BG984

It would be incredibly rare. I could see a scenario where maybe somebody was an incredible soloist. They play their horn in the pit/front area (ie no drill). They are a "ringer"....both corps know and don't make a scene about it, and the soloist gets paid by both corps. The motive would be paid performance, and just to say they did what they did. I also do find it interesting that there are no formal rules, at any level, that I am aware of regarding members getting paid. I will leave them nameless, but I can tell you that there was a champion senior corps that went out and bought several ringer drummers (around 4-5 snares and the entire tenor line) to dramatically improve in the off season, which they did. Completely within the rules.

I just wonder if anyone has ever marched IN THE SAME CONTEST WITH TWO DIFFERENT CORPS, and if there is any rule regarding that. I think that it would be possible, if you only had drill with one corps (or neither....Ie a soloist planted in the pit, for example)........I don't think your corps mates would be too fond that you were also performing with a competitor.......I do know that in the senior corps/alumni corps realm, there have been folks who went on the same night at a concert and performed with more than one corps....but even that is rare.......also, I wonder if any "ringer" has ever openly put themselves up "for hire", as to the best of my knoweldge, there is still no rules about being paid.

IMO, last year's brass for Cavaliers was far better than 2024. The arranging and instruction are top drawer. To be frank, not loaded with talent/experience, and that was the challenge in 2025. With some retention, as well as attraction of new talent, I believe they will quickly rise in stature in brass.

They have a great brass staff and arranger. They "brought along" a line that wasn't loaded with talent/experience. Hopefully they had a respectable retention rate, and also attracted new talent for this upcoming season. If these factors happen, the sky is the limit in the near future.

Just curious as to what the rules actually are, and my guess also is that DCI doesn't have rules on some of these things. Actually, there is no birth certificate rule for "All Age" (you could be 14....or 90), but they still may have to "register" members for reasons as stated. I would also love to know if anyone ever managed to march with multiple corps in the same contest; i know that people have marched with more than one corps in the same season. I think it would be funny if some "ringer" ran an ad saying "for hire", and was good enough that he/she played up front in 4 different corps on the same night.....

I was just thinking of this the other day. In today's drum corps world, it is not totally unusual for a performer to march for 3, 4, or even 5 or more different corps during their marching days. There have even been members who have won championships with multiple corps. However, this looks at some less common scenarios. There have been members who marched in two different DCI corps during the same season; even in two finalists. If I recall correctly, the director of the "releasing": corps had to give an official letter of release, which "allowed" the member to go to the other corps. Is this still the case? I believe that if a member leaves before May 1st (or is it the 30th) , they do not need one or permission, as long as they do not owe any corps fiscally. I know that back in the day there were many "junior" corps members, who finished their junior corps season, and then went on to fill blanks in DCA corps; sometimes just as a soloist with no drill (ie upfront). Is this still permitted? Has anyone ever performed with 2 or more corps in the same contest or in the same championship? Is it legal? From around `1977 on, DCI required corps to have birth certificate copies of all members on hand, and I believe they had to turn in a roster. The roster could be changed during the season, but changes were to be reported/documented. What are the documentation requirements today? Do they do things online with this? When was the last time a corps had an impromptu "age check"? Back in the day, my corps was checked at the gate at Allentown finals. (random members checked). I remember that at prelims a guy with a "clicker" would count the membership of all corps as members entered the gate. Do the all-age corps need to register any names/documents? You may ask why. I know that DCI had a data base for any members that owed outstanding money to a corps (and could not march with anyone until released by that corps), and there was also a data base report if any member was removed from a corps for a disciplinary reason, especially if a crime may have been committed. I know that just a few years ago, a member from a corps "fell through the cracks" (possible assault/criminal act) and ended up at another major corps' spring camps....I will say that they were removed when found out. Has (or will) DCI ever had an official rule about paying someone to march? I know that it has happened at both the DCI and DCA level. Not only allowing the member to perhaps march for reduced rate or free, but paying them to perform. Some marched as "instructors", but many were "ringers". I know that today some corps offer "scholarships" to help some march. What would the penalty be if a corps tried to "buy" another corps' soloist in the off season? it's never going to be a big issue, because of cost/etc....but never say never....what if a billionaire bought a corps, wanted to win, and advertised auditions and that all members would be paid......an unlikely, but interesting scenario............

Agreed. However, DCI was also fortunate to hold their championships in many stadiums that sounded great. The best "Indy" year was actually 2008, as Lucas wasn't done in time, and they moved it to Bloomington....IU stadium sounded great. For me, Lucas sounds bad, and I have had 50 yard line seats low, middle, and high. The de-emphasis of music and the influence of the visual/WGI community is yet another force that will keep the championship indoors and in Indy forever. So, it will be Allentown forever for me, and thinking about it, I kind of like it that way.

