I find this point very interesting! One thing I'd like to ask is, What's wrong with being a spectacle as long as your organization brings joy to audiences and amazing life experiences for your members? After their America show, which I'm sure was emotionally and creatively taxing for the staff, then what's wrong with sacrificing some of their aesthetic sensibilities for a year?
After all, the debate over whether drum corps is a sport or an art keeps coming up. Regardless of the answer, there's a blurred line there.... and sports have no concern with aesthetics.
So I'd say drum corps have a choice between spectacle and aesthetics each year, and based on our opinions and our own aesthetic values, we can decide whether we enjoy the show or not.