Mike78Mello

Once again, the information is IRS filings that are public record, and can be verified online. However, it is balance sheets that balance to zero. On an annual basis income and expenses may be close, but rarely if ever match. The specific point that I am attempting to make is that an Open Class corps can do just fine with a modest budget of $250,000. If the goals is to create a great drum corps that serves the community, it does seem possible. Not everyone needs to create a huge organization with a huge budget, and not every Open Class corps must feel required improve their ranking at Championships every year. It may be that with modest budgets and modest objectives, a drum corps can be sustainable.

* color to quotes added IRS filings for non-profits are public. For 2011 (with 135 members), Music City filed a positive net income of about $40,000--revenue of $251,322 and expense of $211,655. They clearly appeared to have a solid financial model in 2011. What is not being disclosed? It is really the effort? If so, is it not worth the effort to bring the drum corps experience to 135 young people. Other IRS filings for year-end 2011 (calendar of fiscal) that may be of interest: DCI: $9,722,125 revenue | $9,429,827 expenses Blue Devils: $2,686,234 revenue | $3,052,372 expenses YEA (Cadets): $4,158,128 revenue | $4,158,128 expenses Crown: $1,586,936 revenue | $1,586,936 expenses (Note: This is public information, accessible to all)

In the Northwest, the Columbians from Pasco Washington in their first year had a published tuition of $500. They may have only competed in 3-4 shows, but they had about 70 members, and I understand that maintained a balance budget. The Thunder from Spokane Washington, has sustained tuition of about $1,000 for the past several years. With its 80 members, Thunder toured the Northwest and continued to the Rockies to finished the season at Denver. Hopeful more Open corps can exists within their means, even if the tours do not span an entire season, nor end at Championships. The measure of success should be serving the community, not placement at Championships.

I am all for another drum corps! There are some great models on the West Coast (including NW) for Open Class corps that have sustainable prudent budgets,who provide great drum corps experiences for it's members. I envy your location being between accessible shows in both Northern or Southern California.

Most every year, BDB establishes itself as the Open Class corps to beat. I am looking forward to Saturday's Kalamazoo show, which will have all the top Open corps going head-to-head!

Great video! Music City is a pretty full corps. Does anyone know the actual member count?

As an alumnus of the Cascades, I would love to see the corps at 22nd for Prelims, particularly in a challenging year. However, I would give more Open Class corps the edge. Here are my thoughts up to positions 8(30). 1. Blue Devils B (20) <Jersey Surf (21)> 2. Vanguard Cadets (22) 3. 7th Regiment(23) <Cascades (24)> 4. Spartans (25) 5. Gold (26) <Pioneer (27)> 6. Legends (28) 7. Genesis (29) 8. Music City (30)

If it is not a taboo topic, where will some of the World Class corps fit in to the placements at Prelims? (i.e. Pioneer, Cascades, and Jersey Surf)

Herein lies the challenge for Open Class drum corps, and for those of us interested in expanding drum corps. DCI is an association of World Class members that functions for the good of its members (WC corps). There is no fiduciary responsibility of the DCI Board of Directors to consider the interest of Open Class. Unless something has changed recently, there are upper-placing DCI member corps that still advocate fewer drum corps and fewer services to Open Class.

I pose that the comparison to professional minor league sports is somewhat appropriate, yet largely unrelated. Minor league sports teams exists for the purpose of providing a professional training ground for talent before entering the major league. Drum corps are non-profit entities for young people whose purpose hopefully pertains to providing a quality life-leaning experience to youth. I do agree that many members in Open Class corps do strive to one day march with a top World Class corps. I see nothing wrong with that. Particularly for those that intend to pursue careers in arts and arts education. For those students, it may make sense to get one’s “master’s degree” in drum corps, so to speak. However, not everyone will continue on to march in a World Class corps. Finances and summer commitments are two major limitations as to who can march with a World Class corps, particularly as life becomes more serious in the college years. Therefore, I believe that there is room for corps with less rigorous schedules and less financial requirements. We should also look at the different nature of high school versus college. At a high-school age, music and guard is part of a growing experience, not necessarily a vocational experience. Only a fraction of high school students that enjoy participating in music and guard will continue to pursue the arts in college. I feel that drum corps could take a much larger role in shaping the lives of young people, even if the focus is not passing students onto the major league. Mike

