The World Series of Drum Corps

[ajwdad]

Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the World Series of Drum Corps is to bring together the best Drum and Bugle Corps performers in the World several times each year to showcase a new concept in audience interactive, fast paced, musical entertainment. The Series will combine elements of a broad range of performance arts with traditional, competitive drum corps in a season long, outdoor points championship at the highest level. The World Series of Drum Corps events will create additional visibility and year long audience appeal to compliment the traditional Drum Corps schedule, bringing new excitement to traditional audiences while attracting new audiences from other idioms.

By making this series more relevant to outside audiences and a larger universe of potential participants, the organizations participating in the World Series of Drum Corps will leverage the Series’ appeal to broaden and, indeed finance, their collaborations with, and support of, scholastic and community youth music programs. We believe that these active collaborations are vital to maintaining the pipeline of performers for all drum corps, as well as developing our audiences of the future.

The participants of the World Series of Drum Corps feel today that it is important to design and implement the series independently of the encumbrances of other organizations, although we do feel that it is important to maintain our cooperative relationships both within the established drum corps community and externally. While we pursue our unique mission we expect to continue to participate in and support the missions of other organizations in the drum corps activity, including DCI, to the best of our ability and to the benefit of all of the young people who participate, or hope to participate, in the activity.

The Series

A 9 Show series is proposed for the 2011 season, with shows planned on 3 Sundays, 3 Fridays and 3 weekdays. The schedule assumes that all corps will continue to participate in the DCI Tour including the Friday / Saturday focus shows and the DCI Championships which produce the vast majority of the income that DCI shares with all corps. The shows are also scheduled so as to not interfere or compete for audience or income with corps sponsored shows on the DCI schedule. Shows are planned and are being finalized in the following locations.

Thursday, June 16, 2011 San Antonio, TX

Friday, June 17, 2011 Dallas/Denton, TX

Sunday, July 11, 2011 Omaha, NE

Monday, July 18, 2011 Dekalb, IL

Friday, July 22, 2011 Austin, TX

Friday, July 29, 2011 Murfreesboro, TN

Sunday, July 31, 2011 Charlotte, NC

Wednesday, Aug 3, 2011 Akron, OH

Sunday, Aug 7, 2011 Annapolis, MD

Qualifications of Corps for Inclusion

Although the initial 7 corps (Blue Devils, Santa Clara Vanguard, Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment, Bluecoats, Cadets, Carolina Crown) will participate in this initiative based on a proven record of consistent performance and organizational excellence in recent years, a system was devised to allow additional corps to qualify for inclusion by performing at top 7 or better DCI position over a period of two consecutive years. Corps could also be disqualified from participation if those performance standards dropped below those levels over a three consecutive year period. Essentially, the system is designed to build these events exclusively around the very top levels of performer, performance and design.

The Future

The presenting corps of The World Series of Drum Corps – Blue Devils, Cadets, Cavaliers, Carolina Crown, Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment and Bluecoats – continue to plan for the Series for the 2011 season. We are planning the Series as an independent subset of the drum corps community. It is our hope that we can cooperate with Drum Corps International <line garbled> and does not interfere with our or other organizations participation in the DCI tour (other than these event dates). At the same time, we are determined to bring our unique and exciting new concept to fruition in the 2011 season.

Organizational Capabilities and Experience

Event Management Capabilities

The seven participating organizations have significant experience and expertise in managing, promoting and operating performance events. In the aggregate, the 7 organizations have operated over 200 pageantry events in 19 states over the past 12 months, including:

World Class Drum Corps Shows – Outdoor

Open and other Class Drum Corps Shows – Outdoor

High School Marching Band Competitions – Outdoor

Winter Guard and Percussion Competitions – Outdoor

Professional and Corporate Performance Events – Indoor and Outdoor

Performance and Design Capabilities

In addition to highly successful World Class Drum and Bugle Corps, these organizations also operate World Class quality, highly successful programs, both independently and in collaboration with organizations in this group, including:

Open Class Drum and Bugle Corps

World Class Indoor Guards

World Class Indoor Percussion Ensembles

Professional and Corporate Performance Ensembles

Dance Ensembles (Traditional, Modern, Hip-Hop)

Youth Drumlines

Marching Band, Percussion, Brass and Leadership Camps and Clinics

Wind Ensembles

High School Marching Band Organizations

Professional Support Organizations for Music Educators

Marketing capabilities

A review of the 7 organizations access to the universe of marching music enthusiasts is remarkable. In the aggregate, we have over 155,000 facebook friends, more than double that of DCI. We also own over 180,000 mail or e-mail contacts in our combined databases and record in excess of 3 Million Unique website visits annually.

