MikeRapp Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 1 hour ago, Stu said: One thing that pops into mind other than equipment purchase, truck/trailer for equipment, and likely bigger or second rolling kitchen is the impact on securing housing. Corps are already having a heck of a time doing that for 150 plus staff. Move to 200, or someone said that Hop would like 250, not many schools will want to, or be able to, accommodate those numbers. Which would make housing even more difficult, and in turn likely more expensive. I am sure this has been discussed many times before, but a rolling food truck convoy would take a huge burden off of corps. Yes, it would not work for all shows, but it would work for many if not most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRapp Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Personally, I would rather see more financial and creatively stable corps, rather than larger corps. We are already pressing the limits of what current world class corps can financially manage and support. Make it easier for large organizations to field more than one world class corps. Shared touring resources seems to be the most logical way to go here. There are many things, like on site food, that all corps must provide and offer zero competitive advantages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 31 minutes ago, Fran Haring said: Please forgive me for being a tad cynical here... But with the availability of electronics to either amplify/enhance brass and percussion audio and/or create new sounds... why is there a need to add marching members, in particular in the brass and percussion sections? Why not reduce the number of marching members instead, and let the electronics make up the difference? Is it because... at least in part.... that synths, sound boards, and microphones don't pay tour fees? Perhaps it really is all about the money. 29 minutes ago, garfield said: Excellent point. Sure it is. Yep, I do believe it is about revenue. Substantial upsurges in expenditures with increasing revenue needed from mm dues to offset the costs; ...but for the benefit of whom? Well, Michael Cesario seemed to address this on Sunday with the mass corps staff meeting. One of his concerns is that staff in the various corps needs to stay focused, or refocus, on the DCI Mission. He said, in essence, that designers need to make sure they are not doing this for their own glorification. Which is great that he is addressing this, but also kind of Ironic; considering that he, in part, is in my opinion is just as responsible for the design philosophies which have placed the corps into this situation. So, it seems to me designers currently want to have as much as possible at their disposal to progress their art; and that some of the more competitive directors are willing to increase the burden of dues on the youth, or increase the number of youth paying dues, to accommodate the cost of the design teams artistic desires. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 1 minute ago, MikeRapp said: I am sure this has been discussed many times before, but a rolling food truck convoy would take a huge burden off of corps. Yes, it would not work for all shows, but it would work for many if not most. There is a "non-correllated" business opportunity here when one thinks it through. Almost all days end up with a corps feeding at the show site while, during the day, all corps are housed at separate facilities.. I figured this out a few years ago and the math works, providing the up-front capital funds are available. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 6 minutes ago, garfield said: Oh! A knife to my heart! No, I'm not an accountant and the curse of a thousand camel fleas on you for saying so. I'm in the investment business. As an "accountant", I would say that recording the Hop talks to replay to the MM's will make his job outdated unnecessary therefore, firing him will save the corps something like $150,000/yr in his salary. As an investment person, I'd say don't bet against the Cadets. I wonder if I can get elected to his BoD? not unless he appoints you. Elect, ho, ho, ho. You've made my day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 1 minute ago, MikeRapp said: Personally, I would rather see more financial and creatively stable corps, rather than larger corps. We are already pressing the limits of what current world class corps can financially manage and support. Make it easier for large organizations to field more than one world class corps. Shared touring resources seems to be the most logical way to go here. There are many things, like on site food, that all corps must provide and offer zero competitive advantages. Don't you know that while the G7 proposal is dead, the 'desires' of the G7 are still alive and well? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRapp Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) 5 minutes ago, garfield said: There is a "non-correllated" business opportunity here when one thinks it through. Almost all days end up with a corps feeding at the show site while, during the day, all corps are housed at separate facilities.. I figured this out a few years ago and the math works, providing the up-front capital funds are available. I was hopeful someone like you would be able to contribute to this idea with some history and financial insights. The interesting thing about this is, if corps eat after their respective shows, you would have a completely consistent flow of kids and staff at the food court area. You could even issue meal tickets and kids just swipe their card and eat whatever they prefer. Given the scale of these events now, I would not be surprised if a third party food services firm might bid on this opportunity. Edited July 24, 2017 by MikeRapp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumcorpsfever Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) 13 hours ago, fireshane1 said: With Regiment sacrificing hornline for guard this year, it got me thinking... if staging and Blast style shows are the move DCI is making, could they up the total amount of members for each corps? What would the cut-off be? 170? 200? How many is too many? Would it hinder drill at some point? Watching Regiment take the field with 30 contras would be bad-### though...just a thought. $.02. DCI would never go to 170 from 150. If there is ever an increase in membership size, it would be to 200. The reason: you will need another bus and you'll want to fill every seat. You will lose money with a 1/2 filled bus. Edited July 24, 2017 by drumcorpsfever 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 2 minutes ago, MikeRapp said: Personally, I would rather see more financial and creatively stable corps, rather than larger corps. We are already pressing the limits of what current world class corps can financially manage and support. Make it easier for large organizations to field more than one world class corps. Shared touring resources seems to be the most logical way to go here. There are many things, like on site food, that all corps must provide and offer zero competitive advantages. Wow, Mike, you're hitting all my buttons today. The math is simple: increasing MM's increases potential income to the corps but all of which will be spent on both MM expenses and equipment and programming. Increasing to 200 at existing corps limits the potential to 1200 new kids (24 WC corps). At, roughly, $2,500 pp, tour fees, that's a total potential (all being the same) of $3,000,000. If those same 50 new members were, instead, used to seed 24 new corps at 150 max each, the total number of new potential MMs is 3600, and the revenue potential increases to $9million. 24 new corps would allow for an almost doubling of the number of shows (I hear Sue K. in DCI's scheduling office having a coronary...). Doubling the number of shows effectively doubles (and likely more than doubles) the amount of revenue DCI has to pay out each season under the existing payout scheme. More corps = more competition = more fans = bigger gate... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 5 minutes ago, garfield said: There is a "non-correllated" business opportunity here when one thinks it through. Almost all days end up with a corps feeding at the show site while, during the day, all corps are housed at separate facilities.. I figured this out a few years ago and the math works, providing the up-front capital funds are available. This is probably most doable given that the current customs often have more than one corps sharing snack after performances. The outpouring of love to the Phantom Regiment by many corps (Academy, Crossmen, Blue Devils staff, etc.) is an example I think we can all recognize this summer. Spirit, Cadets, Cavaliers, Crown and BAC are others who often dine with a duo. Would this turn into a show sponsor's challenge to feed them local cuisine or turn into my generousity is greater than yours competition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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