JBman

Can you please show some figures to back up these statements? It's really hard to believe your comparisons without statistical figures. Personally, I don't think you can even compare the two circuits. It's like saying that the Major League ticket sales are not growing at the same rate as community soft ball. Two completely different types of fans (even though some of that fanbase may be shared). Also, two very different types of ticket prices (if some community softball events even have ticket prices at all). Lets be real here, DCA crowds are by in large people who are connected to the DCA activity. DCI crowds, while still largely made up of people from within the activity are also made up of actual "fans" from outside of the activity. Example, a huge number high school band students in America cannot WAIT for that "local DCI show" in their area. However, very few (in many or any at all) have the same drive to go to a local DCA show. It's just not where their interest is. Frankly, me neither. Not that I have a problem with DCA. I think it's great for those involved. I'm just more interested in DCI World Class and if I have to choose between one or the other, the money inside that very tight budget of mine is going to be spent on DCI, not DCA. Nothing personal. I just don't have a vested interest in DCA at this point in my life. Neither do I for DCI either, and that's the difference. DCA crowds are largely made up of those who have a vested interest. DCI crowds have that PLUS those who don't. All of that to say, I think you are grasping at straws with your statements. But I'll eat my words if you can show me some figures.

I have to agree. There was no comparison. Madison had the crowd in the palm of their hands at finals. I was there. The crowd was so loud I couldn't even make out what the corps was playing for the last minute of their show. It was insane.

And you know what? Thank God it's not. I am all about tradition and keeping some "purity" in drum corps but there are places where you just have to draw the line and in my opinion, uniforms are one of them. When I look at the old long jackets of the past that go down to the belt line (or below) and see how baggy most uniforms looked and then compare that to what companies like FJM, Stanbury and Demoulin are creating now with slender looks that actually look on the field and on camera, I don't ever want to look back. There are ways to keep a corps identity and I think Cadets, Cavies, Phantom, SCV and Scouts have all done a good job with keeping the "classic corps look" while still finding ways to actually look good. Lets face it. Long jackets (some in blouses), baggy pants and spats....uughlk! Can we please never re-visit that again? Face it. Those old style uniforms just don't look good. You can still have a simulation to the classic look. Look at Cavies. Similar, but different in that the details of the current look make the kids look tall and slender. Same with SCV. The character of the Santa Clara Vanguard still exists but the shorter jacket makes them look better. Same with Scouts. Very close to their classic 75 look but with a shorter sash and a tighter/shorter jacket...and the short sleeves as much as some have not liked them also helps their more slender look. You don't have to have the "FJM Breakout look", but you do need the kind of basic modifications that today's uniform companies have adapted in order to look good.