Year-round drum corps...

[silvertrombone]

So we have auditions in November, camps monthly until May then move-in's and tour June through mid-August. 400, 600, 700, etc show up at "THOSE" corps seeking a hallowed spot in the elite "pick a number" corps. So here's a thought...give me some meaningful thoughts--I know there are several of you who are pretty thoughtful, intelligent folks and decent posters for such brainstorms.

Say we had the existing schedule but also accept applications of select corps (select by meaning certain operational and financial criteria, not select by championships, summer placement, etc.) to have parallel schedules with additional tours in, say, Feb-April and Sept-Nov?

Labor Day (+/-) auditions, camps monthly, move-in's and tour from Feb-April or March-May.

Presidents' Day auditions (Feb +/-), camps monthly, move-in's and tour from Sept-Nov.

Members offered spots in ONLY one season. Summer is main under-21 season. Fall or spring season with age-out's (say 21-24 eligible?), and a second 'junior' season from Feb-April.

Here's the basic idea...accounting, really. Capital expenses are basically covered with existing summer operations/tour. Food trailer, equipment truck, etc. Maybe have to have second line of instruments due to increased need for instruments with now, effectively, 3 corps each, but you've already got a creative, administrative and volunteer staff more or less. A schedule may be worked out such that staff can split time between normal tour and audition/rehearsal camps during any particular rehearsal camp. But by capital expenses being covered, the opportunity exists to simply add more performances/tours/ revenue.

Revenue is what DC needs so deperately now as an activity. And it is an activity with a product, an audience and demand. Demand like for the NFL? No, of course not. 3 x's the number of tours = 3 x's the number of shows = 3 x's the amount of revenue from appearance fees. Plus, we get to see "THAT" corps more often. And it gives people who have aged out the opportunity to participate in DC today.

Thoughts? Many details to consider, I know. But an interesting concept that could be deployed very quickly, actually.

[field_ninja]

Money is the largest problem with that idea. Most corps use the off season to earn money so that they can afford to go on tour during the summer. A typical drum corps touring budget is close to $1 million, and most of that money comes from donations, fundraising, or activities that make their money during the fall/winter/spring. If you had three tours that would almost triple the cost of touring without give them any time to raise those funds. The real problem isn't DCI's funding, but the funding of the individual corps, gas and food are monstrous costs and in no way does performing shows even come close to offsetting that.

Also, it would be very hard to come up with enough staff and members to march during the school year. Almost all the staff members that I know either have jobs in public education or have good paying marching band gigs. The money that drum corps can offer doesn't compete. You would also eliminate anyone in high school or college from marching, which are pretty much the only two places marching members come from.

It may be possible to work a DCA like schedule up with rehearsals and shows only on the weekends. However, the DCA season is much longer than the DCI season, more like 5 or 6 months from when weekly rehearsals start to finals. Putting a quality drum corps show together with only 3 months from auditions to finals would be almost impossible without rehearsing every day. Especially if you aren't giving the design staffs any time at all to get together show concepts, music arrangements and drill written between tours.

Edited August 30, 2008 by field_ninja

[hrnguy500]

Sorry but this is an impossible dream.

Its hard enough for some corps to even march one tour because of $$$$. Yeah having another season would give more exposure to the programs and give more people a chance to march but honestly DCI has a hard enough time filling seats for the summer as it is. Plus at lot of marchers are music majors or involved with music in college. They have responsiblities at school. A lot are in marching bands at school....most would not go for an off season tour. Yeah you mentioned increasing the age out to 24, but still you'd be hard pressed to find enough people.

And even though it isn't as popular, a lot of kids are in WGI so you would either miss out on that talent or take away from that activity.

Also, if I read correctly, you couldn't have shows north of the "Mason-Dixon" line until very late March/early April. A lot of DC states are still under snow in March. Maybe not every year there is snow but weather is too unpredictable in the winter. Shows would have to be restricted to the Southern states or indoor shows.

DCI has its own season. Summer. I look forward to it every year.

[Penguin]

Given the increasing costs and decreasing interest in our activity, I would more easily foresee a diminishing schedule than an expanding one.

[Jared_mello]

a lot of people like....ummmm...."do stuff" during your suggested tour months. are we (members) getting paid to take part in this new version of drum corps?

[Eddie]

High school programs have grown leaps and bounds over the past couple of decades to the point where most (if not all) time outside school is devoted to rehearsals.

Winter programs are gaining ground as an economical alternative for percussion and guard programs.

DCI works with both BOA and USSBA, as well as WGI and don't see them wanting to interfere with any of these organizations' programs.

However, there is a new circuit forming in the Midwest called SDCA that would provide a likely alternative to what drum corps there isn't during the off season... seeing how that turns out.

[lindap]

SDCA

http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/content/view/2934/28/

The logistics are good for us. I asked school principals that have bands and they said no to summer travel, however, gym space is free here if we support the community. Cheerleading is big here in Alberta and the bands are good but don't march (yet). Since our distance is far, a SDCA initiative for a few groups might help stimulate competition in our region...there's been no drum corps here for years but alot of drum corps people are still here...that gym thing might be right for us.

[jstdrumn]

In addition to the entire logistical nightmare posted here - Unless your product is the latest “diet craze,” which Drum Corps is not. (it has long term market stability) Over saturation will eventually drive your customers away because the product is TOO accessible – marketing 101. People breakout the dough to see corps in the summer (also when customers have more time to travel to shows, put money aside for tickets, etc) You would eventually be playing to empty stadiums.

Just my thoughts….

[cowtown]

so does staff get paid 3 times?

I don't know, WGI seems to fill the winter months if one should chose, why not add brass to that, if there is a need?

I don't think there are ages limits in certain guard classes for wgi (true, untrue, anyone?)

drum corps need the off season to regroup and get ready for the season, not that much downtime for much of the staff, management

drum corps is a sign of summer to me, I kind of like it that way too...you know after baseball's opening day, comes roller coasters opening and press day, which leads into the beaches opening here and that rolls into gospel fest, blues fest than drum corps opening day

so I'm cool as a summer time only thing don't know if I'd do the winter thing....round here we get fat and hide in our houses during the dark days of winter

[bawker]

Thoughts? Many details to consider, I know. But an interesting concept that could be deployed very quickly, actually.

More feasible idea:

World class mini corps during the off-season of the year (let's say December-March), time permitting for more local members. To tweak that even further . . .have people who don't make the field corps and who are local to the area as the majority of members of the the mini-corps to keep them involved.

Have a mini-Crown available for select events in the Charlotte area, a mini-Cavaliers for Chicago . . .create something similar to what BD has done with BD Entertainment. Use that small performing group for local goodwill and as a way of creating an identity within the community, rather than trying to create some sort of national presence.

Have a little fun; get all the mini-groups to record some tracks for DCI.org, sell the CD in the off-season and make a little more money for the corps involved.

Then, hold a "championship": post videos of all the performances on Fan Network/dci.org, and have people vote for their favorite group. Another way to involve the fan, and another way of reinforcing the DCI brand in those long months of the off-season.