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Stu

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It's a bit of both guys! Yes DCI's touring model didn't help. Yes there were some pretty bad administrators too. It may also be that every kid wants to march with a winning WC corps so the best kids will pay the bucks to march in a top 15 corps. The days of a corps having kids within a 50 mile radius are over. We can beat this until there is nothing left and never a reason.

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It's a bit of both guys! Yes DCI's touring model didn't help. Yes there were some pretty bad administrators too. It may also be that every kid wants to march with a winning WC corps so the best kids will pay the bucks to march in a top 15 corps. The days of a corps having kids within a 50 mile radius are over. We can beat this until there is nothing left and never a reason.

+1 from me... My main gripe with DCI is the pushing of the top touring corps as "this is Drum Corps" that has gone on in the past. The unspoken line is "if your corps isn't like this, you're not Drum Corps" or you're not worth anyones' time. Think it's gotten better, at least I hope so. But let's face it, it's just so #### much harder to put out a corps today and keep it going with higher costs, competing for potential members other interests, more legalities, etc, etc, etc.

Few years back I asked why cuts from top corps didn't go to OC or lesser WC corps. Most eye opening reponse from a few was "The costs are about the same. It's worht it to me to spend that money for a top corps, but not worth it to spend that amount for a lesser corps". As a frugal (OK cheap ###ed) PA Dutchman I can dig that....

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The days of a corps having kids within a 50 mile radius are over. We can beat this until there is nothing left and never a reason.

Actually it isn't... there are loads of corps out there with kids from even just a few mile radius... thousands of them. They're called marching bands and they do a hell of a lot better job of things than old school local drum corps did, which is why they currently exist and local drum corps don't.

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Actually it isn't... there are loads of corps out there with kids from even just a few mile radius... thousands of them. They're called marching bands and they do a hell of a lot better job of things than old school local drum corps did, which is why they currently exist and local drum corps don't.

Don't forget the local tax money helping things out... IOW - if we're going to start comparing MB to DC lets' look at the differences in detail.

This week one of our big school districts (Cumberland Valley) is discussing "Pay to Play" for sports. Haven't seen anything about P2P for the arts but haven't been following that closely.

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There is no corps out there that is spending 2 million a year. Very far off.

really?,.............in 2007 BD had a budget expenditure over 3 million,...........conversely, I would ask: of any of the corps that won a regualr season WC show last season, which DID NOT have a annual budget over 2 million,...........I can't find any,..........

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really?,.............in 2007 BD had a budget expenditure over 3 million,...........conversely, I would ask: of any of the corps that won a regualr season WC show last season, which DID NOT have a annual budget over 2 million,...........I can't find any,..........

Firstly, you need to separate the costs of operating the individual corps vs. the cost of the activity that generates the revenue. Gross numbers are meaningless here.

Also, BD has 3 drum corps, a couple of winter guards, a wind ensemble, BD entertainment, and a series of clinics. That is not a drum corps.

Actual costs for running a solid WC drum corps are between about $500 - 700k / season.

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I’d have to say I agree and disagree with this statement. I will agree that many marching bands today are better run than some drum corps back in the day, but speaking as someone who marched with a CYO band that had many drum corps instructors and was judged in competition using the same sheets and standards applied to the drum corps (the CYO Circuit days in Boston in the mid to late 70’s), who also marched in my local high school band, there were huge differences between what was expected in the two organizations, how they were run, and what was expected, especially regarding the marching program. For the CYO band, competition was its lifeblood and the discipline required was essential. For the high school band, marching was only a half time show for football games and a way to subsidize the music program if we marched in parades.

Today, at least in Massachusetts, there are many fine high school band programs, and their marching program includes competitions, and the excellence shows. Ironically, many of the instructors are former Madison Scouts, Boston Crusaders, and 27th Lancers, but the excellence of many high school marching programs is due to drum corps.

Actually it isn't... there are loads of corps out there with kids from even just a few mile radius... thousands of them. They're called marching bands and they do a hell of a lot better job of things than old school local drum corps did, which is why they currently exist and local drum corps don't.

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I’d have to say I agree and disagree with this statement. I will agree that many marching bands today are better run than some drum corps back in the day, but speaking as someone who marched with a CYO band that had many drum corps instructors and was judged in competition using the same sheets and standards applied to the drum corps (the CYO Circuit days in Boston in the mid to late 70’s), who also marched in my local high school band, there were huge differences between what was expected in the two organizations, how they were run, and what was expected, especially regarding the marching program. For the CYO band, competition was its lifeblood and the discipline required was essential. For the high school band, marching was only a half time show for football games and a way to subsidize the music program if we marched in parades.

Today, at least in Massachusetts, there are many fine high school band programs, and their marching program includes competitions, and the excellence shows. Ironically, many of the instructors are former Madison Scouts, Boston Crusaders, and 27th Lancers, but the excellence of many high school marching programs is due to drum corps.

I think the reference is more to the competitive bands as compared to old local competitive corps, not purely football bands. I agree with the statement 100%, having been on competitive band staffs since my first in 1971 through today...plus being a MB judge through the 80's and 90's, somewhere around 140+ competitions in that time.

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Firstly, you need to separate the costs of operating the individual corps vs. the cost of the activity that generates the revenue. Gross numbers are meaningless here.

Also, BD has 3 drum corps, a couple of winter guards, a wind ensemble, BD entertainment, and a series of clinics. That is not a drum corps.

Actual costs for running a solid WC drum corps are between about $500 - 700k / season.

I guess you could slice and dice it however you want,............in BD's case, I would guess the WC corps is the main emphasis for all of the other groups to exist,........and,....as I said,......their budget for 2007 was 3 million, and that is undeniable.

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