Could it happen this year?

[Just Another Sop]

The poll pretty much says it all.

I know this has been discussed at length before about how it is, or is not, unfair/bad/good/etc. that a corps working for the A Class title could get bumped for finals to open class. I am not trying to bring up that debate again, rather I just ask that you think about how hard you would work all summer going for a championship to end up in 10th place and answer accordingly.

With some of the scores lately, could this be the year it happens?

Edited August 1, 2008 by Just Another Sop

[84BDsop]

The poll pretty much says it all.

I know this has been discussed at length before about how it is, or is not, unfair/bad/good/etc. that a corps working for the A Class title could get bumped for finals to open class. I am not trying to bring up that debate again, rather I just ask that you think about how hard you would work all summer going for a championship to end up in 10th place and answer accordingly.

With some of the scores lately, could this be the year it happens?

SoCal Dream would seem to be a possibility....but without an August score it's hard to tell...

[idontwan2know]

Take the share points and run.

[camel lips]

I voted for I am a class A champion.

To me 10th place loser is still 10th place loser.9 Places away from being a winner.

Edit to add,,

The share points????

Most of the Class A champions get all sorts of huge discounts.endorsements and great trade ins for new horns and drums from many of the Manufacturers.This far outweighs any share points.I have yet to hear of anything from companies for 10th place other than you can get 10% off a pair of sticks and you get to put the vendors name on their website saying sponsor.

Having a championship under your belt is also good PR for getting your name in the local paper and for recruiting during the off season.You can't buy that kind of advertising/recruiting no matter how much money you throw at it.

Think about what that means to a kid that has no clue what DCA is.

AT the recruiting table,,

Thanks for your interest in our corps we were Class A champions last year and going for the open class title this year.

OR

Thanks for your interest in our corps.We came in 10th last year out of 14

Which sounds better?

Edited July 24, 2008 by camel lips

[ContraRich77]

I stomp them.

[Sayre Kulp]

Two thoughts here...

In an area outside the Northeast, (where all-age corps is not seen too often), then maybe the Class A Champion label has some pull. Because I suppose if I didn't know any better, I'd see "Champion" and "10th place" or even "Finalist" and still have an idea in my mind.

However, up here, being the Class A Champ means exactly squat. Hurcs, CorpsVets, Crusaders, etc... (the most recent 9th or 10th place finishers in Open Class) get way better perks than either of the Class A Champions I marched with. We never got amazing trade deals for horns & drums, or stick endorsements or any of that. (At least not to the extent some people would think.) And besides, when you are a Class A Champion surrounded by 3-4 Open Class Finalists, you don't have anywhere close to the same recruiting power as the "big boys."

So to answer the original question, I would rather be 10th place in Open Class over a Class A Champion any day of the week. No questions in my mind.

[Fastone]

For being a champion is always better, I don't know of too many perks for coming in 9th or 10th. The Class A champion gets a flag and an encore performance which is a great feeling. While that championship may not translate to recruiting success later, who cares when your standing on the field with a medal on your neck. Having never experienced class A vs open class finals, I may have skewed vision of this but to me, it's always better to be named a champion.

Edited July 24, 2008 by Fastone

[bumo27]

Let's say you play for the Staten Island Yankees (New York Yankees minor league team), and you get called up to the majors. After you leave the Staten Island team, they win their championship, and the real New York Yankees wind up in 4th place in the AL East.

Would you rather say you were a member of the New York Yankees (or insert your favorite team here), or win with a minor league team?

Same thing, in my opinion. I voted for choice #2. 10th place in Open Class.

[Fran Haring]

As a 10th place Open Class finalist, you get a DCA member-corps vote. That, to me, is big... since the member corps, for the most part, make the rules.

Fran

[CallipygianKing]

As a 10th place Open Class finalist, you get a DCA member-corps vote. That, to me, is big... since the member corps, for the most part, make the rules.

Fran

This year, my vote is for being that 10th place corps. Then those 9 other members that have probably been there for a while actually have to pay attention to this small upstart that spring-boarded into their clubhouse right when it's time to make the rules. And I'd hope that if a non-NE Class A corps makes the top ten that they'd have the balls to push for something better for Class A... I don't think that giving the Class A Champion a vote is the answer, but I personally feel that if a corps has declared Class A and they get that 10th place spot they should have the option to still compete for the Class A Championship AND have their full voting membership. Put the 11th place corps in that last Open Class spot or something (but don't let them vote).

Next year, being a small corps outside of the NE (where nobody really knows what DCA is) that performs more at DCI shows (where the pay boost of being a full DCA member means nothing), I'd say that being a full voting member when there's nothing to vote for would change my tune. Ask me next year and I'll be the one hoping that if a Class A corps makes it to Open Class in 2009 they'll unfurl a big banner at retreat that says something like, "Will Trade 10th Place Spot for the Championship We Wanted."

If your fans don't know or care about DCA, your shows are mostly sanctioned by DCI, and it's not a Rules Congress year, what good is 10th place when you could've been the CHAMPION?