Liahona

I had asked this same question before without any answer. WHO was removed and WHO resigned and WHO are the replacements. Thanks in advance.

Yes this has been PUBLISHED, but perhaps not heavily promoted on the DCI website. http://www.dci.org/_now/ticket_alerts/20100715_super3.htm

I second this notion...

I'm going to add a few more marketing P's here that IMO the G7 has neglected: The first is persuasion. Persuasion is not so much about convincing people how great your services are; that’s more the job of packaging and promotion. Persuasion starts when people call you in response to your marketing. Persuasion is mastering the art of listening and focusing on the needs and objectives of your customers. Then it’s finding creative ways to meet those needs and objectives in a way that’s agreeable to all parties. G7 plan: EPIC FAIL (in terms of listening) The second is performance. Performance is much more than getting the job done at a high level. It’s about paying attention to every single thing that impacts the customer relationship. Performance is about perception – the perception of the client and their expectations. When you understand those perceptions and expectations and can deliver what they truly want, you’ve mastered performance. G7 plan: EPIC FAIL (in terms of perception)

I would like to agree with this idea. My first question is HOW could this be implemented? My second is what degree of certainty do you have that entertainment value is the reason for the decline?

I love watching all the corps...but since you asked I'm a HUGE Boston fan being an alumnus of that corps.

If they are going to random draw they should random draw the entire show and not little groupings. Other than that I say leave it to prior earned performance order.

The brass score is a "field" score and not from the box. I have no idea what the judges are hearing on the field, but that is just about the only rational explanation I can come up with as to WHY they are scoring below Glassmen.

I suspect that most corps have a similar diverse recruiting group also. The days of local recruiting for talent are long gone IMO.

I stand corrected. I hope they do survive just fine also.

I disagree with this. That model failed already. i.e. VFW et al.

Thank you for the interview reference. This is the first I've read it and I've re-posted the quote here... “We have 2,000 kids who apply for the Cadets,” Hopkins said. “The Blue Devils and the other top corps have a similar number. The kids who get turned down don’t join other corps for the most part; they only want to be in the top corps. I think we will end up with 10 or so super performance groups.” I'm not too sure if the ones that get turned down don't audition for other corps? Of course he says for the most part which is a little vague in itself. How would he know this information? So I guess at that time he considered the top 10 the elite and now has revised his earlier definition to 7. I do see what you mean though.

This!

A good show does not always necessary reflect well in the numbers...

Great score for Blue stars. Nice job guys.

I don't remember what year, but I remember DCI sending me an alternate cover for a top12 DVD mistake. I thought to myself at the time that that was a waste of money, but I guess it was REAL important to some for whatever reason.

"Major oopsie" sounds like something you'd hear from a 5 year old.

I will go to even earlier than that from what I've read over the years...I will add that in the 1950's schools moved away from music/arts and more toward math and science. School music programs were cut all over the country at that time. At the same time, the war generation was coming into its own. And i believe that is why groups like the VFW, CYO, and the American Legion organized drum and bugle corps. Then, as the country came back from its panic, bands returned to their former prominence in the schools. At the same time, the WWII generation's kids moved out of high school and into college and then had kids of their own. They were not part of the VFW etc. Those sources of funding dried up, and with them the corps that they sponsored. Drum corps participation thus became more expensive. The oil crisis and better national tours also increased the cost of marching and caused many of the corps to fold.

It is for this very reason (note aside) that it really annoys me when people BLAME corps for not touring as much as others. TWO that come to mind are The Academy a few years ago and most recently Jersey Surf. Although this is true, has it not been the "collective" that decided on this national touring model versus the regional one in the first place? Can you make inferences that that is truly at the foundation of this national touring model in the first place? I don't have all the answers myself, but I find it hard to disagree with your viewpoint about the different touring models.

Playing devils advocate here...What makes you think just because it is a different league the talent pool will dry up? You are basing this on the assumption of "if they leave" all the rest of drum corps is doomed. It is extremely speculative at best to make this assumption in the first place IMO. I do agree with you that this could be a possibility, but the real uncertainty overshadows the ultimate numerous possible outcomes that may result.

Open-class doesn't get ANY financial support now anyway from DCI as it was explained to me. In terms of other types of support I'm not certain. DCI is not EVEN going to offer the BIG 5 next year(2011) as it has now evolved into the BIG 3. It's the beginning of the end for open-class survival in my opinion. It really makes me sad to say that 5 years from now open-class won't even exist IMO.

From my own perspective this really does not mean all that much. There is too much fluff here and not enough meat IMO. I should probably go re-read again the plan to put in proper perspective.

I agree with this...

This is nothing more than POOR TASTE. Period.

Survival for the corps? Please explain how you come to that conclusion.