Some Answered Questions About Cadets2

[OldBones]

uh ya know, there's many bands that compete in other circuits and USSBA in USSBA's base region. When those bands go to their respective championships for TOB and/or Cavalcade, they will see other corps there recruiting. Just last week at TOB's NJ states, you had Surf, Bush, Cabs and Raiders all there with info booths and Surf had merchandise.

There are times when a recruiting corps would like to sell merchandise but are not allowed if cadets merchandise is being sold. Know this through experience at many shows throughout the years.

[Jeff Ream]

If this is how YEA wants to start off its relationship with other DCA corps than they might be hard pressed to find a show host willing to find a space for them at a well populated event such as the Grand Prix/Scranton/Reading/Bridgeport.

there may be hard feelings, but show hosts are going to do what draws money. If C2 means more money, they'll have them....or they won't have a profitable show down the road

[camel lips]

There are times when a recruiting corps would like to sell merchandise but are not allowed if cadets merchandise is being sold. Know this through experience at many shows throughout the years.

Ive run into that at DCI shows where you cannot sell merchandise but they will let you set up a recruiting booth.

Like anyone is really going to buy a DCA shirt at a DCI show anyways right????

[camel lips]

there may be hard feelings, but show hosts are going to do what draws money. If C2 means more money, they'll have them....or they won't have a profitable show down the road

Show me the money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OldBones]

um, TOB as far back as I can remember has always welcome corps from anywhere come and recruit at Championships.I know, I froze in the tunnel in Scranton one year recruiting for Westshore.

I wouldn't exactly say TOB has fallen by the wayside. Going into Championships weekends, over 210 bands participated in TOB events this fall. 130 some bands will participate in the TOB Championships series these nexttwo weekends....Cavalcade may have 70, but thats up from where they were 10 yearsago for sure.

The Band world is cyclical....itcomes and goes, and bands often move to where they can get the best read, score, price etc. Each circuit has pros and cons, and usually it depends on who you talk to and what their most recent score was.

For a lot of bands its price. I do believe TOB had a small jump this year because YEA raised their prices.

[Jeff Ream]

There are times when a recruiting corps would like to sell merchandise but are not allowed if cadets merchandise is being sold. Know this through experience at many shows throughout the years.

well, I think it's safe to say YEA is not represented at TOB and CBA shows, so no issues there.

Look...you guys make it out to be a sin that YEA is doing what they are doing at YEA run shows.

Not that I'm YEA's biggest booster, but come on, think like business people here. What's the one thing many of us cry about on here? That corps aren't run like a business. Well, YEA is doing what a business would...making a smart decision about how to run their business.

Like I said a few posts up, do you think Coke let's Pepsi into their events? DO you think Miller Lite invites Bud to their events?

The problem I see is too many people are thinking it's 1975 in how you need to handle things. If another DCA corps wants to get more involved in the band world...they can start their own circuit. They can form strategic partnerships with other band circuits. Go look at the sponsors and partners for the TOB All StarBand....Surf and Cabs. Being on the ASB staff, I see no other corps knocking on the doors to get involved. So when we send out press releases, or ads, or the upcoming interview with Halftime magazine, they get their names mentioned. Why? Cause they offered to get involved.

You can't just throw out your name and have people come to your corps anymore. God knows my old corps tried that after they won DCA, and coupled with other problems, they were inactive 2 years later, did get back out, but never recovered. I NEVER saw them at band shows recruiting. I can tell you being present at band shows in the 80s and 90s helped us a lot!

There are opportunities for corps to get their names out there to help recruit without having to go to YEA sponsored shows. The smart ones are doing just that.

[Jeff Ream]

For a lot of bands its price. I do believe TOB had a small jump this year because YEA raised their prices.

uh, no. TOB has had the same judges pay for 2 years now, and yes dues have gone up over the last three years. it was voted upon by the bands themselves. it went from $25 to $100 over a 3 year period. The bond went I believe from $35 to $50. TOB lets bands sell ticketsto every show to make moneyand keep it. Sadly many bands drop this ball, and TOB has NO Championships fees to attend any of the Championships events in the fall. ( Wildwoodfor indoor yes, but thats mostly for room and food packages).

Otherwise TOB's fees have held static for the most part, and we always look at waysto keep it affordable, but not go broke. Hell they even brought back brass and woodwind judges for ACC's this year.

[George82]

I dont see the problem here.

You talk as if USSBA is the only band circuit for drum corps to recruit from. I was at a Cavalcade show with recruiting tables from a couple of DCA corps and 1 DCI corps. At the TOB Championships this past weekend there was a Drum Corps Row with DCI and DCA equally represented. If USSBA doesn't allow DCA corps to recruit from USSBA, there is always the other circuits to draw from. Nothing for nothing, a lot of USSBA bands also compete in TOB and Cvalcade, and trust me, the DCA corps do recruit from those shows.

Also, there have been plenty of shows where DCA corps HAVE been allowed to set up recruiting tables. Just not at the larger USSBA sponsored events. So, the opportunity for exposure is still there, just not at the larger venues.

[OldBones]

uh, no. TOB has had the same judges pay for 2 years now, and yes dues have gone up over the last three years. it was voted upon by the bands themselves. it went from $25 to $100 over a 3 year period. The bond went I believe from $35 to $50. TOB lets bands sell ticketsto every show to make moneyand keep it. Sadly many bands drop this ball, and TOB has NO Championships fees to attend any of the Championships events in the fall. ( Wildwoodfor indoor yes, but thats mostly for room and food packages).

Otherwise TOB's fees have held static for the most part, and we always look at waysto keep it affordable, but not go broke. Hell they even brought back brass and woodwind judges for ACC's this year.

I'm sorry I wasn't a little clearer with this. I meant that bands jumped to TOB because of pricing. USSBA raised their prices. TOB did not.

[OldBones]

Also, there have been plenty of shows where DCA corps HAVE been allowed to set up recruiting tables. Just not at the larger USSBA sponsored events. So, the opportunity for exposure is still there, just not at the larger venues.

That is what I said in my original post about DCA recruiting.