Flyboy1177 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 2003 revolution was in Texas.. San A... That wouldn't be 800 miles from you.Again this brings my point to the for front. People want to march the BIG corps, they are NOT caring about the smaller corps. You might have had more fun and a better experience marching with Revo in 2003..... You're right, San Antonio is closer, but not by much. I considered that; however, Revolution wasn't an option for me. In the end, it boiled down to parental support. It was much easier to convince my parents to let me march with an established corps that had been around for 45 years versus a new corps that had been around for less than 5. Regarding people marching the "BIG" corps: I was obviously talented enough to make the corps, so why wouldn't I shoot for Div. I? It was the next logical progression for me. Its not a horrible thing when someone wants to march at the top level of this activity where they think they can get the most benefit. Just to be clear, I love the smaller corps. They absolutely have their place purpose for being. I became a big supporter of the smaller corps after I marched. I've gone to Div. II/III shows. I even went on to teach an Open Class corps. Because of my experience, I can emphatically state that I would not have had a better experience marching Revolution instead of Blue Knights in 2003. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shostahoosier Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Its not been 10 years YET for me either, although this next one will mark that. And you are right, I actually paid $550 to march....The "National" model is what caused the fees to go up. Each November when I sat in the corps office and saw the proposed tour schedule to put in the "shows we wanted" suggestion list, I always asked "why even do that show, that is really 300 miles out of the way" or better yet, "not going there will save use close to a grand. Now granted a grand isn't alot in the scheme of things, but when you start saving amounts of money like that HERE AND THERE, it really does add up. Another expense was flying staff members all over the country and into rehearsals. Another area I worked hard in to cut the cost of travel was staff travel. We started making a list of what was ACTUALLY necessary, and although we loved the staff to death, having 8 techs and 3 co caption heads at every event (sometimes MORE staff than kids) was crazy. We saved close to $30 grand there..... Scott Stewart did do an AMAZING job at being frugal, but the need for bigger more expensive has ALWAYS been something people do when they see they can make more money. YES REGIONAL touring tours and show schedules make MORE sense (that's how the scouts made their money) from the REGION because people loved and still do those good ole boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think the need to be "seen" and the need to do the "smoke and mirrors" trick give people big egos and they will try and prove to the DCI community that they can do it to. When in the end what they need to prove is they can have a rockin corps, travel all summer (in the region) and do it for under a grand per member. To ME that shows how awesome the organization is. Who cares if the corps from Canto can go to California, that is NOT their recruiting base, and although they may have fans out there, those fans are NOT paying for the cost to come out there, and its cheaper for the fans just to fly out to the midwest to see the corps!!!! I also find it hard to pay a caption head (that doesn't even spend a WHOLE summer with the corps) nearly $31 grand as a salary... REALLY? Just food for thought, all of the years I worked on Drum Corps staff, and did MUCH more than 5-10 other staff, I NEVER made that kind of money and my gig was YEAR ROUND!!! not just for camps and the summer!!!!!!! Regardless I love drum corps still, always will. The cost is just getting crazy and if some people had their way they would charge $10 grand a member to join and then beg for another $5 per member to take care of them.!!!!! I agree with almost everything you say. Too bad it will fall on deaf ears. I know corps is a bargain and that there are probably a lot of parents out there who can afford to pay $2200+airfare for their kids. My parents never paid a dime for my drum corps experience, and I saved ALL of the money I made from my near minimum wage jobs JUST to be able to march...and tour fees were 30%-50% of what they are now (and minimum wage has not increased much from when I aged out). I dont know what my life would be without drum corps as it has helped define me. A lot of kids out there who could really use something like drum corps will probably never be able to experience it these days because of unnecessarily high corps fees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbevillekid26 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I agree with almost everything you say. Too bad it will fall on deaf ears.I know corps is a bargain and that there are probably a lot of parents out there who can afford to pay $2200+airfare for their kids. My parents never paid a dime for my drum corps experience, and I saved ALL of the money I made from my near minimum wage jobs JUST to be able to march...and tour fees were 30%-50% of what they are now (and minimum wage has not increased much from when I aged out). I dont know what my life would be without drum corps as it has helped define me. A lot of kids out there who could really use something like drum corps will probably never be able to experience it these days because of unnecessarily high corps fees. No doubt I agree it's a wonderful experience and I wish it wasn't so expensive but the fees aren't really "unnecessarily high." Definitely high, but it's an expensive world today, not only gas but also food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shostahoosier Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 No doubt I agree it's a wonderful experience and I wish it wasn't so expensive but the fees aren't really "unnecessarily high." Definitely high, but it's an expensive world today, not only gas but also food. I wish you would have read more of this thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlvalet Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Man, when I marched in '92, Bluecoats tour fee was $500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbevillekid26 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I wish you would have read more of this thread I've read the whole thread? I don't really understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbc03 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Corps have different personalities. There is a pretty good chance that the closest corps to you geographically might not be the corps that you fit with the best. My first year I marched the closest D1 corps to me geographically. I wasn't very happy with the experience over all so I decided to triple the distance I was going and march somewhere else and was much happier despite driving 9 hours twice in a weekend once a month. It is nice and easy to sit around saying that people should just march the closest corps to them, but if you aren't at a corps that you fit with you aren't going to be happy and that isn't going to benefit you OR the corps you are with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shostahoosier Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I've read the whole thread? I don't really understand. it was discussed that there are things that corps could do to significantly decrease spending, but that it probably wont happen because of the DCI "arms-race" (i.e. wide-cast touring schedule, too much staff, etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shostahoosier Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Corps have different personalities. There is a pretty good chance that the closest corps to you geographically might not be the corps that you fit with the best.My first year I marched the closest D1 corps to me geographically. I wasn't very happy with the experience over all so I decided to triple the distance I was going and march somewhere else and was much happier despite driving 9 hours twice in a weekend once a month. It is nice and easy to sit around saying that people should just march the closest corps to them, but if you aren't at a corps that you fit with you aren't going to be happy and that isn't going to benefit you OR the corps you are with. You make a really good point. Personally I'm a stickler for supporting local corps, but from personal experience I can also say that my best experience wasnt even with the corps that was closest to me...I had better fits with other corps that were much harder to get to. If you're going to pay the blood, sweat, and fees....I guess it's best to get in where you fit in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbevillekid26 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 it was discussed that there are things that corps could do to significantly decrease spending, but that it probably wont happen because of the DCI "arms-race" (i.e. wide-cast touring schedule, too much staff, etc) I see that but what I was saying is that fees will never be $500 with the cost of gas and food. As for flying in staff do you really want corps to use whoever is closest to design their show as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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