Phirebird

Fixed :)

There's a ton of Rach. May not be slapping you in the face like the roll, but it's woven into every second of music. And last I checked I knew a ton more middle aged white guys listening to classic rock then 8th grade boys, so stop trying to stigmatize...and quite poorly at that.

If you don't see it in Crown's show, then it can't be shown to you. Obvious troll is obvious Fuzzy math you got there. I don't like all cheese, particularly swiss...not a fan. But I do love a good sharp cheddar. Are they not both cheeses?

I believe they're over in the DCA forums

1 Rach Star guard member does not a 1st place guard make.

Considering that year's line had a member from each of the following: The Cavaliers, Bluecoats, BD, Phantom, Crown and Xmen not to mention the 4 Texas All Staters. So I'd say ya....they can play them...

Like the University of Texas at Arlington. They got Madison's 2008 contras.

Some really good and interesting discussion going on. Thanks guys and keep it up! This is the positive side of DCP

That's not the issue, though. The real backbone of the idea is the general support of the current fan-base.

The system Professional Baseball has in place I think best reflects what I'm thinking of. 1) School athletics provides the introduction to the sport and the skill set. Most people who play in school don't go on to play pro, but they still appreciate it. 2) The minor leagues provides a valuable tool for grooming potential candidates for Major League play, but the MBL isn't pumping millions into promoting the minors. 3) The Major League is the face of baseball and spectators are not just people who once played baseball. The only difference is that I would like to see a DCI Major League where the top tier is not dominated by one or two or three powerhouses every year.

This is what I was getting at with the high school band part. I'm not proposing the elimination of all corps but a top group, but the marketing of a top-tier league.

There is no surprise. I'm not sure how you even came to that conclusion from my OP. I'm proposing DCI and it's fans think of ways to get the activity to a level where several corps are likely to win it all in any given year.

I'm talking about a number of corps all being top 6 quality. I am in no way saying that lower corps could not, one day, be a part of the WC competition. The dream is that we have more then a handful of corps competing for a title every year. Wouldn't it be nice to have a world where corps like Academy and Teal and Pioneer are competing every season at BD/Cadet/Cavalier level. I'm not saying that the corps you mentioned can't place high because of marching band.

We promote primarily the best DCI has to offer to the "non DCI fan-base." We do so a little, but at great grievance from the current fan-base. You have to show the best of your available products. Your fan-base already knows the whole game and all the players. The best draw the new fans in. But it really would take the great majority of the current fan-base being on board with the idea for it to work. In order for that to happen, we need to realize that marching band is doing the purpose of the DCs of yesteryear treat DCI as the marketable sport/cultural event that it is. But to be honest it's just an idea. The actual fleshing out would have to come from much more business-savvy minds then mine.

Care to expand, or are you just going to be snarky?

One gripe I constantly hear from some fans is that DCI isn't a "youth" activity anymore. There aren't "neighborhood" corps that take in kids, teach them to play and be disciplined, etc. The other major gripe I hear (often from the same segment of fans) is about the G8. We all know the arguments, no need to rehash them here. But I dream of a day when the G8 is not needed anymore. Not dead or replaced, just not needed. Why? Because we have 12-16 corps in WC left. I know what you're thinking...but hear me out. Now these remaining corps are each a powerhouse. Every single year is a mystery as to who will win. A corps could place 14th one year, 3rd then next and then take gold the next year. No longer are we sitting around talking about BD, Cadets, and The Cavaliers being shoe-ins for the top 3 and hope that one or two corps might challenge their dominance this year. Now I know what a lot of you are thinking. Not very many corps. Where will kids get the experience you knew BITD? This isn't to say that there shouldn't be a 2nd tier of drum corps (perhaps a feeder corps system?). But times have changed. Where are kids getting their experience? Marching Band. Marching bands these days ARE the neighborhood corps of days past. There's at least one in every town and they do exactly what the corps of yesteryear did. They take kids and teach them to play and to march and to be disciplined. Ask anyone who has ever been in marching band or had a kid in marching band or worked with a marching band; kids in band are some of the best kids in school. Not because band draws in the "good" kids, but because it fosters those good attributes. Isn't that what most older fans miss from the neighborhood drum corps? So isn't it time that we let the past be the past? Respect it, remember it, but it's time to move on. Kids across the country are getting solid educations and get to aspire to compete at a truly pro level. And as a fan, I for one know that I would love to attend a finals night where it's anyone's game. What say you, DCP?

It's July 5th. No guard is clean. You might see some clean guards this time in August. But even the ones at the top still have some serious dirt.

Puerto Rico. Not a full fledged state, but their uniforms would be wicked colorful and they'd always play catchy island tunes.

Not a drill move, but if you listen real closely you'll hear the pit quote "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco. It's a real test of listening skill cause it's crazy buried. Maybe an inside joke with the staff or pit or something?

Thread = Hijacked

Dear OP, Welcome to the interwebs. Please construct a proper thread and poll with more then 5 choices and come back to us. Until then, this can't be taken seriously and we won't even read it. Excelsior, /dcp/

This sounds much more reasonable then originally posted.

While I agree and disagree with several of your statements, this one particularly got at me. As a band director who is often there with those high school kids you talk about, I have to speak against this. Their generation is different from mine, yours, and every one before them. They may be on their phones, they may not be the fan you want them to be, but to suggest that they are uninterested or unappreciative is BS. For all you know they might be using their phones to post to facebook or twitter about how awesome a corps is. I make sure to tell my band kids how it is not a typical concert, people talk and comment and have food, but that they should keep comments quiet (especially if it's ill about a corps. never know who's mom/dad is in ear-shot) and if they see something they like to cheer and clap. They don't always follow the advice, but they were never forced to be there. They went because I show DC videos and they WANT to be there. After the night is over the kids are always pumped and loved what they saw, especially the first timers. I understand COMPLETELY that they can be a bit much. I make sure to attend at least one show with just me and the spouse and maybe some close friends in good seats. And I completely understand if you don't wish to sit next to them. But they are the future of this activity and it would be good to remember that.

Some really cool insights here. Keep em coming.