Gmello99 Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Who said Open Class was a complete failure? Are they not the only part of DCI that actually finished in the Black last year? I wouldnt call that a failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhs alumni Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 its a failure in the way DCI doesn't market the product at all and everything always showcases the "big boys." its a failure in how few fans are in the seats for open class only shows before finals week. the fact that the cash flow might be in the positive actually surprises me because with so many of the corps being so small hurting for members and even some having to (in the past) pull people out of the crowds to put on the field to get to the 30 member minimum, and yes this has happened in previous years, it can at times seem hard to believe that the division is doing well...but a lot of this is on the individual corps not DCI as an organization, and you can tell how some are doing by the recent drop off of a few corps going inactive or ceasing operations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanjrusMcRynky Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Hard to tell...a theory I heard once that made a lot of sense was that div 2/3 eroded so quickly because many of those corps are now trying to act like world class/div. 1 corps. Open/div 2/3 are supposed to be less time commitment, less monetary commitment, etc. Many open class corps I know today rehearse every weekend, also with a full weekend camp once a month, have move ins in mid/late may, and have all day rehearsals every day until they leave for a 3-4 week tour, around late july. The fees are still in the upper 1000's, and the members' summers are still 100% booked. PLUS they are often not housed or fed by the corps until tour, so add in the cost of food and gas to get to rehearsal every day, and in some cases you have a corps that doesn't perform at as high a level as a world class corps, takes up MORE time (weekly day rehearsals plus monthly camps, as opposed to just monthly camps), and effectively costs the same amount. This hurts membership, causing corps to eventually fold. Seeing as this is still happening...I don't know. The corps who pull it off seem to do okay, but to me it seems like bad practice. Open class really should be weekends only while at home, so that those willing to participate can still hold down a job or take classes, as is often needed in these times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ussglassman Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Hard to tell...a theory I heard once that made a lot of sense was that div 2/3 eroded so quickly because many of those corps are now trying to act like world class/div. 1 corps. Open/div 2/3 are supposed to be less time commitment, less monetary commitment, etc. Many open class corps I know today rehearse every weekend, also with a full weekend camp once a month, have move ins in mid/late may, and have all day rehearsals every day until they leave for a 3-4 week tour, around late july. The fees are still in the upper 1000's, and the members' summers are still 100% booked. PLUS they are often not housed or fed by the corps until tour, so add in the cost of food and gas to get to rehearsal every day, and in some cases you have a corps that doesn't perform at as high a level as a world class corps, takes up MORE time (weekly day rehearsals plus monthly camps, as opposed to just monthly camps), and effectively costs the same amount. This hurts membership, causing corps to eventually fold. Seeing as this is still happening...I don't know. The corps who pull it off seem to do okay, but to me it seems like bad practice. Open class really should be weekends only while at home, so that those willing to participate can still hold down a job or take classes, as is often needed in these times. Open class was a complete failure before it was established, because the only corps that have a shot at being competitive are the former Div 2 corps and recently folded, full size World Class corps looking to make the jump back to the top. Open class was a failure because DCI is making corps that werent stable enough as an organization to build their egos by competing against corps barely a fraction of their size, then, if they can handle that, they move up with the big boys. I was a member of the Mandarins when they won their 4th div 3 title in a row, and I can tell you that we had to work our butts off to keep ahead of other 50-60 member groups. Even with the incredible instructors we had, there is NO WAY we could have competed against a 150 member corps, only put in our division as punishment for folding a few years before. Kids in those small corps take the same honor in winning a Div 3 title as a top 12 corps takes in winning World Class. It is completely unfair to only allow small groups the chance to perform to empty stands and end up placing 18th, when they would have performed to a packed house and placed 3rd or even won their own division, had their division not been scrapped... What's going on with the new circuit SDCA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT-Horn Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I'll start...couldn't DCA and Open Class come to some agreement where DCA would oversee this circuit? Maybe if more kids stopped being in DCA corps, DCI open Class corps could be a little stronger..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndzoneEric Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Nothing could change the nature of this circuit quicker than for better participation by drum corps fans. There's actually one thing that COULD change the nature of the circuit even faster than better fan support: better corps management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ussglassman Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 There's actually one thing that COULD change the nature of the circuit even faster than better fan support: better corps management. DCI aged kids go to DCA corps to play with more talented musicians, in a venue where the corps they represent are more competitive. Once they get "good enough" a lot of them transfer to the big DCI corps. But, DCA corps work well for kids if they are working or going to school, and actually want a "life" outside of drum corps. Most DCI corps nowadays cost so much, and demand so much that kids would rather play with a bunch of old guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndzoneEric Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Most DCI corps nowadays cost so much, and demand so much that kids would rather play with a bunch of old guys. Hmmm... and interesting quote on several levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Maybe if more kids stopped being in DCA corps, DCI open Class corps could be a little stronger..... Open class corps would have to be more regionalized and work around school and work schedules instead of trying to be a full national touring corps like most are doing now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 There's actually one thing that COULD change the nature of the circuit even faster than better fan support: better corps management. In what way are current open-class corps managers falling short, in your opinion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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