Future DCA Championships.

[Scerpella]

Thank you Kay.

Sorry Dan, I had the same feelings when I read your response to Dick... are we reading the same thread?

I have no idea how you inferred any of that from what Dick posted.

But without a bid that the Corps feel is in their benefit it won't be accepted. It takes a year or more just to line up your doggies for a bid. So don't sit here and blame Rochester. Get started.

emphasis added

is what I was responding to to start. Every response seems to need to say something nice about Allen as though anyone has criticized him. No one has that I can see, and I think those of us who have been to Rochester for DCA would agree its been run very well.

I continued on addressing a number of points made in previous posts about DCA locations. If anyone has mistaken my last reply as specifically and only at Dick, I apologize. I think people need to read the whole thread, especially the last two days.

[kennadrin]

#### how did this thread turn into a praise Allen Thread.

IT IS EASY ISN'T IT LOL

He goes out of his way for a lot of people, my family and I wouldn't have enjoyed the summer nearly as much without his help

Kenny

[Kansan]

Public School districts are putting up lots of brick walls, road blocks and red tape up for groups that want to use their facilities.

The Districts out here used to house Jr. Drum Corps and host shows but they seem to have forgotten about the activity.

I wanted to use an auditorium for 4 hour rehearsal in 04 and they wanted $100.00 per hour and I pay taxes and have kids in the District. The American Legion wanted more than that.

Don't even ask to use a field for practice. They have signage on all the main fields to keep off the grass. Put down some football field lines and your most likey going to jail.

We have 4 large districts and several smaller surrounding districts so there are more than enough High Schools and Junior Highs to accomodate a large show. It's a matter of how many School Districts are willing to help out.

[OldStyleCorps]

Everyone out in the West gets that the NE has had a hold on the DCA activity since inception. I really don't believe I've seen anyone actually debate that point. However, throwing words out like "absolute" and "never" only serves to show those of us "geographically challenged" folks that we aren't welcome in your little "sandbox" in the NE. Does anyone actually believe at this point in time that DCA Nationals in CA would pull 10,000? No way. HOWEVER, to dismiss the non-NE corps with a wave of the hand is arrogant and means only one thing - at some point, maybe not this year, maybe not next, hell maybe not 10 years from now, but at some point, you will eat those words.

West Coast corps are growing - and one day we'll see Nationals in CA. It may be my children or my grandchildren, but it WILL happen.

I think your post was, "Absolute" NONSENCE !!!!!

First of all. The West, the Centeral, and the South ALLOWED all their Senior Corps to disappear. Go under. What ever you want to call it. Well before DCA started. But the North EAST kept theirs going. So, I do not think that, should be held againest them. (Check back on Corpsreps for the Old A.L. and VFW National's, Scores and Titles. There were Many Senior Corps from Coast to Coast)

You out on the West have a DCI problem. That is one only YOU, can take care of. Proof of that is how WELL both the South and Centeral areas have done. From No where, None, to Corps in the Top 10 EVERY YEAR for a Long time.

Then the Idea WE the People of the North East do not want you is NUTS. Just ask anyone who march's with the "Renegades" or "SoCal Dream" . I think the Fans in the Stands SHOW how much we WANT them.

PS:

AND how long did it take your boss's (DCI) to have the Championships on the West Coast? Let me see. DCI was started in 1972. Then the Masters said OK. Let's thow them a bone. "The Rose Bowl in 2007". 35 years later. In that Time. How many WEST Coast groups WON. I do not know for sure. BUT I Know it was A Large Number. Maybe you shoud be MORE upset about, 10 years in Indianapolis, and maybe another 35 year wait.

Now lets see the "Renegades" have been coming East for what about 5 or 6 years. "Minnesota Brass" a lot more. (if anyone has a B%$. It should be them!) BUT BOTH are TOP 10 Every Year. Now "Socal Dream" has jumped to the TOP area of Class A. Also look at CorpsVets, Carolina Gold, Govenairs, Chops Inc. from the South and Central. Ripped right up to the Top of Class A Then "CorpsVets" became a regular in Open Top 10. Then too, Heat Wave from FLORIDA in Class A. So watch out for those Sun Devils. Not to mention all the Great stuff coming out of Texas area. Heck Texas may have their OWN South West Division BEFORE you on the WEST Coast. Shame on you from Such a Drum Corps Rich area.

Yea, we hate non North East Corps. Get Real!

