actucker Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 why would a corps director care how much a kid is paying to march? I agree that donations to travel across the country is pushing it, but people ask because other people donate. Obviously you are free to donate to someone who is at their local corps. I don't really see asking for donations to pay for tour fees as a big issue. A good friend of mine in College wanted to study abroad for a semester in Lebanon. He had to come up with 5 grand in order to go, so he asked all of his friends and family as well as his church community to help him. I don't really see drum corps as any different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I haven't read all the replies but for me with at one time 2 kids that might have been interested it was a couple of years ago. Paying over $1500 is too much. I pay that much for my daughters college a month and can barely afford that. While I would have loved them to have the same experience I did. its just not feasible. Also I'm not feeling the direction the activity is taking right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickhaltsforlife Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 In my mind the upper corps have more established sense of identity. Why did madison jump into finals last year? Because the staff their all agreed on a clear identity for the corps and just went for it. Those corps that are "lower" struggle because they are inconsistent staff wise, or administration wise, and non-drum corps issues plague those organizations. I believe the "Crossmen" have has been struggling over the past few years administration wise and while it is a shame, it does effect the experience those kids have at those corps. The Crossmen were not having administration issues. They were having design team issues. Big difference. And that corps has been treated pretty well since their move to Texas. Their first year was a lot of learning. But their biggest problem was their show design. That is pretty much the only thing that hurt them... and it hurt them a lot, competitively. The education being done there was pretty good and they are making it even better this year. There is no 'goo'...so that assertion is false. Are you kidding me??? Wow.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I don't really see asking for donations to pay for tour fees as a big issue. A good friend of mine in College wanted to study abroad for a semester in Lebanon. He had to come up with 5 grand in order to go, so he asked all of his friends and family as well as his church community to help him. I don't really see drum corps as any different. oh, I don't think there's any issues with asking for people to donate to you either. Obviously it is effective or people would not be asking. Personally, I would not donate money so someone can fly across the country to march drum corps, but some people are willing to donate toward that goal, and that is their right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 > why would a corps director care how much a kid is paying to march? The corps director is in charge of a legally classified "501c3 Public Non-Profit Charitable Organization" and not a Private For-Profit institution. That is why the director should care deeply about how much each youth is having to pay; the operative word here is Charitable! just because its a charity doesn't mean it has to be cheap to participate though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) There is no 'goo'...so that assertion is false. Add 15 people brings in another 45K or so in revenue. spread over three busses, that comes to 15K per bus...and using your unproven numbers it is still three times the 'cost', which covers all the rest of the made-up numbers you are using. Nope. Those three new corps did not form prior to the increase in size. Assuming that those 120 would march elsewhere flies completely in the face of the reality that most of those cut choose not to march anywhere...and always have. Mike, I can't believe you continue to hold this line of denial that synths and amps aren't doubling the bass line. You only need listen - are you losing, or have you lost, your hearing? And if you have or haven't, you only need watch the videos of the synth player in the last strains of almost every show in the last two years. He/she plants a finger on the left end of the keyboard and holds it there as the corps plays their last notes, while smiling broadly at the crowd. It's undeniable, it's audible and it's verifiable visually. Why do you deny its existence? If the members dues paid the cost of their marching as you claim, why is there at so many souvie booths a gas can and a plea to "contribute to our fuel fund"? That shouldn't be necessary if you were right, right? And if dues paid the expenses for the summer why is there an appeal by the larger corps (who, coincidentally, carry the most A&E equipment) to get more payout because their expenses aren't covered by their show payments? In your world each member's dues would cover the costs and each corps would be financially solvent. What numbers in my analysis are made up? The weights? The mileage? I acknowledge that they may not be exactly accurate, but they are hardly made up. And the point of the exercise stands valid. Just ask the truckers... Yep. They claim they can't cover their costs, but they just keep adding costs. Yep. And while it may be true that many who try out and get cut just go home, it's also true (from Persona, not my guess) that the very large percentage of "Top" corps MM have experience in Open class or non-"Top" corps. If membership were limited to 120, and corps encouraged those who are cut to go get experience in lower, and Open, corps, there would be a larger pool of semi-qualified players to fill a new corps' ranks. And I suggest you investigate the P&L of a few corps to verify that MM dues do not cover their costs for the season. If they did the corps would be self-sustaining on dues only and wouldn't need fuel fund drives, alumni drives, and general appeals for contributions. Lacking the discipline to control, and cut, costs is more detrimental to the bottom line than not having enough revenue. You may not like the math, but your one-word responses (nor your condescension) can't make it go away. Edited February 1, 2011 by garfield 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle B Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 It already is, I'm just a moron for continuing to march, especially in a corps that is 2.5 hours away every weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mello Dude Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Mike, I can't believe you continue to hold this line of denial that synths and amps aren't doubling the bass line. You only need listen - are you losing, or have you lost, your hearing? And if you have or haven't, you only need watch the videos of the synth player in the last strains of almost every show in the last two years. He/she plants a finger on the left end of the keyboard and holds it there as the corps plays their last notes, while smiling broadly at the crowd. It's undeniable, it's audible and it's verifiable visually. Why do you deny its existence? I have posted on this more than a few times. I suppose, we can figure on really two things..one they have NO idea what doubling or unison means or, even more troubling, they are trying to post enough times to bury you and by sheer numbers of posts have people actually believe this that know no better. The only other thing is possible deafness..and I apologize if that is indeed the issue. I did leave out the conspiracy things but my sig covers this pretty well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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