You can't seriously sit in those stands at that show, look around, and say that the aplaus is coming from the "huge bando population." Texas, with it's huge DCI participant base, has alot of ex-members in the stands...i'd say more then bandos.
I've also found that most high school kids who follow corps tend to break even among BD, Cavaliers, and Phantom. More and more PR every year as they get closer to a ring.
But then again, I just live and teach in Texas....so what do I know about bandos....