Several of our organizations have significant expertise and experience on staff, including former advertising and publishing executives. All of the organizations have some experience and have demonstrated success in local market and pageantry event marketing.

It is fair to say that, when aggregated, this confederation of organizations has unprecedented access to the target market.

Leveraging our Unique Capabilities

We have been highly successful in Merchandising, both traditional and online, as well as in developing new products and product lines for sale to our fans, students and music educators. The vast majority – estimated to be far in excess of 60% - of all drum corps souvenir merchandise sold in the US, and a considerable portion of such merchandise sold Internationally is created and sold by these 7 organizations.

Our ranks also include a comprehensive ticketing and fulfillment service, as well as organizations with experience and expertise in managing large scale events, adjudication systems, customer service, music education advocacy, development, finance and logistics. Although the supporting organization are of different sizes, each of the 7 organizations brings a different and valuable set of skills and capabilities to the table.

Individually, we have significant relationships with major sponsors, equipment, uniform and instrument suppliers, media partners, music publishers and other “Influentials” which can be brought to bear to the benefit of the World Series of Drum Corps.

Finally, these 7 organizations <garbled> corps; and enjoy the performances of all, it is the “headliners” who drive ticket sales. One need only watch attendance figures for a short time to see the positive correlation between the quality and number of the “top” corps in a show and gross income from ticket sales.

Jeff,

Great data,

thanks!

[rfrancis]

I haven't read through this entire thread so this may already be mentioned, but one not need look far from DCI home in downtown Indy to find something similar in history - just a different sport - motor sports.

In 1996 CART and the Indy Racing League (IRL) split into separate organizations because of different visions for the future of the sport, the costs, etc. As a result both organizations stumbled along for several years, the fan base dropped to almost non-existent (not including the Indy 500 which is packed due to the historical nature of the event), and ultimately CART was absorbed by the once up-start IRL in 2008.

There is no way that this "World Series" proposal ends well for anybody - the fan base can't support it.

I did wee a poster say that nobody cares about the first XX number of corps. Well, I for one do. And do the G7 realize all of the factors that go into the seats being full when they perform? Do they realize just how many of the people watching them perform are members, family members, and staff from the rest of the corps that performed that night? Or in the case of championships earlier in the week? There are a lot of members, fans, and staff from those Open Class corps, and the 8th thru 22nd World Class corps that won't be there watching them.

I marched a division II corp back in the late 80's and 'coats in '90, and I must say as a member I think the structure back then was better than what they are proposing.

[Peel Paint]

I haven't read through this entire thread so this may already be mentioned, but one not need look far from DCI home in downtown Indy to find something similar in history - just a different sport - motor sports.

In 1996 CART and the Indy Racing League (IRL) split into separate organizations because of different visions for the future of the sport, the costs, etc. As a result both organizations stumbled along for several years, the fan base dropped to almost non-existent (not including the Indy 500 which is packed due to the historical nature of the event), and ultimately CART was absorbed by the once up-start IRL in 2008.

There is no way that this "World Series" proposal ends well for anybody - the fan base can't support it.

I did wee a poster say that nobody cares about the first XX number of corps. Well, I for one do. And do the G7 realize all of the factors that go into the seats being full when they perform? Do they realize just how many of the people watching them perform are members, family members, and staff from the rest of the corps that performed that night? Or in the case of championships earlier in the week? There are a lot of members, fans, and staff from those Open Class corps, and the 8th thru 22nd World Class corps that won't be there watching them.

I marched a division II corp back in the late 80's and 'coats in '90, and I must say as a member I think the structure back then was better than what they are proposing.

Wow, rf... it took over a year to get your first post submitted, but it's a good one! You should post your thoughts more often!

Your point about CART and IRL did come up either in this thread earlier or another, and as I said then, the analogy is very apt. It was ego, money, and power that drove that split, and it's driving this one as well. And I agree that CART/IRL barely survived to fight another day but haven't regained their glory days yet (even the Indy 500, really, still hasn't fully recovered), and their fan base was far larger than ours.

The irony of these guys thinking they have all the answers to "preserve" DCI, if in a radically different form, is that things have not improved with the changes they've brought about in the past 10 to 25 years. I don't trust their vision now just because their corps have been dominant in the standings. Rather, I think they've used the changes to gain competitive advantage, and that's all they're trying to do now.

[rfrancis]

Wow, rf... it took over a year to get your first post submitted, but it's a good one! You should post your thoughts more often!

Thanks, I appreciate that. I don't spend enough time out here. Raising 4 kids - between winter guard, dance, marching band and.. well you get the idea.

The irony of these guys thinking they have all the answers to "preserve" DCI, if in a radically different form, is that things have not improved with the changes they've brought about in the past 10 to 25 years. I don't trust their vision now just because their corps have been dominant in the standings. Rather, I think they've used the changes to gain competitive advantage, and that's all they're trying to do now.

Agreed. I can remember marching Bluecoats in '90, when we beat Madison about 3/4 of the way through the season it was a huge deal, and I can remember circling up after retreat and learning that was the first time Bluecoats had beaten the Scouts - ever. It wasn't ego, it wasn't anything more than, take the moment in and consider what you accomplished. This strips that opportunity away from the whole equation. You would be hitting a glass ceiling, so what point would there be in trying.

I also noted a post, I think in this thread, mentioned that talent would trickle down from those top 7. Has anybody noticed that numbers drop significantly when you get past the top 15 or so? Those that go for the big guys exclusively and don't make it do not go to Pioneer, Jersey Surf, etc. they just stay on the side lines (and in many cases that is for the best - we don't need any better-than-this attitudes in the corps that are fighting to survive). There are a lot of reasons for that currently, everything from recruiting efforts, staff reputation, perceptions of not having a chance (I mean honestly, Pioneer is always bringing up the bottom of the pile). But, if those 7 go, we will see membership in the rest of world class drop like a rock because those same perceptions will immediately be placed on all of those left out of the 7.

I'm guessing all of this has been raised already, but have to share my thoughts on this one. I will be a Bluecoat for the rest of my life, but I can't support the current leadership in this decision.

[Peel Paint]

Yes, it is extremely disheartening that six corps among these seven have such short-sighted memories and selfish perspectives. With the exception of Vanguard, every one of these corps has for at least one three-year period in DCI history been on the outside of the top seven fighting to get better, and they never could have supported an anti-competitive glass ceiling or money or power grab at their own expense during that time. G7 of course thinks they've covered this by making it possible for corps to rotate in or out of G7 status, but they really haven't, in my opinion. Enacting the G7 proposals will make it harder for other corps to compete with these top seven.

[WindsorGman]

So many ideas as to what is best. I think that the G7 have been called on their "this is how its gonna be" bluff. Now they are into the we could co -exist mode. Sounds a lot like riding the fence to you see the right oportunity. I remember when DCI was formed, they existed along side VFW, American Leigon, and a whole host of small regional associations. Then DCI slowly becomes the more "Dominate" assn. Where are all the other now...gone. If you don't kick the mutineers of the ship they will take over. I remember when corps members had a contract to their corps and if you wanted to jump ship you needed a release from your corps to go to the other corps. Something simpler would be like Stock Car Racing. There are many race circuits, and they all have different rules. Your car may be legal here, but not there. You need to commit to one, or the other.The G7 are determined to turn DC into band, and if thats what they want, so be it. We dont need to be lemmings blindly following. I've read here on DCP that many people don't understand this or that show. If WE the past and current fans don't get it, how does the G& think they will educate the new or unknowing fan. Or will they just TELL THEM this is what drum corps is.There is a market for small regional corps but the rules, tour schedual, equipmeny costs and show design have pushed so many small corps out of the picture. I remember when all you needed was an interest to participate. Now you must audition, and gwhat should be grass roots members are now excluded. We are so deep in the forest that no one can see the trees anymore. Their there because I tell you they are is not good enough. The G7 have cast off Drum Corps in favor of their own needs, reguardless of how it affects other corps.In the early days of DCI there weremany small mom and pop corps , but like now, they were drawn into the"if you don"t follow us "bubble. So many small corps folded because they chased the we gotta go to DCI dream. Now it has become the G7 dream. Those who ignore the past WILL repeat it.

[GUARDLING]

So many ideas as to what is best. I think that the G7 have been called on their "this is how its gonna be" bluff. Now they are into the we could co -exist mode. Sounds a lot like riding the fence to you see the right oportunity. I remember when DCI was formed, they existed along side VFW, American Leigon, and a whole host of small regional associations. Then DCI slowly becomes the more "Dominate" assn. Where are all the other now...gone. If you don't kick the mutineers of the ship they will take over. I remember when corps members had a contract to their corps and if you wanted to jump ship you needed a release from your corps to go to the other corps. Something simpler would be like Stock Car Racing. There are many race circuits, and they all have different rules. Your car may be legal here, but not there. You need to commit to one, or the other.The G7 are determined to turn DC into band, and if thats what they want, so be it. We dont need to be lemmings blindly following. I've read here on DCP that many people don't understand this or that show. If WE the past and current fans don't get it, how does the G& think they will educate the new or unknowing fan. Or will they just TELL THEM this is what drum corps is.There is a market for small regional corps but the rules, tour schedual, equipmeny costs and show design have pushed so many small corps out of the picture. I remember when all you needed was an interest to participate. Now you must audition, and gwhat should be grass roots members are now excluded. We are so deep in the forest that no one can see the trees anymore. Their there because I tell you they are is not good enough. The G7 have cast off Drum Corps in favor of their own needs, reguardless of how it affects other corps.In the early days of DCI there weremany small mom and pop corps , but like now, they were drawn into the"if you don"t follow us "bubble. So many small corps folded because they chased the we gotta go to DCI dream. Now it has become the G7 dream. Those who ignore the past WILL repeat it.

Others will debate you that Its different with this BUT I believe you are totally right. I do think it will happen eventually if we like it or not. This can of worms is open and anyone who thinks huge change is NOT upon us if not now within the next few years is blind...JMO

Congrats to all corps....great season

[phantomphan8384]

I have been reading page after page of comments about this G7 proposal, looked at the original powerpoint presentation and spent a few moments tinking about it and quite honestly, I am more confused by it than ever. Drum Corps International has for years wanted to attain the same notoriety and name brand as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA and guess what? They have succeeded! Talk of the "mighty" wanting more power and influence, breaking up the league or conference, revenue streaming, voting power, performing venues...it all sounds eerily familliar to many of collegiate and professional sports headlines over the past 5 years.

I was a member of 2 of the proposed G7 corps during my 9 years of marching and I am somewaht embarassed by the actions these organizations are taking in the effort to enhance and propogate the activity. I am also a band director of a very successful competitive marching band and I am not sure what message this may send my students about the activity. I certainly would have to think twice about encouraging participation in drum corps after they graduate for high school.

Drum Corps International always held a very prestigious place in the eyes of music educators who cared about the quality of the marching arts. Often times, marching bands are the brunt of bad jokes or the recipient of poor treatment from their athletic or dance peers. Drum corps was the example that demonstrated that the marching arts could stand on equal ground. This undermines the unity of activity and threatens to splinter the already depleted ranks to a point where it will be a challenge for anyone to thrive.

Is this really about money? Here's an idea, cut the prices of the tickets. Really, for my family of 4 to attend finals in Indy it would cost over $250.00 just for the show, program, parking, food (maybe if we just order drinks) . Maybe too many folks have said "no more". I can now spend $18 bucks to watch quarters at a theatre or $30 to watch semis from the comfort of your home. Not quite the same experience, but much more economical. $100 for the DVD's? I thought the corps were footing the licensing costs for copyright permission. Where does that money go? $75 for CD's? Guess I'll just wait for the audio dowloads and spend $4 for who I like instead of having to listen to Blue Devils' screeching and cluster chords to nowhere.

I wonder how the Blue Stars feel today...? .1 away from 7th place, geez guys that's just too bad. Just not G7 material I guess. Bluecoats? Crown? Incredible organizations and deserving of their placements and accomplishments, but where were these groups in 1980 when DCI was packing the stands? I know, I marched with one of those groups and we were in the stands in about 50th place wondering what it must be like to make semis and what we had left to wear to go to finals! I think Blue Stars and Madison and Boston and Troopers might be a little put off by notion that they "just aren't good enough to make any influence in the activity".

This is just insanity. Let the G7 go off and do their thing for as long as they can sustain it. I believe it will last for about a year and people will be in an uproar over the circus-like atmosphere that the G7 propose at every show and people will be begging for it to go away. It will be too late of course because the most important resourse in DCI will say, "I want nothing to do with this craziness!" That would be the young men and women still looking at drum corps as an activity worth pursuing. Our young people aren't stupid, they will know they are the unwilling participants in a money-making scheme and will say enough is enough. The "other corps" will most likely continue to try and sustain the activity, but if it can't survive with all the groups working together, what makes anyone think it can survive with a split such as this?

All I can say is I am glad I marched in a more civil time where the only competition took place on the field and not in some meeting room. Get ready people, the party is over. Spend $39 and get the FanNetwork and watch the shows while you can and talk about "I remember when..."

[Fran Haring]

I have been reading page after page of comments about this G7 proposal, looked at the original powerpoint presentation and spent a few moments tinking about it and quite honestly, I am more confused by it than ever. Drum Corps International has for years wanted to attain the same notoriety and name brand as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NCAA and guess what? They have succeeded! Talk of the "mighty" wanting more power and influence, breaking up the league or conference, revenue streaming, voting power, performing venues...it all sounds eerily familliar to many of collegiate and professional sports headlines over the past 5 years.

I was a member of 2 of the proposed G7 corps during my 9 years of marching and I am somewaht embarassed by the actions these organizations are taking in the effort to enhance and propogate the activity. I am also a band director of a very successful competitive marching band and I am not sure what message this may send my students about the activity. I certainly would have to think twice about encouraging participation in drum corps after they graduate for high school.

Drum Corps International always held a very prestigious place in the eyes of music educators who cared about the quality of the marching arts. Often times, marching bands are the brunt of bad jokes or the recipient of poor treatment from their athletic or dance peers. Drum corps was the example that demonstrated that the marching arts could stand on equal ground. This undermines the unity of activity and threatens to splinter the already depleted ranks to a point where it will be a challenge for anyone to thrive.

Is this really about money? Here's an idea, cut the prices of the tickets. Really, for my family of 4 to attend finals in Indy it would cost over $250.00 just for the show, program, parking, food (maybe if we just order drinks) . Maybe too many folks have said "no more". I can now spend $18 bucks to watch quarters at a theatre or $30 to watch semis from the comfort of your home. Not quite the same experience, but much more economical. $100 for the DVD's? I thought the corps were footing the licensing costs for copyright permission. Where does that money go? $75 for CD's? Guess I'll just wait for the audio dowloads and spend $4 for who I like instead of having to listen to Blue Devils' screeching and cluster chords to nowhere.

I wonder how the Blue Stars feel today...? .1 away from 7th place, geez guys that's just too bad. Just not G7 material I guess. Bluecoats? Crown? Incredible organizations and deserving of their placements and accomplishments, but where were these groups in 1980 when DCI was packing the stands? I know, I marched with one of those groups and we were in the stands in about 50th place wondering what it must be like to make semis and what we had left to wear to go to finals! I think Blue Stars and Madison and Boston and Troopers might be a little put off by notion that they "just aren't good enough to make any influence in the activity".

This is just insanity. Let the G7 go off and do their thing for as long as they can sustain it. I believe it will last for about a year and people will be in an uproar over the circus-like atmosphere that the G7 propose at every show and people will be begging for it to go away. It will be too late of course because the most important resourse in DCI will say, "I want nothing to do with this craziness!" That would be the young men and women still looking at drum corps as an activity worth pursuing. Our young people aren't stupid, they will know they are the unwilling participants in a money-making scheme and will say enough is enough. The "other corps" will most likely continue to try and sustain the activity, but if it can't survive with all the groups working together, what makes anyone think it can survive with a split such as this?

All I can say is I am glad I marched in a more civil time where the only competition took place on the field and not in some meeting room. Get ready people, the party is over. Spend $39 and get the FanNetwork and watch the shows while you can and talk about "I remember when..."

That is an outstanding post.

[Peel Paint]

I agree. Nice job, phantomphan, and welcome.