EndzoneEric

It's on DCI.org today.

Good luck! Keep us posted and hopefully they'll get this on the Fan Network!

:doh: :thumbup: :thumbup:

For the sake of this discussion, how do you define "upper levels?" All of World Class or just the top half of it?

I feel your pain, brother.

...the award for best supporting actor in a mellodrama is...

"They'll?" You mean the thousands of people that voted? How about this: DCI lets you vote however you want to vote... an all-Phantom Countdown, if that's what people really want... but you need to pay $15 in order to vote. Then your ticket is included at no additional charge. That way, people can invest in the outcome. Literally.

I don't get posts like this. Every time I've gone to a theater to see one of these, I've had nothing but fun... kicking off the season at a theater full of drum corps fans, counting down the days till the start of the new season. When I read comments like this, I wonder why people just can't enjoy life. You don't want to spend the money? Ok, I get that. But "Better luck next time?" Whaaaaa?

For all of those who love to point out all of the "Sad Days for Drum Corps," here is a GREAT day for drum corps. Kudos to DCA, DCI and DCWorld.

I think this Countdown thing is interesting. I understand why DCI has made the decision to use the newer vids, and with so many votes cast, it seems like they're doing a good job of getting people to play the game. It's not lost on me that the hobby that I follow has figured out a way to get itself on movie screens in theaters around the country. I just hope they will eventually get one even closer to my house, so my fellow fans of "back in the day" drum corps can join me for a few beverages before (and after) the show without a long ride home afterwords.

You had me ready to send you a check... until I read the sentences above. Why would you "close the doors" on anyone looking to be a part of what you have started?

What, are you telling me that it's not hot in the desert in the summertime? Sorry that I'm uninformed. I appreciate your enlightenment.

For groups that charter, they're paying a contract price that includes gas. I'd imagine that many charter companies, after possibly taking it on the chin – albeit inadvertently – from groups who locked in early in the year, probably have riders on their contracts to account for surging fuel prices if they were to occur again this summer. So, the point is, the bus charter usually includes fuel... it's based on days and miles... thus... a regional trip or a national trip both cost the same when you net it out.

I've given this some thought. So... if there were a regional tour first, followed by the national tour, the only way it would be a real cost savings would be if the regional tour forced the corps to send everyone home between the weekends. Hear me out... Corps staying in their regions still costs the same as corps going cross-country because all of the fixed costs are the same. - since most of the corps charter their buses now, a day's rental is still a day's rental, whether the bus is sitting still or going over the road. - if the corps are sitting still, you still have to feed them and house them, you still need staff to instruct them and volunteers to take time off from work to feed them and drive them and sew for them, etc... the same as if you were on the road. So... and this is not directed to you, jthomas, where is the big savings of staying regional for a part of the season?

You're right. They should.