These are really good points. In my idealistic world, I would rather see more corps, particularly corps serving an “under-served” market. The “under-served” market being young people in the age-range of 14-18. In my view, the World Class corps are doing an outstanding job of serving young people between 17-22 years old--with what could be termed a pre-professional experience. However, there are vastly more young people in need of summer activities, who I believe could benefit from the experience of drum corps. Splitting recruiting markets, has its considerations. For example, prior to 2012 season I arranged for what has become the Columbians drum corps to receive older surplus brass and battery from the Cascades. There are those that would say I hurt the Cascades in the process. Even though I am no longer involved, I am still pleased to see a new drum corps emerge this year. Corps that can grow to a high level of competition in World Class must still decide on their limits. The real competition is in the financial arms race, which then dictates approximate placement on the field. The budgets do correlate closely to placements. So, whether it is World or Open, every corps must make value decisions of where they wish to compete. Personally, even if I could annually come up with the $2 million that it would take to compete for top honors, I would expect a greater return of value to the community from Open Class corps. With targeting a specific size corps, there is the reality of turning potential members away. That reality may already be common for even smaller corps in their percussion section. We tend to struggle recruiting brass, but have deep auditions for percussion. So, even though it pains me to say, I think regardless of the corps size, potential member may be turned away, particularly percussionist. There is an additional risk for any corps in failing to fulfill expectations. If each year the members expect their corps to get bigger, better, and tour more, but that does not happen, then the potential loss of members can be catastrophic. Over 3+ decades, I have seen this broad member loss occur several times in the corps in which I am an alumnus. Ultimately, I believe that being honest with members and staff about the corps' plans, and at the same time providing a great member experience is the foundation of a sustainable drum corps at any level. However, in my own efforts over several years, I can’t say I have yet to achieved what I believe, with the corps I supported. Mike

I really appreciate the thoughts on Division III. I wonder if others perceive a benefit in having a smaller Class for corps. It was exciting in our NW corner of the country when the Cascades (2000) and Oregon Crusaders (2004) won Division III. Having an attainable goal seemed to be a big boost for those corps. I would rather see more quality 80-member corps than organizations stretching to field larger corps. It is much easier to budget for a smaller corps than for a big corps. It is also much easier to manage a tour for a corps comprised of younger members if the number of members are a litter lower. Mike P.S. For myself, I will better isolate passion from the appearance of anger. Drum corps is a great activity, both World and Open.

In the Northwest, the Spokane Thunder has been very successful for the last several years with a 7-10 day tour. This year the Pasco Columbians followed a similar model. Both corps were very respectable, certainly adding to the shows. City Sound and Impulse are two similar corps in California that have a consistently fielded corps. While these corps my not travel to DCI Championships, they do seem to have found a place in the drum corps community. I wonder if these are unique situations, or if other communities across the nation could similarly sustain a drum corps at a local level?

Does every Open Class corps dream of one day becoming a World Class drum corps? Could it be that the top World Class corps are purely in the entertainment business. In contrast, could Open Class be a destination for corps with the objective to provide young people awesome experiences. Are all corps will to accept the World Class compromise? ...Be willing to forsaken high school students in pursuit to one day having mostly university-age students. ...Be willing to forsaken their local community connections in order to recruit nationally? ...be willing to continual tour for at least four to six weeks? Are there are some great Open Class success modules that don't lead to flailing in the lower strata of World Class?

Why is it that the Open Class forum has become the place for weather reports?