garfield

Drum corps doesn't bill itself as the "varsity" team. It's the "Major League". Is that a branding hiccup or a serious disconnect in the missions of the two. Who knows: Is Varsity in college programs as well? Because of the average age of SS/DLB kids compared to the DCI "Major League", it's easier to see why SS/DLB would attract Varsity and drum corps would not. But heck, what do I know?

Well, in fact, yes. Very, very well indeed.

Ouch!

What if they dictate what you wear because they sponsored The Top Corps with sweet (read: free) deals?

Which is why I asked Does Varsity know music?

You're making my point, you know. But, seriously, OC's case, as I remember it, was about SEVERE treatment, not everyday "Hey we'd like to sleep in! No! Get up and eat!" kind of treatment. I thought drum corps build experiences that attract kids. This sounds like kids who have a home who want the corps to change to their desires and, to my ear, sounds like the MM's want both. "No, I don't want to leave or move, I want you to do it OUR way!" (I emphasize for the point; to paraphrase, they said they acquired floor time when they asked). MM's voting with their feet is not this story I could cheer The American Way if it were. This feels like a different kind of "American Way"; I wonder if the MM's approach is reflective of the times.

Sounds like “Collective bargaining” to me!

Yes, rules development shows their hand. But, IMO, that’s not bad.

What's the old journalistic screed? "Even bad news is good news" or something like that. It appears that Varsity is well-practiced at creating optics favorable to itself. Their adroit claim of "...not a sport..." is impressive. I think they'll find a way to appeal SS and, probably, DLB to high schools in a way that doesn't compete with scholastic programs (as DCI is perceived to do) but enhances the music program. But, I wonder, if there are few rules in SS, won't scholastic programs look more and more like indoor and ensembles the school already funds?

Jeff's a little sensitive to snark at the moment. lol

This is such an excellent post. Exactly correct. Which is partially why I brought up the whole notion of one corps' students negotiating for better conditions.

Oh, is THAT it? Fixed. Sorry to all. Bad attempt at lawyer humor.

For all the angst about the class-action lawsuit... I think Stoller's claim of a "coming collapse" may be premature, or wrong entirely. https://www.dallasnews.com/business/local-companies/2020/06/22/cheerleading-giant-varsity-brands-gets-185-million-in-new-capital-to-power-through-pandemic/

I didn't want to paraphrase and couldn't remember it exactly; I had to go look. Old memories.

This reminds me of a quote from Mike Boo during another meaningless thread some time ago (The 990's): "Come for the goofy conspiracies, stay for the intelligent discussion."

Welcome to DCP. So long as you keep that perspective, you'll fit in perfectly.

I meant marketing exposure. Varsity is a scholastic brand and drum corps is neither. Drum corps doesn't give Varsity much exposure to high school. But thanks for the medical opinion!

Exactly. Thank you. This is my point. "Negotiated"? Even using "convinced" would suggest that staff was not in touch with the desires of the MM. From a different perspective, is there a point where a "good" staff/management would say "Toughen up, buttercup. Drum corps is hard."?

Not really. Very little exposure to schools via DCI.

Something didn’t click until a friend made the point: Varsity is scholastic and in the schools. DCI is neither. I wonder if they are really interested in drum corps because they can’t get drum corps into schools. DCI is a tour and event manager. Soundsport is not.

Ahhh, yes. Thank you and my apology to NE.

No, I’m pretty sure it was NE who pointed out in the Mandarins’ announcement included a single reference to some information from 2018 (at Mandarins) the was possibly corroborative of their decision to end the relationship with the staff member. If it was someone else, my apology, but the issue itself is true.

Please, help me. I realize you were responding to someone else’s off topic comment that journalism is dead, but you could have easily said “No it’s not” and left it at that (and left many of us lying shocked on the floor). But, besides this minor infraction that would have been forgotten, you write a treatise on the death of journalistic opinion and didn’t once relate it to the Mandarins or the people involved, besides defending the journalistic craft. Did I miss something? Was there something in the reporting of the incident that’s been unsatisfactory? I remember you emphasizing that look back to 2018; is that the journalistic thing to which you hint?

Sorry, but you are wrong. Your perception doesn’t match my reality.

Oh, sure one can. Cheer is dangerous. Kids do dumb things. Adults do dumber things. There's risk in chasing a desire to be great. Varsity isn't the cause of all evil in the cheer world, and one can't possibly deny the laser-like vision of the founders, and even that of the second buyers!, have made them the force we're, apparently, afraid of today. I don't have a dog in the fight beyond drum corps, but I don't see Flo offering this kind of exposure to drum corps' participant demo even if Flo might appeal to some who want to watch sports on the same subscription.