Minneapolis Corps Directors Meeting

[BRASSO]

interesting...

Everything is speculation here as to why the G-7 Corps Directors did not see fit to attend their organization's regularly scheduled meeting as they were expected too. The undestanding from public reports was that the G-7 was going to provide more details in Minneapolis this weekend on their proposal after meeting further behind closed doors by themselves over the last month. If they were on the same page... on anything... they would have attended the Minneapolis meeting with a status update report of SOME kind.

I think... pure speculation here.... that there could be some division within the G-7 itself, and they agreed to meet further to discuss their divisions, before providing a united front to the rest of DCI. If they were united before Minneapolis, they'd have no reason not to go that meeting, it seems to me. But if they were divided over some things, it would seem to me that they'd at least agree among themselves not to go to the Minneapois DCI meeting as a divided goup, but agree to try and work out the differences over the next several weeks, months, before going back to DCI with their proposal, or giving up the quest entirely..... then again, I suppose the G-7 could have already decided to cross the Rubicon and they've agreed they have a well thought out plan they all agreed upon in their recent closed door meetings, and they are simply waiting to the end of the season to announce they are all leaving. But I think it's more likely the former, not the latter. I don't think they have a plan with sufficient financials,sponsors, et lined up this quickly to satisfy all the G-7 Corps Directors. My guess, there may be cracks in the G-7 as a group,and that's why they didn't go to the meeting. But maybe somebody will give us some more updates soon enough that might give us all some more insights.

Edited July 19, 2010 by BRASSO

[BRASSO]

I think overall, this is a great thing for drum corps. I may even dust off my old business plan and start talking to some folks at DCI after the season is over about starting up a new corps (finally).

With the new DCI Board of Directors installed, I know for a fact that you are not the only former active member, arranger, former Corps staffer, etc that are entertaining the thought of once again returning to Drum Corps again. There is a LOT of talent out there on the sidelines that had no interest whatsever in working a DCI Corps anymore.

That enviroment may have changed from talking with some folks I know, supersop.

[supersop]

With the new DCI Board of Directors installed, I know for a fact that you are not the only former active member, arranger, former Corps staffer, etc that are entertaining the thought of once again returning to Drum Corps again. There is a LOT of talent out there on the sidelines that had no interest whatsever in working a DCI Corps anymore.

That enviroment may have changed from talking with some folks I know, supersop.

Thanks for the kind words Brasso. I just hope others see this as an opportunity and lobby for more information with growth as the lead in topic of discussion with non G7 corps directors.

[ajwdad]

What Happened? Nothing happened. The G7 were no shows.

According to my sources:

the meeting was officially a DCI Board meeting. Voting members frequently attend these meetings.

In this specific meeting, with most World Class corps in the area due to the show at the U of Minnesota, you might expect the directors from almost all WC corps to be there.

One might expect the G7 (or at least one or two directors representing the G7) to be there considering that they were specifically asked to be. Remember, the reaction of the old Board (which included 4 G7 members) when they heard the May proposal was to specifically ask for more details at this July meeting.

Instead:

From the G7 - only one corps director (Cavaliers) was in attendance - but he was only there representing his corps.

There was no G7 proposal clarification. There was no new replacement proposal.

Maybe they haven't figured out all those missing details.

Maybe its part of a larger strategy.

Maybe they're trying to make a statement (though it would be hard to know what that statement is if they don't tell anybody).

Maybe they've already "checked out".

Maybe they realize that they have painted themselves into a corner.

Maybe this is a delaying action.

Maybe this was an attempt at G7 solidarity.

Maybe there are cracks in the G7 solidarity and they can't agree on what to do next.

Draw your own conclusions.

There is nothing to conclude. You can speculate all you wish, but without data, conclusions rarely are correct.

[audiodb]

There is nothing to conclude.

Disagree....there are several conclusions that can be drawn now. The most important and obvious one is that the G7* are working in opposition to DCI.

(* - The Cavaliers did at least attend the meeting, so perhaps some of this doesn't apply to them. Maybe I should call them the "G6.5".)

Let's try to remember that DCI approved a business plan back in September of 2009. Have the G7 done their part to support this business plan? No. In fact, ever since January, they have withdrawn increasingly from their DCI responsibilities, holding secret meetings where their leadership and their BODs have spent their time developing other plans instead of (and in conflict with) the DCI business plan. G7 directors have resigned from the DCI working BOD. And now, after all their rhetoric about how these super-duper Cirque du NASCAR shows are so important and DCI must implement them in 2011 or the sky will fall....the G7 don't even show up at the meeting where they were supposed to present the details.

