Official DCP G7 Proposal Discussion Thread

[GMichael1230]

Pat Seidling talked in these terms ten years ago when he was with Regiment. This has been slow brewed coffee. Very strong in flavor and intense to the taste. But, aren't a lot of the people on here kvetching about this the same people who said after last year they would never attend finals again?

1. Drum corps largest audience doesn't post, let alone know about DCP. DCP represents drum corps' wonk central.

2. The "gang of" sees the relevance of DCI as it exists currently with a huge task to remain relevant. The do not see DCI as currently constructed working hard enough to make this happen.

3. Follow the dollar. Every dollar DCI gives Pioneer, Surf, Mandarins, etc., is a dollar SCV, BD, Cadets don't get.

4. Deep down, most fans do not want parody. In some cases, some corps are being rewarded for putting mediocrity on the field.

5. There is no #5.

6. It's just drum corps. As you can see by my lack of recent posts. Drum corps, no longer an obsession for me. DCP was/is becoming a huge waste of my time.

7. In some ways it's just hard to know how to feel about this. I can see how the "gang of" feels. I'm sure it makes sense to them. When I read Mr. Acheson's comments, it's clear there are frictions which have been ratcheting up over the past 10 years. I can't help but think so much of this was triggered by the failure of Indy as a finals location. All of them are to blame for that decision.

8. See number 5.

9. I think DCI as we now it is in need of hospice. See DCM's demise.

10. Gang of seven...keep your friends close and your enemies closer. What you may not realize is this...you just became a niche within a niche within a niche. You are now...SUPER SUMMER BANDS starting next season. I'd love to see your 5 year and 10 year "white paper" plans. I was unimpressed with DCI's from late last year.

A Drum Corps board member offended our entire table at a recent benefit dinner. I had brought friends and had spent time "selling them" on supporting this drum corps. They were easily worth a $1000 a year contribution. I know alumni and other board members, staff and management from this corps. The Board member took the podium with a diconnected rant about why he supports this drum corps and the members who he referred to as "cream of the crop." Then he went on to say there was too much attention paid to "the low hanging fruit." He tried to paint a picture that these high achieving drum corps members were disadvantaged. It's sat in my craw ever since. Ever since. My support of charities will severly alter next year, after my current commitments run their course. I won an auction prize that night of 2 tickets to semis and finals. They were the tour partner tickets corps receive from DCI each year. They're good tickets and I had plans to celebrate my 50th birthday in Indianapolis. There must have been a reason I didn't get the hotel and flight booked yet. Now, I'm wondering why I ever supported this activity to the extent I have.

11. With all that, I just wish it was about the kids. Not the instructors, not the egos...just the connection of the fans and the performers.

12. Why did 4 corps work so hard to get their Open Class corps off the ground this year. Imagine how they must feel.

Out.

This is so sad.

G

[GMichael1230]

Sorry, G. I just don't buy it. These 7 directors probably have easily 100+ combined years of drum corps experience between them. 100+ years of fielding corps, teaching kids, being involved with an activity that I'm sure at times can be thankless and frustrating. You don't stick around that long if you don't care.

What you're asking me to believe is that somewhere over the past year or so, these 7 people, who've devoted the better parts of their lives to this activity, to youth, gathered round together and basically said, "F*** this. Let's doom the activity as we all know it and make some money."

No, its obviously not an overnight thing, and they have better ideas, they are in it for themselves, not the activity and their ideas will siut them the most.

G

[jordsterr]

ok so those 7 and their boards. that means 16 other corps and their boards probably were blindsided

If they were blindsided, they weren't payimng attention. This was discussed on the Field Pass from the January annual meeting.

[kickhaltsforlife]

The first sentence in his post says....

"I've read the proposal. "

I am assuming that is true in what I posted. So far, noone has pointed me at a post where someone else made that claim. Maybe there are others...I just do not recall seeing any.

Oh I thought he just meant that he read the article released by the corps themselves. But if he has read the entire proposal, then he is at an advantage to the rest of us pawns here. Lol.

[chaddyt]

No, its obviously not an overnight thing, and they have better ideas, they are in it for themselves, not the activity and their ideas will siut them the most.

G

What makes you so certain they are in it for themselves? I mean, if all this talk is true, we will have the G7 circuit and DCI completely separate within a few years and both defunct a few years after that.

How is that a win for the G7?

[BRASSO]

4. Deep down, most fans do not want parody.

I don't know about this. Many fans seemed to have liked the Velvet Knights parody at one time, Tom Brace.

Edited May 22, 2010 by BRASSO

[Tom Brace]

I don't know about this. Many fans seemed to have liked the Velvet Knights parody at one time, Tom Brace.

You are correct. Parity. Nice. Too little sleep last night. Too little.

[BRASSO]

Sorry, G. I just don't buy it. These 7 directors probably have easily 100+ combined years of drum corps experience between them. 100+ years of fielding corps, teaching kids, being involved with an activity that I'm sure at times can be thankless and frustrating. You don't stick around that long if you don't care.

What you're asking me to believe is that somewhere over the past year or so, these 7 people, who've devoted the better parts of their lives to this activity, to youth, gathered round together and basically said, "F*** this. Let's doom the activity as we all know it and make some money."

Can we all agree on at least a couple things ?

That if this proposal was so wonderful for the activity ( or even" no big deal" as some are saying ) that the proposal would have passed almost unanimously ?

Can we all likwise agree that if somebody says that they have your best interests at heart, that when they hatch out a scheme for themselves ( which excludes YOU ) that they have the decency to either a) meet with you first to get your feedback, input, ideas, suggestions, before making their proposal or at the very least tell you that in their scheme that you are going to be excluded ?

Can we also agree that to meet behind closed doors, carve out a niche for 7 Corps for more dough and competitive scheduling advantages, etc and tell the others that they are NOT doing this for themselves, but instead for the good of the" sustainabilty " of all the other Corps, that this is simply beyond belief ? And that it takes a lot of stones to try and frame it this way in their Press release ?

Edited May 22, 2010 by BRASSO

[year1buick]

Not sure if anyone else has already posted actual actions yet, so I may be the first. Today I burned (literally) my last G-7 tee shirt (SCV 89 tour shirt), and then cancelled my hotel reservations for three shows that I had planned to go to that had a large number of the G-7 corps participating (Normal, Madison, and Minneapolis). Made reservations for the Metamora, IL show on 7/6 (no G-7's there), and two Open Class shows (DeKalb and Dubuque). I've also made reservations for Labor Day weekend in Rochester, NY .

LMAO. Well that sure showed 'em. I bet Fiedler is typing up a retraction as we speak.

[Lance]

i wouldn't burn the shirts, i would use them as dust rags or to clean up cat puke and then throw them away or something like that.