I know that DCI tried to use the retractable roof as a "selling point", and then after the stadium was built, it was never discussed again after the stadium did open. They did try to do some acoustical things to improve the sound after DCI's first year in there, but improvement was very minimal. Yeah, it (the roof) probably would not have improved sound........even with outdoor stadiums, the shape of the structure and "bowl", endzone size, shape, and amount of seating there, and if it is a true "bowl" or there are gaps.....all play into the sound. However, unless something changes down the road, DCI Championships look like "Oil Can Forever", so I won't be going (though I do think the 400 member Phantom Regiment alumni corps in there could be fun, but I will be watching at home). It was funny back in 2008, and people (including myself, as I already had all non-refundable arrangements paid for...hotel/flight/car....into Indy, so I stayed in Indy and drove to Bloomington). then I heard the sound in the IU stadium, I had a great seat, and the sound was outstanding.....way better than anything heard in the Oil Can. I am looking forward to my annual pilgrimage to Allentown, though.

For many it won't make a difference. For those who know the sounds of a good outdoor stadium in comparison, it does. I can tell you that in 2009 (the premier of Lucas) there were plenty of fans who were disappointed and complained about the sound in Lucas Oil Stadium. I will say that in response, they (DCI) tried to do some things, which made very little difference. There are some fans who will not go to Indy anymore for that reason. However, fans of WGI/guard and BOA who go have increased in numbers, along with a larger percentage of family members going to Nationals then back in the day. When I marched in finals in 1977, out of 128 kids, we may have had around 10 that had family members who made it to Denver. Now, there are corps with a larger percentage of parents/family members who have the means to get to Indy.

No argument about Olympic Stadium......also, agree that opening the roof would do little or nothing. However, I can say that when Lucas was being proposed, there were "powers" who tried to use the retractable roof as a selling point. All I know is that the sound sucks in there, so it will be Allentown forever for me unless they decide to move, and it is highly unlikely they are going to.

I am over 90% sure that the open roof option was/is there, as I remember that was used as a "selling point" in the selection of Indy/Lucas Oil. My guess is when/if the sound was tested with the roof open, it likely made little or no difference in the sound.

I would gladly sacrifice this in order to greatly improve the sound......I never found the sun to be much of a problem in Allentown, and the sound is 100 times better than Indy...............prior to Indy, DCI was in many large outdoor stadiums, with shows running from 8 AM to midnite..............and there wasn't much of a problem......I will say that DCI was also incredibly lucky with weather over the years.....with no championship "wash-outs", and the worst scenario involved a few delays and a couple of sprinkles, but that was it.....

I would LOVE to see finals rotations again in different cities......even if it was just every two or three years. I haven't gone to Indy for awhile, now.....reasons: cost, I did the "tourist" stuff already(Speedway, the town, etc).....I can't stand the sound in the stadium......there would be incentive for me to visit different places/cities..........but it's been just Allentown for me for awhile (and that always works for me). Also, I doubt that DCI would even consider holding nationals in an outdoor stadium again, but I haven't heard an indoor one that I liked yet.....funny, I remember back in 2008 when the stadium wasn't finished on time, and they had to move to Bloomington. That stadium sounded GREAT, and audio-wise, was the last championship stadium that I enjoyed....... There is zero doubt that a good fiscal deal with Indy and the stadium, plus the headquarters being there, and planning for the same thing each year is easier for the corps, and as long as the fans show up, it will stay there. I just researched something interesting. When Indy was picked as a long-term/permanent spot, they used the "retractable roof" as a selling point. After a relatively short period of time, talk of that went away. To the best of my knowledge, it has been closed for DCI for every year, and when asked, they said, "threat of weather". It was also implied that it takes a long time/big deal to close the roof. IT TAKES 9 MINUTES!!!!! Now, if someone tells me that they checked the sound of corps with the roof both open and closed, and the difference was marginal.....ok, keep it closed and keep the A/C runnin'......however, I never saw that it was ever tested that way..........in DCI's defense, many outdoor stadiums' shapes and related acoustics are bad, so putting a dome/roof over a bad sounding stadium is inmaterial. IMO, there are especially many great-sounding college stadiums. I guess it's the "Oil Can Forever"......(sigh)

Buses.......and the state of the Universe

I knew as soon as corps started listing music arrangers/composers as "music designers", there was going to be further trouble. (Though some of it does sound "designed"....lol) I also find it interesting when a corps lists the 10 musical selections they are playing in their less than 12 minute show.......complete with a title/theme (that only they seem to understand)