perform, and many struggle to do so, but any assistance to pay the bus bill, etc. is most welcome. Hotels, meals, liquid refreshment, etc. are on the members of each corps. That all adds up to a healthy increase in the city's income too. The DCA corps receive compensation for their performances during the season by DCA at the end of the season. Should not the alumni also receive some compensation? After all, most of the folks attending the alumni show in the afternoon have also bought tickets for the pre-lims and finals. Many of these people have told me that they come to see the alumni corps and as long as they have traveled a great distance, might as well stick around to see the BIG CORPS battle it out too. Or does the corps just pass the hat in the parking lot or at whatever venue in which they are performing? Keep in mind that these corps are also held to the very same standards as the competing corps as to time, behavior, etc.and are subject to fines being deducted from their checks. And many of the "names" have been on the receiving end of those fines! So most of them really are on their "best behavior" so as to not jeopardize the corps' payday. These folks LOVE to perform for an appreciative audience, but doing it for nothing will lead to the eventual demise of any drum corps, alumni or competition. Just my thoughts on the subject, for good or bad. Let the comments commence! Ray

The Alumni Corps are indeed mostly from the Golden Era so often mentioned. Age is catching up to the core group who got these corps off the ground and thus we are seeing the thinning of the number of corps as well as the ranks in the still active corps. It is indeed about 'tribute', but initially it was about guys/gals wanting to relive the great times of the past. Mr Holland's suggestion of putting the corps out in the parking lot may solve a financial challenge, but GMAB. These folks want to perform on a field like they did back when. The suggestion is a lack of respect for the older generation IMO. Does anyone really believe corps would spend $$$ and drive miles to put on a show in a parking lot ? One last observation. DCA attendance continues to dwindle to a few thou. Attendance at the AS is even less. Fine - but how many of the Alumni guys/gals/support staff fill seats at the DCA Finals ? I tend to think it could be a BUNCH. Tell the Alumni to take a hike and you will have even far fewer butts in seats for Prelims and Finals.

University Marching Bands would most likely die. Practically all college marching bands are a product of, and budget line item of, the athletics department. High School MB and College MB, while similar medium, are not really connected much. There are not many kids doing high school MB as a function of ultimately being in college MB. It just happens to be there. They have the experience. They enjoy the activity, so they sign up. Death of College MB would not likely drive any decline in high school MB. To be clear, I'm not saying high school MB would be the same as it is today. Just that college MB has no noticeable impact or relevance on high school MB. No need to bundle them. I guess my problem is that I don't see a big need for 1:1 replacement of football half time performances with exhibitions. My current school has 4 or 5 home games a year. And depending on weather, it's not uncommon for the MB to be cut from 1 or 2 per season. Why do I need to replace halftimes if I am able to continue to find competitive avenues? I'm not replacing the halftimes I miss today for weather. No big deal.

i agree. college marching band programs would dry up. heck, many scholarships for those in the band come from the athletic dept.

Why? Most bands (that you point out as DCI's intended target ... competitive marching bands) only currently do a handful of exhibition each season. Are you suggesting we would need a 1:1 replacement of half times with exhibitions? I'm easily confused ... why are you focusing on exhibitions vs competitive events?

Good timing. Tarpon Springs friends and family exhibition last night.

This presumes that high school marching bands are gaining much from football game half times. The one thing they get (outside of performance rep opportunity) ... recognition from the school/non-music students, might not be worth as much as some think. Considering how little marching band budgets come from traditional school funding anymore, I'm not sure a big reduction in half time shows would hurt most programs.

27th Lancers, ( from Massachusetts ) and Madison Scouts ( from Wisconsin )... 2 Corps in hockey rich states... did get together for off season Ice Hockey challenge games in the late 70's. ( 27th Lancers won the final and deciding game ). Michael Boo did a write up of the games not that long ago on the DCI website.

Holland, get to work. Cash bar and alumni go hat in hand. Great minds think alike.

Or do what a few of the competing and alumni corps already do...play outside the convention center around the river on Friday and Saturday nights. Heck, the amount of people hanging around both inside and outside watching those corps "rehearse" absolutely dwarfs the Alumni Spectacular attendance, at least by my observations.

I find it incredibly cool that almost the entire brass team are former members. If they're trying to get back to their roots, I'm at a loss for a better way to achieve it.

>>Alumni corps are more a reflection of how important your participation was to you at some point in the distance past and truly a sweet memory. But the truth be told the word alumni today doesn't reflect the actual membership but rather a tribute to tunes that seemed important at the time. Heritage is important and to be done well is worth the effort but to be a shell of what it once was is melancholy enterprise.<< This is a TERRIFIC statement ... the interjection of "heritage" and "tribute" are extremely accurate and insightful ... kudos to the author who wrote this ... Thanks ... :-)

I don't know if the field is, or is not, suitable for drum corps.... but I can guarantee you that, if there are no turf problems, Justin Tucker can kick field goals better than anyone in a DCI corps.

40 years of Spirit in 40 days currently running on Instagram. Full time social media being headed up by an individual who owns and runs his own social media company. https://instagram.com/spirit_of_atlanta There is a comprehensive social media strategy. If u follow on Instagram there is new info everyday...there is also much on twitter. https://mobile.twitter.com/SpiritDrumCorps?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Mike McIntosh signed on as a sound designer. Caption heads are in place. Board of Directors structured as a business with a few individuals working in the non profit world, one which is responsible helping non profit raise a few billion dollars, another with the Boy Scouts of America. http://spiritdrumcorps.org/ The Delta Group currently has 115 members and is contributing close to $3,000 per month...it is continuing to grow. Much is happening right now..https://youtu.be/PtWSuT1SWh8