Minneapolis Corps Directors Meeting

[Martin I. Zing]

Now hold on a second, Zing. It may be OK for you to invent worlds in your own mind and describe them to us, but it's not OK to start promoting revisionist history, especially when that history is so recent.

The reason GM is - Voila! - making money again (they're not)

I think we'll have to judge all your answers based on the accuracy of this comment from now on.

GM Reports First Quarter 2010 Results

GM achieves net income of $0.9 billion and EPS of $1.66

2010-05-17

[BOBSMYTH]

...

As for your statement, DCI does compensate the top corps who act as headliners more than other corps, please elaborate on this for me. How does this work?

This info has been posted elsewhere in these threads - here is a summary:

World Class corps get a performance fee for every show they are in. Top 17 receive $2,600 and the rest of the World Class receive $2,150. Helps pay for fuel and food to get them down the road.

Most people think that is it - but performance fees is not all the corps get paid. DCI also pays out a large amount on top of the performance fees that is calculated off of placements from 1972 to the present, heavily weighted toward the recent years. Who do you think gets the largest share of that money? Considering that the formula is based off placements, of course it is going to be the "headliners" - the G7 - by a wide margin.

[Martin I. Zing]

marketing opportunity advantages, competitive scheduling advantages, judging advantages, voting advantages, recruiting advantages, and a whole host of other things . . .

'splain 'em to me in plain English, Pedro

[BRASSO]

'splain 'em to me in plain English, Pedro

nah... not really interested in 'splainin it to you, Marty.

[Martin I. Zing]

This info has been posted elsewhere in these threads - here is a summary:

World Class corps get a performance fee for every show they are in. Top 17 receive $2,600 and the rest of the World Class receive $2,150. Helps pay for fuel and food to get them down the road.

Most people think that is it - but performance fees is not all the corps get paid. DCI also pays out a large amount on top of the performance fees that is calculated off of placements from 1972 to the present, heavily weighted toward the recent years. Who do you think gets the largest share of that money? Considering that the formula is based off placements, of course it is going to be the "headliners" - the G7 - by a wide margin.

What does "large amount" mean in terms of real dollars? When and how often is this paid?

[Martin I. Zing]

nah... not really interested in 'splainin it to you, Marty.

I thought so. Is this because these "advantages" are done with mirrors?

[garfield]

I think we'll have to judge all your answers based on the accuracy of this comment from now on.

GM Reports First Quarter 2010 Results

GM achieves net income of $0.9 billion and EPS of $1.66

2010-05-17

Read the notes, Mr. Zing, read the notes. Basic financial analysis 101 teaches that the notes to the financial statements tell all. You quoting this "headline" number doesn't change the fact that your contention is wrong. Let me ask: Do you think the analyst community values the company's stock using the "headline" number? The answer is: absolutely not, because the headline number is scrubbed down to reflect all the things that went into the headline "earnings".

Again, I'm 27 years in the investment/economic/analyst business, Mr. Zing. Many things I don't know about; this one I do. Your contention that GM is "profitable" is incorrect.

But what of the "bailout" discussion? You haven't answered (or conceded) yet you try to pin me down to a two word statement (that happens to be correct, BTW). Nice try.

If you actually knew anything about corps funding you'd certainly know how correct Brasso is about ancillary financial benefits that corps get, and the "elite" get most of those benefits.

Oh, and shall we judge all of your answers based on this one of yours? For the same reason that General Motors decided not to keep making Oldsmobile and Saturn and Pontiac and Hummer and then all of a sudden they sell off a few other brands and voila! Once again, they are making a profit

Edited August 7, 2010 by garfield

[prodigal bari]

.

and....those corps expenses do not go down, as they still have to travel and feed the kids . and most likely pay for housing

Which begs another question..actually several:

1. What happens to the 'non-profit youth organization' tag that DC depends on in order to keep its costs down..especially with the new taxes on business that our government will be leving starting in '11? (It is an assumption that there is a profit motive by these G7 groups by emperical evidence.) How will they make-up for the loss of perks normally allowed for the 'non-profits'?