I have been a "Renegades" fan from their First Visit.

AND by the way I travaled Over 1200 miles to the DCA Championships for over 5 years. But now I have it made. Have cut it down to abou 500 miles now.

Edited August 20, 2008 by OldStyleCorps

[J.C.]

...However, throwing words out like "absolute" and "never" only serves to show those of us "geographically challenged" folks that we aren't welcome in your little "sandbox" in the NE...

I wasn't going to get into this thread but this "us vs. them" attitude is contrary to the reality that I have experienced in DCA, especially in the the last 8 years or so. DCA has regionalized, implemented and then expanded Class A, instituted a share point system, and generally done all they can with limited resources to grow the all age activity at a time when the rest of the activity is shrinking (while on a large budget i might add). These aren't the sorts of things that would indicate to me that we are not welcome in their sandbox. Heck I'm honored that they have invited us to play in their sandbox through the years. We've been offered great shows with great crowds and have been treated great and have always been encouraged in our development. I just hate to see people taking that confrontational attitude when we should be working with the DCA members and administration to foster the spirit of inclusion that already exists. Are things perfect? Maybe not, but the glass is well over half full people. Let's stay positive.

[84BDsop]

I think your post was, "Absolute" NONSENCE !!!!!

<big snip in the interest of saving bandwidth>

Yeah....shame on me for proposing the possibility of a western DCA regional so we could get a late season read and those electing to NOT go to DCA might get another chance to perform in front of a new audience.

What was I thinking???

[Top Cat]

For the DCA event to move out of the Northeast, some other region will need to host a well-attended "focus event" for a few years. Such an event will only be possible with the inclusion of a few "big guns" of DCA.

Set a firm date for such an event 2 years out, and MAYBE, the present big guns will find a way to make the trip.

Fred; about time someone else is bringing this up. I concur, to build up the "other" regional fanbase, some outside participation in a REQUIREMENT.

I'm still waiting for a responce - ANY RESPONCE - from one of tge big guys on this.

[wishbonecav]

Give the midwest corps credit for regional development of a stand-alone all-age presentation. A 5 corps field of All-age corps is a worthwhile event (Minnesota, Kilts, Govies, Chops, Lakeshoremen etc.)

Give the West Coasters props for continuing their development (Renegades, SoCal)

The South is impressive, if unstable, with CorpsVets as the cornerstone and Alliance and Tennessee gaining everyone's confidence.

But the East is the beast of this activity and deserves to have the scales tipped in its collective direction.

It represents 7 of the 10 Open Finalists, every World Champion in DCA's history, a traditional and extensive fan base, all 9 of the alumni corps, Ontario and Quebec, Canada and its collective drum corps history and fan base, traditional ticket buyers in Kingston (both NJ and ONT), Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, New York, Belleville, ONT, Batavia, Bridgeport, Scranton, and Hershey. The East Coast corps, as the revenue drivers at the VAST majority of DCA sanctioned contests, deserve an ROI commensurate with their net participation.

This evidence stands up to any scrutiny. Emotional rhetoric and individual "wants" are different than organizational "needs."

And, hard as it may be to admit or accept, DCA Finals in the East can provide the All-age fans a Championship level production without including any of the corps west of the Mississippi. The opposite is simply not true. This certainly gives the East Coast corps the whip hand in any discussion or negotiation regarding Championship locales.

I think the directors of the Renegades and St.Paul take this very fact at face value and recognize it for what it is: part of the structure of the organization they chose to join. It wasn't a secret to them when they made the DCA commitment, so to argue "on their behalf" is to insult their intelligence as if these parameters didn't occur to them.

[MarimbaManiac]

All of those facts are indisputable...

...however, everything is flux, nothing stays the same for too long, especially with enough people pushing for a change. As the other regions become stronger, and more self reliant, change will come. Especially when more of the Midwest/South/Western Corps become strong enough to start creeping up into the top 10. Until then, I'll enjoy a trip every once in a while to the other side of the country.

Will it happen overnight? No.

Will it be a difficult change? Yes.

May it possibly never happen at all? Sure.

However throwing out words like "absolute" and "nonsense" is nothing more than arrogant pontification that I'm ashamed an adult in this activity would have any part of. There are very few absolutes in this world, and drum corps status quo is definitely not one of them.

Edited August 21, 2008 by MarimbaManiac

[pvt_cairns]

Ahh the #### with it. Just please please please put lines in the field lol.