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5 good reason the activity is destined to end


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IMO - #2 Also people (not just youth) are more mobile which means they don't have to settle for activities that are within walking or mass transit distance. This means more non-DC options for people. Also affects fans as they can drive to distant things instead of a local show. Also means they may be working to pay for the car/mobility instead of having more leisure time. My old church is on the edge of a city and has been going thru a decline over the decades. Went to a study session about the decline and lot of the reasons can be applied to corps. Sad part is very little can be done about it.

#5 - Just too #### expensive to start a new corps. Especially when the emphasis is on being WC which is more expensive to operate. Easier/safer to start a OC corps and work up but no one seems to get that far....

Edit: "Bowling Alone" by Robert D Putnam.... haven't read it yet but understand it can help with understanding society changes and its affects on organizations like DC

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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5- Theres no next generation of corps

Despite the fact that 2011 was the first year we lost ZERO junior corps from the previous season in North America.......

It was also the first year in history that ZERO new or resurrected junior corps were created from the previous season.

This is a major concern.

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This is why I have no problem with posting extreme thoughts like "What IF DCI took a year off?". I love this activity more than every sport, and I'd prefer to go to a DCI show than an orchestra or jazz concert, and I'm a music major. The problem is just the reasons you have explained (plus the fact that MY generation (even that of music majors) are getting in to different things, even musically). I may be hated after saying this, but maybe we SHOULD start agreeing with George Hopkin's ideas more (except woodwinds). Him, and many other progressive decision makers in DCI, have really good marketable ideas that could possibly launch drum corps even further.

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But high school programs have thrived since the 70s. The marching arts are still alive and well, but in high school and winter programs, not full national tour drum corps.

I am confident in the future of the activity, but not the DCI model we have today.

Edited by Shadowtron
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But high school programs have thrived since the 70s. The marching arts are still alive and well, but in high school and winter programs, not full national tour drum corps.

I am confident in the future of the activity, but not the DCI model we have today.

Depends on the school, Harrisburg (PA) school district cut all funding to sports and arts this year as the city is bankrupt. They will continue this year thanks to private donations but it ain't thriving.

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4-There is no real competition in DCI.

Okay this might cause the most controvesary because I'm going to get tons of examples were corps A only beat corps B by 9/10's or how each years theres movement and this year the Cavaliers will finish outside the top 4 for the first time in decades. Sure all true, but what chance does the Colts, or Crossmen or even the Academy have of winning. I'm talking about finishing 12 this year and winning next year. NON, ZERO ZIP NADA. Only in DCI is that not possible. In baseball you get worst to first, baseball, heck even tennis once in a while but never DCI. But in DCI the top 12 run things. Maybe thats way theres been so little movement in the top 7. The major leagues want parity. It creates more competition. Who wants to see every football game win 35 to 7. But thats what we get with each show. If I see a line up of Cadets, Bluecoats, Crossmen, Surf I'll get the right order of finish 9.5 out of 10 each time. I bet most fans can pick the right order of finish for the next 10 shows, no real competition.

I'm afraid you're right. I believe this is a reason a lot of people lose interest. How many other activities are there where one group has 14 championships in a span of 40 years?

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5- Theres no next generation of corps

In the 70's and 80's we had the Glassmen, Bluecoats, Blue Knights and some others coming up the ranks. There was alsways that group of 15-25 corps around that could make a move up. And in that group there were some really entertaining corps outside of the top 12. Right now we have a good 25-30 strong junior corps.

Another factor is that its too dangerous financially to start a corps. It takes what, $100,000 maybe $50,000 to get started without talking about touring. Bingo as no longer a viable income generator. Grants are hard to come by and inconsistant. If we get a new corps every 2-3 years and we're losing a corp a year it means the death of the activity. More people are upset over the lost this year of Teal Sound but almost overlook the lost of a corps that was supposed to be celebrating 75 years, the Racine Scouts. Until one of the big 7 drops out a year no one will wake up.

What this activity needs is more corps like Pioneer who are stable financially and operationally.

I honestly think that the Open Class division should be a bigger division. More World Class corps probably should be in this division. Only the elite world class corps (top 16-18) should really be in the World Class. This could possibly help the activity to grow, allowing more regionally based drum corps to birth (or even rebirth), and even reserve the tradition of drum corps. The OC corps could grow competitively and even develop more OC corps into "World Class quality" corps. Then you have the World Class corps. The World Class corps would be the "cutting edge" corps, and would be the only corps that compete on a national level. Basically, all of the corps could be given the elasticity to explore newer concepts and ideas. The auditions would be more intense, and maybe some WC could even require you to have previously marched in OC corps (IDK - maybe that's a bad idea).

All in all, expanding the "lower tier" corps could be a bigger benefit, and eventually expand DCI in its entirety.

Edited by kaseyW
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I'm afraid you're right. I believe this is a reason a lot of people lose interest. How many other activities are there where one group has 14 championships in a span of 40 years?

The Olympics? Michael Phelps is on to break the record for most gold medals ever.

DCI isn't like sports where head to head matchups can lead to the less talented team beating the most talented,

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