Now that it's "World/Open class"

[CrunchyTenor]

Garry,

I agree on the age issue, but 150 is hardly risking having so many members they won't be able to move. You could add another 100 or so and still have enough field acreage to move as much as you want.

Point noted, and I don't think 150 is too many, either. Before the advent of DCI and the 128-member limit, there were a couple of corps around in the 150-member club. The Thing merger with St. Pat's and Thunderbolts created a corps of about 150, and I remember the LA Chinese corps having that many, too.

But I have to disagree about adding another 100. I've seen some college and high school bands of that size. Great field coverage, but I don't recall them being able to do the high velocity moves that a corps of 128, 135 or 150 can do.

I think it's another way to wipe out the Open Class corps, too. Adding another 100 to the top 12 World Class corps would essentially assimilate the membership for those corps.

It's just setting another trend in motion. If it's not broken...

Garry in Vegas

[JimF-LowBari]

But I have to disagree about adding another 100. I've seen some college and high school bands of that size. Great field coverage, but I don't recall them being able to do the high velocity moves that a corps of 128, 135 or 150 can do.

Garry in Vegas

Went to college in the late 70s at Indiana Univ of PA which had Charles Casavant as band director and drill designer. Charles is the son of A R Casavant who was one of the early gurus of MB drill. When I was there the son had just gotten the job and wanted to prove that he was a chip off of A Rs block. Charles refused to have a band over 150 members (counting guard) because "too many people get in the way of my drill". And that SOB could put a couple of styles of drill in one show.

And his marching style is one of the reasons I have no cartledge in my big toes.. :(

Edit: Year I was in the band we had 3 Westshoremen, 1 Hanover Lancer, 1 Finleyville Royal Crusader and an Erie Thunderbird on staff. And none of us could believe the drill that was put together in a short period of time (new show every home game).

Edited October 11, 2007 by JimF-3rdBari

[Piper]

I was fortunate enough to grow up and live in the northeast (DCA country), so aging out of the juniors wasn't a big emotional trama. We knew there was life after death. :)

[Pinwiz]

Where's the "not unless it's extended enough so I can march" option?

[Tom Brace]

To 'splain quickest -- Division 3 is no more. It has ceased to be! (cue Monty Python stuff)

and to add to this...Div II is no more.

[MikeD]

But I have to disagree about adding another 100. I've seen some college and high school bands of that size. Great field coverage, but I don't recall them being able to do the high velocity moves that a corps of 128, 135 or 150 can do.

I guess we willl disagree. IMO there is plenty of real estate on a field to still march the high velocity shows with another 100....but see below....

I think it's another way to wipe out the Open Class corps, too. Adding another 100 to the top 12 World Class corps would essentially assimilate the membership for those corps.

It's just setting another trend in motion. If it's not broken...

Garry in Vegas

I didn't say DCI should add another 100...just saying that another 100 would still be feasible IMO.

[karl E. Hungus]

AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I really hope this is a joke because it's HILARIOUS

DCI is NEVER going to be a paid professional sport because "marching band" has WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY fewer people interested in watching than football, or any other professional sport. Just to have no tour fees for 150 members corps would have to raise an additional $300,000 or so.

Also, there is already another training ground other than Div II/III. It's called high school marching band.

for one there is no farm system for dci, or whatever you want to call it. div 2/3 has just ended up as one because there isnt any other alternative. and it will continue to be one. i think the division in talent and maturity level from HS to corps is far to large to provide both world and open class DCI with enough quality players to go around. 200 kids trying out for a drumline is awesome, but it doesnt mean squat if 160 of them cant play triplet rolls. this is also the same for instructional staff. many techs have no educational backgrounds, only the experience the gained from marching somewhere, possibly under some one else who had no educational background. that sucks because it creates an environment that propegates ignorance. (which is why we still have corps with kids getting screamed at, and doing pushups for making mistakes, basically teaching the same way as in the the 70's, which shows no growth at all) granted kids do make the jump from highschool top wold class, but they are easilly always classified as the elite few no matter what program they are from.

as far as becoming proffessional - ANY activity can end up on tv and gain a large audience, as long as its marketed well and commercially accessible. take a look at all the "sports" you see on the espn's lately.... table tennis, poker, bowling, arena football.... cup stacking?! all these activities pay the same way with the exception of i think poker, probably cupstacking, cause that ### is lame. they all also have the same or smaller sized audiences as DCI, theres also waaaay more paid "sports" and "activites" out there that arent even on tv. maybe they dont get paid alot, but they do get paid. ever been to a wnba game? neither have i... neither has anybody.... i would surmise that far less people pay to see stuff like the wnba and local proffessional rugby than DCI, and they get paid. the point is that they are all commercially accessible... meaning sponsors and brand names... and good marketing.

wanna hear a secret? soccer is not unpopular in the states because its soccer. soccer is unpopular because it cant be marketed well due to the fact that there is almost no time for commercial breaks. therefore its hard for people with big money to get behind it and make it more popular because the commercial return with be small. im pretty sure hockey is running into a similar problem right now.

DCI wont be a paid sport tomorrow, or next year, or maybe 10 years. but its possible. the right changes can be made and if DCI expects to continue to grow thats what they are eventually going to have to do. either that or its just going to fail and sputter out at some point and that will be the end of it until someone comes along who knows how to market it better. and eventually raising the age is just a small part that will have to happen in the grand scheme.

[dsb2007]

I answered "no". DCI is for the youth. DCA exists for adults who wish to continue marching (and there is nothing wrong with that). The two activities should remain separate.

[Jeremy Denzer]

Perhaps with all the recent corps going inactive or folding all together DCI should take a note from WGI and think about extending the age limit for world class performers.

When WGI lifted the age limit on world class units it was because the class had shrunk to the point that only 17 units competing in prelims. Normally 15 units make finals. That season (1999) they took all 17 into finals. They also wanted to make the playing field even for International units who did not have an age limit. Since lifting the age limit the field of world class units has expanded to close to 30 units and an International guard has placed in the top 3 at finals.