Finals Format

[cixelsyd]

17 hours ago, BlueStainGlass said:

Is it time to copy BOA so that nobody knows who is in first place going into semis and finals?  Random draw from the groups that make semis and random draw finals?  Going into Saturday you pretty much know who is going to win and roughly everyone elses final placement.  It would add more tension Friday night not knowing what groups in that 12th spot and what groups on the bubble.  Watching the BOA semifinals announcements you have everyone on the edge of their seats to see if their group made it. 

In order to "copy BOA" as you suggest:

a.  Prelims would be split into two separate halves, on separate days, with separate judging panels.  Even though we all know scores from different panels are not truly comparable, advancement to semifinals would be determined by the top 30 scores across these two prelim panels.  But yes, we might not know who is winning at that point.

b.  Semifinals would run the same day as finals, starting as early in the morning as necessary to get in the requisite number of performances.

Of course, much of the mystery of BOA Grand Nationals is because so many of the bands there have not competed head-to-head earlier in the season.  To copy that would require eliminating tour, and sequestering corps in their home regions until championship week.

[phantombob]

Been there--did that---didn't like it.  1988.  There is plenty of suspense with the current system--and upsets do occur. 2008. 

[Newseditor44]

The only thing I would change is having a drum majors retreat on Friday night and announce the scores at the end of the show. And possibly start Semifinals about an hour or two earlier. Friday night tends to run on way too long.

[xandandl]

5 hours ago, Newseditor44 said:

The only thing I would change is having a drum majors retreat on Friday night and announce the scores at the end of the show. And possibly start Semifinals about an hour or two earlier. Friday night tends to run on way too long.

Ditto on Saturday night finals when half of the Worldwide Chamber of Commerce each have their photo taken so a cheque comes across next season.

The mad dash to get everyone off the field and out of the stadium by midnight because the Colts have a game the next day does not lead to a safe situation for anyone. Because GH and some of the DCI board are insomniacs doesn't mean that fits everyone else.

 

 

Edited November 15, 2017 by xandandl

[Jeff Ream]

4 minutes ago, xandandl said:

Ditto on Saturday night finals when half the Worldwide Chamber of Commerce each have their photo taken so a cheque comes across next season.

The mad dash to get everyone off the field and out of the stadium by midnight because the Colts have a game the next day does lead to a safe situation for anyone. Because GH and some of the DCI board are insomniacs doesn't mean that fits everyone else.

 

 

waiting through the age out stuff on Friday adds to the "will this ever end" feeling

[Ghost]

1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said:

waiting through the age out stuff on Friday adds to the "will this ever end" feeling

After finals all the gear/clothing has to be turned in and checked off, all the final speeches/toasts have to be done, and the race to the airport to get the best sleeping locations.

[Newseditor44]

It was easier back in the day when each corps would play themselves off the field. Even starting the shows an hour earlier would help

 

[N.E. Brigand]

21 hours ago, MikeD said:

I think they should shorten the show duration by having two finalists start at the same time. One starts facing the pressbox while the other starts facing the opposite side of the field.     

How George Ives of you.

Saw a marching band this year do various tunes by Lin-Manuel Miranda. For their closer they did pretty much what you're describing: two tunes from "Hamilton" in completely unconnected tempos, one backfield on side 2 playing to the visitor side and one near the sideline on side 1 playing to the home side. Then the two sections came together. Pretty neat effect.

[AlanAndreasen]

Got to agree with previous posters - '88 was just plain awful. 

 

[MikeD]

1 hour ago, N.E. Brigand said:

How George Ives of you.

Saw a marching band this year do various tunes by Lin-Manuel Miranda. For their closer they did pretty much what you're describing: two tunes from "Hamilton" in completely unconnected tempos, one backfield on side 2 playing to the visitor side and one near the sideline on side 1 playing to the home side. Then the two sections came together. Pretty neat effect.

Hmmmm...must be Charles ' brother....maybe he and his bro played separate tunes on the piano at the same time.   

Actually, did something like that in our 71 "America, the Brave" show, for part of the season, anyway. The sops did a hoedown as the Americans while the lower brass did a minuet to represent the British/Hessians. Judges did not really get it for some reason, so we ended up changing a lot of it.