SkyRyder_FMM

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The Blue Stars have some great seats for Prelims available: Section 339, Row 1, seat 11, and Row 2, Seats 11 and 12 - 3 tickets http://shop.bluestars.org/prelims/

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You can look back further to see the first example - 1987 Sky Ryders.

To me, 2014 Bluecoats is a "Total Package" type show that will be remembered in the future. All 4 charts were fantastic, innovative use of props and guard equipment, simple but easy to get concept, and great use of electronics. Bluecoats and Crown are the corps that I listen to the most from 2014.

No, they have been holding Spring Training at Waldorf College in Forrest City, IA, and La Crosse, WI for the past three years (and will return again this year).

Yes. Indianapolis has been one of the most profitable locations for Championships.

The west coast corps deal with the trek annually, so it's part of their budget. And several of those corps are flush with bingo money, so it's no skin off their nose. It's a big expense to make the trip west for the rest, and those corps operating budgets do not contemplate a trip west annually. If they were to budget a trip west every couple of years it could be done. A few of those corps have been doing just that. But apparently, their efforts are not appreciated. Sadly, this has been the typical reaction. You get what you want (other corps traveling west), but complain about it when you get it (not enough of them, not often enough, not the corps you want). Non-west coast corps greedy? For not wanting to incur significant expenses? A bit of hyperbole, don't you think? What's in it for them? Less shows, less money, lower souvenir sales, higher fuel costs, difficulty in obtaining housing, additional housing costs, etc. Most corps are barely making enough money to survive. What is the compelling reason for them to incur the expense? To make fans happy? Altruism is nice, but it doesn't pay the bills. What's the payoff? What about the west coast corps themselves? Some of them do not even support the shows in their own region. What if the west coast corps went east in early season and you never saw them at all? No BD or SCV in any shows in their own backyard - how would you feel about that? That's what you want from the other corps - abandon their base to travel west. Give up local shows with local support and local dollars, with souvenir sales from your local fan base, so you can travel west to markets that do not (and will not) support you financially, do not buy your souvenirs, etc. Next year, those corps have to try to raise money locally. How do you think those local sponsors feel when the corps was not even in the area the prior year? Other than just a couple of corps, every mile a corps travels away from their home base, their fan base declines, souvenir sales decline, supporter dollars decline, and expenses rise. It is in all corps best interests to spend as much time as possible in their local area. Do you want to see more corps fold? If you start a full national tour that involves regular trips west, we will see that. Some corps will be able to increase their revenues by the $35,000 to $40,000 annually that is necessary to make the trip, but that's a pretty big number to try to raise. Many will not be able to do it. Less corps will mean fewer shows. You won't be able to fill out the line up. That will make the situation even worse. Is that enough good reasons why we don't (and should not have) a full national tour that includes the west annually?

BD