Last we heard from the G7 movement was "these new events need to occur; we will act as necessary to enable a change" (G7 proposal, p. 48), and that "efforts to develop the proposal’s new touring model will continue through the summer with the hope that events and future plans can be announced in September 2010 for the summer of 2011" (G7 press release). If we are to take the G7 at their word, then the only possible conclusion is that they are indeed making preparations for their 2011 events....outside of DCI.

[bass5]

If we are to take the G7 at their word, then the only possible conclusion is that they are indeed making preparations for their 2011 events....outside of DCI.

All I can say to to G7 cartel is "good-bye, good riddance and don't let the door hit you in the ###".

[Grumpy]

(* - The Cavaliers did at least attend the meeting, so perhaps some of this doesn't apply to them. Maybe I should call them the "G6.5".)

Just an observation, but it doesn't seem that the Cavies have really been "on board" with this from the get-go; my perception is that they lent their name to it, but are taking kind of a wait-and-see approach. Unless they are blind, they certainly "have seen" and it wouldn't surprise me that if this "G7" debacle continues after Finals, we will see the movement known as "G6" (maybe less-not convinced that some of the others are going to follow Hop and Gibbs after seeing the early consequences). If they actually decide to split, I cannot see more than 4 or at the absolute most 5 actually going through with it. Perhaps, as been speculated previously in this thread, that's exactly what happened-and the 4 or 5 that really DO want to go, realize that what was a poorly thought out plan with 7 would never work with only 4 or 5; so they just decided to pull a no show in MN and will hope that by season end, this will all quietly go away and they will go back to trying to undermine DCI some other way (under this scenario, a woodwinds proposal by Hop would be so certain that even Las Vegas would refuse to accept bets on it).

Something that popped into my head that I don't recall seeing previously, but if BD and SCV "A" corps left, it wouldn't surprise me to see BD "B" and SCV Cadets move to WC-so in effect, those two organizations wouldn't really be "leaving". Certainly leaves me wondering....

[mobrien]

All I can say to to G7 cartel is "good-bye, good riddance and don't let the door hit you in the ###".

Were the G7 out of DCI this year, Finals would be missing each and every one of the corps projected to take the top 5 spots, and 2 of the 4 who are currently sitting in the 6th-9th spots. All but two or three corps who currently competing in World Class would be making finals, if they stayed with a 12-corps lineup.

Would that be enough to justify three nights of competition in a major venue? What, you lose one corps from Quarters to Semis, then one more from Semis to Finals?

I wasn't a fan of most elements of the G7 proposal, but I think there's a danger of cutting off the nose to spite drum corps' face if everyone else takes a "good riddance" approach. Were I an investor or sponsor looking to put my money on either an independent G7 enterprise, or a DCI sans 7 of the 12 strongest players, I'd put money on the G7 to draw more spectators. They are showing again this year that they know how to play this game a little better than almost everyone else, and if you look at the discussion boards here on DCP, you see a disproportionate amount of the discussion has to do with the competition among them for number one in Indy.

I suspect that Brasso is correct ; that they didn't show because they haven't yet come up with a response to the request for more detail. I also think it's correct to read Cavaliers attendance as indicating "wait and see" on their part (Don Warren is no longer Board President, but is still a regular presence around the corps - it's not likely he wants to see DCI take a hit because of anything his corps did).

FWIW, I'm not sure that they couldn't get together their own "super shows" next year even without DCI's permission, simply by going ahead and creating the events and getting them in the calendar. The last few years shows that DCI has no reason or interest in keeping show sponsors from coming up with their own formats, as long as the corps are willing to engage, and the proposal called for the 7 to produce their 'super' events out of their own pockets. It's always possible that they're simply looking at it from this angle, and thinking that there's no reason why this has to be a Board-level decision.

[audiodb]

FWIW, I'm not sure that they couldn't get together their own "super shows" next year even without DCI's permission, simply by going ahead and creating the events and getting them in the calendar. The last few years shows that DCI has no reason or interest in keeping show sponsors from coming up with their own formats, as long as the corps are willing to engage, and the proposal called for the 7 to produce their 'super' events out of their own pockets. It's always possible that they're simply looking at it from this angle, and thinking that there's no reason why this has to be a Board-level decision.

Yes....like I said, it would appear that they are preparing to do these events outside of DCI. It is entirely possible that they would still want to do DCI events on the other days.

[mobrien]

Yes....like I said, it would appear that they are preparing to do these events outside of DCI. It is entirely possible that they would still want to do DCI events on the other days.

That's what they were proposing in the first place, so it'd make sense.