Official DCP G7 Proposal Discussion Thread

[CorpsFan.]

But there *is* no supporting data, and this was put to a vote. Not discussion for further analysis, but an actual vote. I... just don't get it.

Mike

Have you ever seen Hop support any of his ideas with analysis or data?

[BigW]

Why have we been lied to about attendance and the financial state of affairs for DCI?

To be honest, I'm not surprised . . . but the sheer disdain for some of the fan base and for the DCI org itself is pretty amazing to see.

I'm not sure that high school kids are a viable option, since the fan base average age still hovers around 30. There's not much more you can do, short of woodwinds, to make it more hospitable for high school age kids.

I can't see how they're viable, unless you have an incredible amount of ties to HS Marching Bands and cooperative ventures- My guess would be tapping into HS band resources even more than USSBA is currently doing to fuel YEA! to linking even bigger to thus fuel what would be left of DCI.

Perhaps the ultimate goal is to link these corps to some kind of National Marching Band Circuit and use their brands as a "Halo Effect" to draw in the competitors for the fall. The staffs and members of those organizations would be available of course as arrangers, staffs, consultants. Easy complete packages available through them. I don't think I'm out of line here-- I knew there was a direction this was going and I think I may have gotten more of a handle on it now. I think perhaps it's become more clear now as to what certain people have been really angling at for some time. The staffs of these corps and members would then have inside angles at jobs, networking, selling show packages, providing adjudicators, and to top it off, they can be tapping into the money of alll the HS Music Booster organizations who participate to fuel their ( now-called bands) in large part.

The kids are renewable like a short-term crop. They graduate and move on, but hey- here come the fresh 9th graders to harvest.

And I know how I feel about taking money from non-profit organizations to fuel other non-profits. I find it, as the trailer Park Boys would say, "Greasy".

Let's be honest. You have that elite bunch, getting certain opportunities with what would be the 'A' Panels repeatedly reading them, it gives them a quantum advantage over the others- but hey, they're more important, I guess.

Perhaps it might be best to cut loose those who want to go. And like the IRL/CART split over similar issues, I have a feeling that one by one, most of the ones that go will realize how screwed up what they did was, and come back to the fold, lessons learned within 5 years or go under.

If not, let them have fun doing whatever they do in the way they do it since we're obviously not wanted because the current fans such as almost all of us (anyone out of HS) appear to be an impediment and obstacle to certain circles to continued success and growth.

I really can't think of too many successful models that throw away a loyal fanbase in toto like they imply they will and re-grow one from a different demographic, especially young people, people that aren't making any real money unless they're counting on huge subsidies from Instrument Manufacturers/Sponsors and educactional foundations. It would explain the fact they want the war chest- since for the first year, they're likely to have a financial hit. Also, it would cause perhaps more of a backlash then some of them think in the band community that would require an incredible amount of fence-mending in certain circles.

*shrug* And I'm the guy 'out of touch' here? Nope! It all makes more sense now about what the intent is. Do I like it? No, but I now understand what's up, I think.

[BigW]

Have you ever seen Hop support any of his ideas with analysis or data?

No. He usually relies on alternately trying to scare or inspire the reader into giving money.

Edited May 25, 2010 by BigW

[Fran Haring]

Here:

www.guidestar.org

You have to join to see the 990s, but joining is harmless.

Once in, search "drum and bugle corps" and variants to get the whole list.

I found YEA! under a "Youth Education in the Arts" search.

Thanks!

[Fran Haring]

I thought Fran was just giving an example of making something work for a wider audience.

Yes.

[CorpsFan.]

I thought Fran was just giving an example of making something work for a wider audience. Guess I was wrong??

My question was, did it work? If you believe the G7, it didn't, since it didn't increase interest in drum corps.

[Rochester New York]

Exactly. Maybe its time to reexamine some of the changes made the past few years if ticket sales are suffering. And maybe even reexamine the premise that we shouldnt be trying to build an audience through the general public.

How many of these 'high school band kids' leave band after high school, never think about band again, and because of that, leave drum corps behind as well?

Exactly! So many of the changes--including the proposed change to have G7-only shows--have been designed to attract a steady stream of high school band kids, without any thought as to how to BUILD a solid, long-lasting base of support (or to RETAIN the base of support that still hasn't fled yet). If you can't hook the kids enough so that they will come back when they're in their 30s, 40s, and so on, then who's going to pay for those $400 Finals tickets? Who's going to donate $100 at the drop of a hat when a corps is struggling because of high gas prices? Who's going to sponsor a kid to march?

It seems like the lessons learned by other performing arts and athletic groups--orchestras, soccer, etc.--have been completely missed by this myopic group of directors.

[Tom Brace]

Huh? DCI is the corps, and those corps have agreed to leverage their audio/video resources via DCI since 1972.

No, it's not that simple. As CorpsFan pointed out, there is only room for eight or nine corps max in AAA. Doesn't matter how many corps "get better".

Cite your source. We have several different numbers floating around for '09 finals attendance.

1. You are saying that if I buy a t-shirt with Cavies on it from DCI that Cavies get that money minus the $2 for the t-shirt?

2. Corps were not offered an opportunity to earn money last year for signing people up for Fan Network. Two years ago? Yes. DCI sells stuff. The corps sell stuff. What I am reading is DCI produces it and the corps will kickback for the costs. Anything above costs goes to the corps. I didn't see anywhere where there was a limit to just the G7 on this either.

3. My source is DCI Event Operations. I asked a question of them and was told 15,500 and then they asked me not to say anything, but that was a year ago and before Dan's firing...ooops...disagreement with some current DCI Board members.

[Tom Brace]

Roll the G7 proposal back to 1999 when Bluecoats missed Top 12. Think this proposal would have helped them improve to get to where they are? Same for Crown in 2002. Take away 2 nights a week from the calendar, revenue, increase costs, a say in governance, and you just might find that in 2010, we wouldn't have a Bluecoats or a Crown. But "get off your butts and get better" - that'll work.

I get to see the corps I want to see. The others? There's always hot dogs! And souvies. And the warmups in the parking lot. But, I'm the only one who thinks it, right?

[CorpsFan.]

1. You are saying that if I buy a t-shirt with Cavies on it from DCI that Cavies get that money minus the $2 for the t-shirt?

2. Corps were not offered an opportunity to earn money last year for signing people up for Fan Network. Two years ago? Yes. DCI sells stuff. The corps sell stuff. What I am reading is DCI produces it and the corps will kickback for the costs. Anything above costs goes to the corps. I didn't see anywhere where there was a limit to just the G7 on this either.

3. My source is DCI Event Operations. I asked a question of them and was told 15,500 and then they asked me not to say anything, but that was a year ago and before Dan's firing...ooops...disagreement with some current DCI Board members.

1 - yes

2 - True. Profits were paid out through the share system regardless of who generated the revenue. Who has most of the shares and got most of the money? The G7. The Cadets even ran a competing service.

3 - How much did Indy make? Attendance alone doesn't tell the whole story. If Pasedena had high attendence but lost money, but Indy had lower attendnance and made money, which was more successful?