ilikedrumcorps Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I'm sorry, But you don't realize how much 1,000,000 is. There last 2 seasons couldn't have cost more than 1 million Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 $1 million is a lot of money in terms of a corps budget. Blue Stars when I was marching had budgets of around $250,000, except 2003 when they cut it down to about $175,000. I'd say a million is about right for a full size corps' budget doing a full tour, but I'd have to see what all their expenses were. At least there is some oversight on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhs alumni Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 let me rephrase my statement to reflect what i meant: the quote from the article mentions "Charities that raise more than $1 million in annual revenue." well first off non-profits are not necessarily charities, but let's discuss the statement. first off it doesn't actually say the Spartans raise more than $1 million annually but even if so, one has to assume a large amount comes from the bingo. either way, that money is income...it says nothing about how much money the corps has to spend each year. there are paid-outs at every bingo session that lowers the amount in to the corps, there are DCI fees plus the expenses of putting on a show (licensing, music, drill design, other fees). next you have housing, transportation, food, staff costs, uniform/instrument/guard uni & equpiment fees. plus the costs of any bills from the corps hall and back monies owed to creditors. taking all that into account, plus the cost of running a bus service (apparently at a loss)...again i say, $1 million isn't that much as pure income when you factor in the costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CasualFan Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) According to their 2007 990, Spartans had gross receipts of almost $3 million, with revenue at $1.4 million, and program (drum corps) expenses of just over $1 million. They also had net assets of $1.3 million. In FY 2007 (10/1/06 - 09/30/07) bingo only provided $180,000 in net revenue (after $1.2 million in expenses is deducted). Also $395,000 of the revenue came from the sale of a building. Edited January 15, 2009 by CasualFan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishbonecav Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 RE: Nashua's predicament... Sensationalism in journalism is nothing new and usually preys on the opinions of the uninitiated. I have seen several opinions and want to stem the tide before there is a feeding frenzy. Here's an opinion (and a directive) from the "initiated" (me): The Spartans organization deserves the benefit of the doubt in this conversation. Even if you think the LaFlamme's are SOB's (they aren't) or idiosyncratic on a personal level (aren't we all?), their contribution over 50 YEARS means they have earned the benefit of the doubt...if not from their creditors, than CERTAINLY from within the drum corps community. The Spartans have enough to deal with in this situation. Please (please) provide them with the "support" of this community that is VOID of uninformed supposition and innuendo. If you are curious, public record will provide you the specifics. That information should be reviewed FIRST so that, should you care to offer an opinion, you are certain to have a full set of information. THIS WILL NOT BE THE LAST DOMINO IN DRUM CORPS. 2009 looks very discouraging. We, as a community, cannot armchair quarterback and assume the worst of the organizations when many of the factors that describe the difficulty in financial solvency are BEYOND THEIR CONTROL. It's ugly out there, gang. Insurers, lines of credit, capital markets, recreational (discretionary) spending..all of these affect drum corps on a foundational level; that foundation is teetering. We have to be prepared, as a community, to circle the wagons and protect our activity. That means PROTECTING our collective reputation at all costs. That means PROTECTING the Spartans...at the very least in terms of public opinion and rhetoric. WHY IS IT THAT WE ARE QUICK TO JUDGE OUR BROTHERS, BUT NOT SO QUICK TO OFFER A HELPING HAND?? Let's wait for the organization to reach out to us...and prepare ahead of time to reach back (with a donation of time or money or both). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSGreen Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Thank you for your post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spnbvisguy Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 so nice to hear.. to bad the leadership of the corps did not have those values over the past few years and implement a plan to reach their hand out to the people who wanted to help and get to the bottom of the financial mess. No sympathy here for a person who ruined a great drum corps because of self fulfillment and self gratification. Feel bad for the history of the corps, its past great staff and its past drivers and support staff absolutely YES.... but don let the lies and deception of the leadership blind any one from the truth. The truth is something the Spartans lost when their members and employees walked out the door because of the deception of the leader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilikedrumcorps Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 so nice to hear.. to bad the leadership of the corps did not have those values over the past few years and implement a plan to reach their hand out to the people who wanted to help and get to the bottom of the financial mess. No sympathy here for a person who ruined a great drum corps because of self fulfillment and self gratification. Feel bad for the history of the corps, its past great staff and its past drivers and support staff absolutely YES.... but don let the lies and deception of the leadership blind any one from the truth. The truth is something the Spartans lost when their members and employees walked out the door because of the deception of the leader. I couldn't agree more. I will not support Spartans as long as Peter Lafalamme is in charge. I do not trust him with any support (finical or otherwise) i have to offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) From the father... "It's very common for boards to be dysfunctional," LaFlamme said. He added that it was the minority of the board that wanted to do things differently that "fouled everything up." From the son..... "In court documents, LaFlamme Jr. said he was one of the three members of the board that had requested reviews of the organization's finances, but who were overruled by the majority." Wow... Way the article is written sounds like the two LaFlammes are at opposite ends of running the organization (with Jr in the monority). If I was a creditor or thinking of dealing with the corps financially I'd think twice after reading that reviewing the finances was overruled. Would love to hear the reason WHY it was over ruled. Hate to say it but a scary sign.... Edit: Re-read and saw the "could not afford a CPA" line. Oh ####, wonder HOW the books were kept. And this is from a person who wants the corps to continue. Hey Bawker, did you know moving a thread screws up a person trying to edit a post. Edited January 15, 2009 by JimF-3rdBari Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bawker Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 . . .all of the Spartans discussion has been consolidated into one thread for easier topic navigation and debate. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts