Drum Corps Future and Smaller Corps

[JimF-LowBari]

Simply put:

Economy sucking for a while....

Top corps cost big time bucks and some are just one "Oh ####" from having big/possible fatal problems.

Almost all new corps start small and some built their way up.

DCA dang near had half Open (over 65 members) and half Class A (65 and under) corps this year. (think have the 65 part right).

DCI had growth in the OC if I read correctly.

Anyway, 'pears to me any growth in number of corps will come from the smaller corps. Especially with tight economic times and Hellish expenses. Wouldn't it make sense to pursue this area to try to promote long term survival?

Going to bed.... driving 270 miles and hitting Labor Day road construction sucks....

[BMBob]

I would love to see an increase in the number of smaller corps with a little bit bigger touring schedule. I think it could possibly lead to better quality small groups, which are great to see. When working with marching bands, I'm always excited to see really clean small bands that still put out a strong, intense show.

I would also love to see some smaller groups that could perhaps tour a little bit more. I don't know how groups would balance size of group with touring expenses, but the bad thing about the smaller corps is that I never get to see them!

[FHdork]

How about more of the OC corps at the world class shows (or vice versa)? From my admittedly spotty memory of the show schedules from the past couple of years, it seems the OC rarely appears with WC corps after the middle of July. If there are fewer venues, each show could have 9+ corps in performance instead of 5 or 6 (or 3...) - and those of us who tend to just follow WC would learn to appreciate the quality of the OC corps.

[Stu]

How about more of the OC corps at the world class shows (or vice versa)? From my admittedly spotty memory of the show schedules from the past couple of years, it seems the OC rarely appears with WC corps after the middle of July. If there are fewer venues, each show could have 9+ corps in performance instead of 5 or 6 (or 3...) - and those of us who tend to just follow WC would learn to appreciate the quality of the OC corps.

It is up to the Tour Event Partner, TEP, who is sponsoring the show whether or not OC corps will perform with WC corps. The main reason that only WC corps are performing at these shows is due to the TEP wanting to at least recoup, or hopefully make a profit from, the "huge" up front cost to put on the show (ie the cost of fees, stadium lease, insurance, security, etc). And there is really no way to cut those upfront costs unless the people who hold the licensing, own the stadiums, own the insurance companies, and work for the security companies are willing to do things for free. So, the TEP knows that an all WC lineup will more than likely draw more paying fans at higher ticket prices than a split lineup of some OC and some WC; therefore putting on a WC only show has far less risk to the TEP than putting on a split show which has a far greater risk.

[84skyrydr]

You can't have a bunch of smaller corps. The big dogs keep upping the membership numbers so they can take all the talent. Less kids left to make up those smaller corps.

[skywhopper]

84skyrydr's point aside, I think it should be obvious that new, small corps are the only way to see the activity grow. New 120+ member corps with quality programs aren't going to appear out of nothing. I'd love to see DCI setting aside some money each year for starting new corps in underserved areas.

Maybe a matching-grant system for founding new OC corps: If there's no corps within 50 or 100 miles and you can raise $10,000 to start one and sign up 30 members and X number of support staff, DCI would pitch in $20,000. Organizational support is key, too. Have a starter kit with a suggested organizational structure, legal and accounting requirements, communication plans, fundraising advice, tips on scheduling rehearsal space, finding equipment, getting gigs, licensing music. Provide two or three years worth of quarterly visits by DCI and successful OC staff to give advice and help out with problems. Start two or three new corps this way each year for the next 10 years, and you'll grow. Several will fall apart after a year or two, some will manage to stick around for a while, and some will take off in the way that Teal Sound has or Carolina Crown did.

Does DCI do anything like that now to encourage new corps? Does DCA?

[audiodb]

Organizational support is key, too. Have a starter kit with a suggested organizational structure, legal and accounting requirements, communication plans, fundraising advice, tips on scheduling rehearsal space, finding equipment, getting gigs, licensing music. Provide two or three years worth of quarterly visits by DCI and successful OC staff to give advice and help out with problems. Start two or three new corps this way each year for the next 10 years, and you'll grow. Several will fall apart after a year or two, some will manage to stick around for a while, and some will take off in the way that Teal Sound has or Carolina Crown did.

Does DCI do anything like that now to encourage new corps? Does DCA?

Regarding the quoted portion....yes, DCI and DCA are already providing much (perhaps all) of what you suggest.

[JimF-LowBari]

It is up to the Tour Event Partner, TEP, who is sponsoring the show whether or not OC corps will perform with WC corps. The main reason that only WC corps are performing at these shows is due to the TEP wanting to at least recoup, or hopefully make a profit from, the "huge" up front cost to put on the show (ie the cost of fees, stadium lease, insurance, security, etc). And there is really no way to cut those upfront costs unless the people who hold the licensing, own the stadiums, own the insurance companies, and work for the security companies are willing to do things for free. So, the TEP knows that an all WC lineup will more than likely draw more paying fans at higher ticket prices than a split lineup of some OC and some WC; therefore putting on a WC only show has far less risk to the TEP than putting on a split show which has a far greater risk.

Any idea of the extra cost involved in having a WC show with an OC corps in exhibition or as an additional competing corps? Note: hard to tell with corpS but thinking one OC corps.

And thought just hit that a Class A corps in DCA (Excelsior) got it's start as a Mini corps IIRC (going even smaller).

[shostahoosier]

You can't have a bunch of smaller corps. The big dogs keep upping the membership numbers so they can take all the talent. Less kids left to make up those smaller corps.

This really isnt the case. Kids who want to march with the big corps usually end up not marching at all if they dont get the corps they wanted.

I also have been at meetings with show organizers who have considered (and some actually have) cancelling a show if they dont have a major corps, as in top 5 or top 3.

Edited September 8, 2010 by shostahoosier

[Stu]

Any idea of the extra cost involved in having a WC show with an OC corps in exhibition or as an additional competing corps? Note: hard to tell with corpS but thinking one OC corps.

There is no "extra cost" to have one or two OC corps perform at a WC local show; and some local shows do fill in with OC corps if not enough WC corps can make it to the show. However, if there are say seven slots available, it only makes sense for a TEP to fill all seven slots with just WC corps. That is why (IMO) if we want to save the OC division, the best thing to do is go back to a first tour / second tour format, and have first tour as a regional only tour for "all" corps. That way it sort of lessens the pool of WC corps available for local shows and means that more OC corps would be invited to perform.