84BDsop Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Oh, I hope so too..there would just be no DCA. My guess is that they'd hang on doing the DCI shows that come to their areas. I'm not entirely certain of that. They might try to form a new Sr circuit and learn from the mistakes of the past....a clean slate, as it were. Money's still going to be the hard part re running shows, but there's been enough of a buildup in areas outside the traditional NE to possibly make up a new circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 the bottom line is DCA has all agreed on the game plan they are following. This isn't something a dictator laid at their feet. No one is forcing these corps to play by DCA's rules if they don't want to...they can do their own thing. But no one is doing their own thing...now why is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 the bottom line is DCA has all agreed on the game plan they are following. This isn't something a dictator laid at their feet. No one is forcing these corps to play by DCA's rules if they don't want to...they can do their own thing. But no one is doing their own thing...now why is that? Because a proven system already exists. I'm not saying other corps should go Combine on DCA and form a competing circuit...I'm saying that if for some reason DCA was to close shop, someone else would start afresh. Same for DCI, in fact. I would not envy those starting such a new circuit, tho... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeDz Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 If the NE corps die out to an extent that they can no longer put non a season-long series of shows, IMO that will be the end of DCA. The organizational aspect of DCA is based on the corps in the NE. The NE corps are not dying out and part of it is because of the stability and growth encouraged by the leadership of DCA. You can't force a corps to add travel days to their calendar as some members find the current commitment to be the limit for them. This is evidenced by the Minn Brass coming to Bucknell sans about 10 horns. If all of the non-NE corps withdrew from DCA, how would that help their show line ups? They still would be locally isolated. DCA has offered Open, Class A, Alumni, mini corps, and I & E an opportunity to display their product and compete for the championship with others in the activity while providing the stability of doing it all over Labor Day weekend. There is currently more strain on non-NE corps because of the inclusion of travel days on a corps whose membership is mostly working adults. Unfortunately, finances play a "larger-than-overcomeable" problem or drum corps would expand the same way Major League Baseball did when St. Louis was the furthest west the league went because of the limits of reasonable train travel."Affordable" Air travel lead to nation-wide pro sports. When eastern corps can afford their own air travel, they can leave Friday night for the Renegades show on Saturday night and come home late Saturday, sleep late and still have a Sunday half-day practice.......and when will this happen? when drum corps has the fan and advertising base of major league sports. The "solution" is continue as is. To force corps to travel west is to start the clock on the cycle of destruction. Joe Dz in NJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 The NE corps are not dying out and part of it is because of the stability and growth encouraged by the leadership of DCA. Oh, that is why I sad "if", not "when". But...the loss of NE corps from, say, the mid/late 90's is dangerous for DCA long-term. The addition of 'A' class is one way DCA is countering this. The "solution" is continue as is. To force corps to travel west is to start the clock on the cycle of destruction. Joe Dz in NJ Agree 100%. DCA is not DCI. A loose confederation of regional all-age corps that come together at DCA champs is about the most anyone should expect out of the corps. IMO the idea that DCA corps should have some sort of mandatory travel schedule runs counter to what DCA is all about, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 ####. I agree with Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 ####. I agree with Mike Actually, when it comes to DCA we agree a lot, I've found! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 ####. I agree with Mike #### me too.... if we were talking about DCI I'd be worried.... a lot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Agree 100%. DCA is not DCI. A loose confederation of regional all-age corps that come together at DCA champs is about the most anyone should expect out of the corps. IMO the idea that DCA corps should have some sort of mandatory travel schedule runs counter to what DCA is all about, IMO. well said and simply put,.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurcwave Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 Been reading this post, and have a few replies, so it may jump around abit>>! A point about travel... The South Corps' have since the beginning budgeted to travel North, due to the fact that at the beginning, if we wanted to compete against other DCA corps' we had to travel! period..Mickey also used us to promote shows by hyping the fact that a corps from Orlando Florida was coming to Keyport NJ.or Ogdensburg , etc! .. and many times we have filled slots at shows when NE corps went inactive or folded and DCA needed to fill out the show... Then when the Region's came about it helped, slightly, in travel costs. But, the South Region is so spread, that sometimes, it may be cheaper to travel North. In the REGION GUIDELINES.... in order to compete at DCA Championships you must compete at ONE Regional show. Thats it! Would we like to see a North corps come to our shows? Absolutley... do we know what it will COST to bring a corps South.... unfortunately YES.. Corps from the NE have expressed interest in coming South, and we think that will help our attendence.. but it is cost prohibitive at the moment, but we continue to work on it and who knows in a year or two we may see corps like Hurcs or Cabs in Atlanta or Tampa! ( I use these two due to the amount of "retired" members from those Corps' that have moved to these areas). Forced touring would cripple alot of Corps'. and DCA as a whole.. we are a weekend activity. It is hard enough when we DO have to travel, that members have to take Friday off, and sometimes, depending on where we travel to, Monday.... but there are only so many times you can do that.... due to jobs and family ! In 1998, Heat Wave traveled 3 weekends in a row North! It can work, but, it burnt alot of members out very FAST! and expensive, not as expensive as it would be today....but still. The last 2 years have seen the attendence at our shows increase from around 200-300, to 500 a few years ago close to 1000 over the last year.! so we are spreading the word about DCA.slowly.. but it is spreading A comment made on Regional Championships : DCA-South has had a Regional Championship since 2003.. and NO it is not subsidized by DCA. We have since 2004, received a small donation from Yamaha Band & Orchestra South East division, but that mainly covers the Regional Champions trophies , which we now hand out at DCA Championships based on the finals score. Finally, DCA Exec Board has done a great job over the years to secure the future of DCA. Not only from a Corps standpoint, but a corporate standpoint...and connecting the link with DCI ... but when it comes to the Corps' .....Think what DCA may be right now if Mickey, Gil, Dan and a few others didn't decide to give Class A a try in 1997 or start a South Region in 2003 that later expanded Midwest and West .... .. ?? Have a great day ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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