kusankusho Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) Sorry to revive an old thread but I've been thinking about this and I'm getting concerned for the future of OC (open class, not Oregon Crusaders! ). So it looks like that majority of OC corps have 9 - 10 maybe 12 shows this season? What are those corps charging as dues? The reason I'm asking is that your average DCA corps has around 10 shows per season and charges around $300. I'm thinking most OC corps are up around $800 - $1,000?. How are OC corps going to establish "value for money" charging between 2X and 3X (or more) for the same number of performances in a season? Add to this the fact that DCA is weekend only so the members can hold down a job in the summer. If the number of potential appearances doesn't go up it may well happen that kids find DCA corps a more econimically viable alternative and OC could be in trouble. Edited July 18, 2009 by kusankusho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicdirect Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 IMO - DCI should make the Open division a D-league for smaller drum corps and they should allow those drum corps currently in Open class that are 100 members or larger, that can afford to tour as they have been to become World Class. This would bring the current World corps numbers to about 28 or 30 bringing back Top 21, Top 17 and Top 12. These "new" World class corps can tour as they have been much like Jersey Surf still does and make much more money to travel the same miles they have been traveling during the past few years in Open Class getting peanuts for pay! JVN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted July 19, 2009 Author Share Posted July 19, 2009 (edited) Do you feel then that it was a mistake to merge Div 2 and Div 3 into "Open Class"? It seems like a rework of Div 3 might have fit the bill for what you are suggesting. Other than a more spiffy name, I was never clear on how OC benefitted the corps. Edited July 19, 2009 by kusankusho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 merging the two divisions into one class allows the corps to market themselves as a single unit, a class that is "open" to any and all corps wishing to participate in DCI competition (certain restrictions apply, of course), instead of looking like a B and C class group of corps, per se. I think that if ever an A class was to emerge again, I would hope that it is strictly regional and used either as a base to allow "community" corps (or smaller corps... lower income corps... whatever) to get their feet wet and develop into a solid foundation, or as a means of encouraging more corps to participate without the pressure of having to do a national tour... but that's just me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicdirect Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 NO - Keep the Open Division but allow those that can be considered World Class to compete in World Class making more corps available to the World Class and changing finals week back to the old format and pay rate for each World group the following year plus other payout benefits that are currently applied. Tweaking the mandated "YOU MUST TOUR AND BE AT THESE REGIONALS" and simply allowing all World Class corps to participate and travel based on what they can afford without going broke and folding is key! The only impact not doing full tours as a World CLass unit will have on each of those units is when they do meet up head to head. Corps that do a full tour will have that experience from the performance and judging community already. But I don't think most will care about that as long as they can provide a great affordable experience for the members that keeps that corps financially healthy and a good product they will be happy with whatever placement they earn. The show sponsor will be happy and fans will be happy. The smaller corps and corps that are building organizations to be able to support larger tours understand this and would not be upset as long as DCI leaves a few slots as they do now for them to compete at all shows but not World Regionals. Again this will increase the World corps numbers to about 30 and reduce the Open number to about 14 to 16 however, this will give opportunity for new growth in Open Class with it being affordable and now much more competitive unit to unit making it exciting for each corps and its members. IMO - JVN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 Interesting ideas. I'd be all in for anything that promoted local, weekend only drum corps again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumCorpsMom Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I dream of the day that there will once again be enough small corps to set up Regional Circuits that would entail numerous shows, but within a specific Region - Shades of DCM, ODCA, FAMQ, DCE, DCW. Smaller corps could opt to compete locally for a few years until they were ready, both financially and experience-wise to travel. Unfortunately today corps have to travel to compete - and with the cost of gas, there is no way they can do it cheaply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATXguard Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 So it looks like that majority of OC corps have 9 - 10 maybe 12 shows this season? What are those corps charging as dues? The reason I'm asking is that your average DCA corps has around 10 shows per season and charges around $300. I'm thinking most OC corps are up around $800 - $1,000?. How are OC corps going to establish "value for money" charging between 2X and 3X (or more) for the same number of performances in a season? The Corps I know of in TX charge about the following amounts: DCI Corps World Class: $2800 member dues Open Class corps A: $1800 member dues Open Class corps B: $1600 member dues DCA Corps Corps A: $600 dues Corps B: $600 dues Corps C: $500 dues If they pass DCI evaluation the TX DCA corps might see up to 5 competitions during the season. Without that, they get 1 or 2 DCA shows unless they travel to Minnesota, Atlanta, Nashville. This year TX had no DCA-approved shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 (edited) I dream of the day that there will once again be enough small corps to set up Regional Circuits that would entail numerous shows, but within a specific Region - Shades of DCM, ODCA, FAMQ, DCE, DCW. Smaller corps could opt to compete locally for a few years until they were ready, both financially and experience-wise to travel. Unfortunately today corps have to travel to compete - and with the cost of gas, there is no way they can do it cheaply. I'm with you on this one Cathy. DCI should bring back the regional shows for the smaller corps and let them tour the way that best befits (?) their finances. If they want to go to FINALS WEEK and they can afford let them. Letting the smaller corps do the regional circuts will not only give them a chance to get ready for the next step but give the kids a chance to get the feel of what drum corps is all about. DCI should be paying all the corps to go to shows and not only paying the World Class. DCI should also be helping promote these corps and the shows. Why do only the world class corps get paid for doing the same thing as the OPEN Class corps ? I'm done now !! Edited July 20, 2009 by Walter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 The Corps I know of in TX charge about the following amounts:snipped for space-saving... Without that, they get 1 or 2 DCA shows unless they travel to Minnesota, Atlanta, Nashville. This year TX had no DCA-approved shows. Thanks for that - my numbers and assumptions may be skewed a little by the fact that my (recent) DCA experience was with Rochester Crusaders for far to short a time. I imagine things are different for the mid-west and Cali corps as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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