Think of your favorite corps that no longer exists.

[MikeD]

The overwhelming vast majority of the Corps that folded, folded because they could not sustain the incredibly expensive financial costs associated with running their Corps. We sometimes forget that at one time ( for over 30 years ) Drum Corps traveled in busses, where drums, bugles, flags, were put under the bowels of the bus.... and the 20-40 competitions took place traveling within their state, in addition to perhaps on 2-4 weekends in the summer they'd go out of state ( but within their region ), and perhaps to 1, maybe 2 at most, national touring sites.

Once we added the DCI National Touring Model, and incorporated larger instrumentation, more performers, more staff (some full time ), large props, kitchen trucks, equipment vans, trailers, etc and so forth....and crisscrossed the country going thousands and thousands of miles for almost 2 months.... the costs associated with this competitive endeavor simply became unsustainable for dozens and dozens of once terrific Drum Corps.

Hundreds of corps participated as you describe in the first paragraph...and they folded due to finances and lack of members...nothing to do with DCI National Touring. IMO the increases in touring were a result of the failure of so many corps and shows, NOT the cause.

[supersop]

Hundreds of corps participated as you describe in the first paragraph...and they folded due to finances and lack of members...nothing to do with DCI National Touring. IMO the increases in touring were a result of the failure of so many corps and shows, NOT the cause.

True, yet the corps that folded in mid 80's and 90's were mostly due to financial reasons ...... based on the national touring model. This became worse with the devouring of the regional circuits by DCI. The corps that folded in 70's and early 80's were mostly due to the VFW and Church's pulling back support, lack of involvement from local membership and failing show sites.

[IllianaLancerContra]

Various reasons over various eras...

but generally money or the perceived lack of enough to be competitive (pit required not only the instruments, but another truck (and drivers, plus more instructors). Same again for electronics...

[MikeD]

True, yet the corps that folded in mid 80's and 90's were mostly due to financial reasons ...... based on the national touring model. This became worse with the devouring of the regional circuits by DCI. The corps that folded in 70's and early 80's were mostly due to the VFW and Church's pulling back support, lack of involvement from local membership and failing show sites.

Touring made up a part of most world class corps expenses by the 90's, for sure. There were no alternatives that would give them a full season of shows by then; it's not like they had a choice to do anything else and survive. so I don't blame touring in the sense some here like to do...it was part of the general cost of doing business for those corps. For the smaller corps that continued to fold...and the small circuits that failed, a la GSC, it wasn't DCI devouring them...those circuits just could not provide a season full of shows for their members.

[Liahona]

The overwhelming vast majority of the Corps that folded, folded because they could not sustain the incredibly expensive financial costs associated with running their Corps. We sometimes forget that at one time ( for over 30 years ) Drum Corps traveled in busses, where drums, bugles, flags, were put under the bowels of the bus.... and the 20-40 competitions took place traveling within their state, in addition to perhaps on 2-4 weekends in the summer they'd go out of state ( but within their region ), and perhaps to 1, maybe 2 at most, national touring sites.

Once we added the DCI National Touring Model, and incorporated larger instrumentation, more performers, more staff (some full time ), large props, kitchen trucks, equipment vans, trailers, etc and so forth....and crisscrossed the country going thousands and thousands of miles for almost 2 months.... the costs associated with this competitive endeavor simply became unsustainable for dozens and dozens of once terrific Drum Corps.

It is for this very reason (note aside) that it really annoys me when people BLAME corps for not touring as much as others. TWO that come to mind are The Academy a few years ago and most recently Jersey Surf. Although this is true, has it not been the "collective" that decided on this national touring model versus the regional one in the first place? Can you make inferences that that is truly at the foundation of this national touring model in the first place? I don't have all the answers myself, but I find it hard to disagree with your viewpoint about the different touring models.

[hrnguy500]

I wish the Railmen were still around to represent the "more" of the midwest. I think financial strain was the big reason they folded.

[Liahona]

True, yet the corps that folded in mid 80's and 90's were mostly due to financial reasons ...... based on the national touring model. This became worse with the devouring of the regional circuits by DCI. The corps that folded in 70's and early 80's were mostly due to the VFW and Church's pulling back support, lack of involvement from local membership and failing show sites.

I will go to even earlier than that from what I've read over the years...I will add that in the 1950's schools moved away from music/arts and more toward math and science. School music programs were cut all over the country at that time. At the same time, the war generation was coming into its own. And i believe that is why groups like the VFW, CYO, and the American Legion organized drum and bugle corps.

Then, as the country came back from its panic, bands returned to their former prominence in the schools. At the same time, the WWII generation's kids moved out of high school and into college and then had kids of their own. They were not part of the VFW etc. Those sources of funding dried up, and with them the corps that they sponsored. Drum corps participation thus became more expensive. The oil crisis and better national tours also increased the cost of marching and caused many of the corps to fold.