2. Will schools willingly allow these new groups to use the 'housing du jour' that DC's depended on for so many decades for their now semi-professional groups?

3. Would any student in their right minds pay 2-3K (or parents shell it out) to volunteer to perform in this new endeavour-especially with the potential change in the type of organization? (Do not discount the lure of competition..just look at pre-season NFL attendance vs. competitive season numbers...)

4. How do these groups in the G7 anticipate bein able to maintain sponsorships, draw crowds, and profit in this economic environment...especially with so many questions as to what conditions will be 12 months from now? (My business background tells me this is a BAD time to start-up a brand-new business..)

Artistic product aside...is this a wise move in terms of raw business sense???? Have we got another example of the artistic and the egotistic running amuck over business and common sense???? IMHO; I think not.

(Not to say that this would not affect DCI corps either...and that there are not any needs to adjust their business/operations model, either...)

Edited August 7, 2010 by prodigal bari

[CrunchyTenor]

Martin, try this analogy about the G-7 and the rest of the WC corps. Your wife (let's call her...oh, I dunno...G-7?), G-7, calls a family meeting one day and tells you all that she's done carrying you all on her back, that's she's the "top act", that she deserves more of the $$$, and also wants to pursue "performance" opportunities outside your house.

She lists these "facts" to support her argument:

1) She is the centerpiece in your family, and she does more work than you do.

2) Your roles (value) in your family are NOT the same.

3) She's critical to your family because she brings in more revenue into your home. Therefore, her opinion is worth more than yours. So, in future family meetings, she'll get two votes to your one, and the kids get nothing.

4) In the meantime, she's taking your checkbook because you have no fiscal sense.

5) You are merely a service center.

6) And, oh, by the way, don't ask her to justify her actions.

7) She'll be "entertaining" other men on Friday and Sunday, but she may show up at home on Saturday if she's in the vicinity. But she'll be home Monday through Thursday for sure.

8) Make no mistake, she'll be running her own show on Friday and Sunday, and all the revenue generated will go into her private account. But she still wants her share from the other 5 days of the week, too.

9) You'll have to get rid of half the kids. The house is overpopulated with "staff". And the remainder have to get their own jobs and fend for themselves. You can assist, but cannot take on the expense of helping them.

10) If you don't like it, she's out of there. She also gets to pick the judge who will hear your divorce case.

Make sense now?

Garry in Vegas

[garfield]

Martin, try this analogy about the G-7 and the rest of the WC corps. Your wife (let's call her...oh, I dunno...G-7?), G-7, calls a family meeting one day and tells you all that she's done carrying you all on her back, that's she's the "top act", that she deserves more of the $$$, and also wants to pursue "performance" opportunities outside your house.

She lists these "facts" to support her argument:

1) She is the centerpiece in your family, and she does more work than you do.

2) Your roles (value) in your family are NOT the same.

3) She's critical to your family because she brings in more revenue into your home. Therefore, her opinion is worth more than yours. So, in future family meetings, she'll get two votes to your one, and the kids get nothing.

4) In the meantime, she's taking your checkbook because you have no fiscal sense.

5) You are merely a service center.

6) And, oh, by the way, don't ask her to justify her actions.

7) She'll be "entertaining" other men on Friday and Sunday, but she may show up at home on Saturday if she's in the vicinity. But she'll be home Monday through Thursday for sure.

8) Make no mistake, she'll be running her own show on Friday and Sunday, and all the revenue generated will go into her private account. But she still wants her share from the other 5 days of the week, too.

9) You'll have to get rid of half the kids. The house is overpopulated with "staff". And the remainder have to get their own jobs and fend for themselves. You can assist, but cannot take on the expense of helping them.

10) If you don't like it, she's out of there. She also gets to pick the judge who will hear your divorce case.

Make sense now?

Garry in Vegas

Oh, this is just brilliant.

What a great analogy.

THAT is the G7, Mr. Zing. Wanna stay married to her?