jkmummer Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 You all are totally missing the point of what I am saying. I was implying (and spelling out as plainly as possible) starting small, using the fan base that is there, and build from it. (just like Pro sports did.) After a while, there could be built up enough fan base/interest to make a Pro league big enough to bring in enough interest to justify larger salaries. To start, the league would have to have a long term plan for existence. (planning for 25 years plus, using the history of professional sports as a guideline). And I did say factor in cost of business,( including benefits, etc.), in the model example.This would be a FOR PROFIT business, and the market forces(including unions) would determine the direction of the league. And so the question begs to be asked, where is this spike in the existing fan base that says that it will support a professional DC. You're putting the cart before the horse. We haven't been able to grow the fan base. If we were selling out in stadiums all across the country then one could see the support, but we're not. And like pro sports salaries and operating costs rise which is passed on to the fan base that you'd hope to build off of. How much will they pay. Also the fan base dollars that you rely on also has to be distributed to the other non-professional drum corps. They aren't going to allow your drum corps to be paid at a higher rate simply because you have a higher overhead. Also in the above post you mention market forces and UNIONS. With unions come higher salaries than $35k a year. As well as work place rules and guidlines like rehearsal schedules which would not be negotiated at what your competitve DCA/DCI corps currently rehearses at. All you have to do is look at the new NFL collective bargaining agreement to see that gone are the days of 2 a day practices. Pretty sure 12 hour practices would be gone. You also have to take into consideration that as a business that is employing above the table you would have to provide Workman's Comp. With the physcal nature of the activity those rates are going to be high. Based on your salary calculation of $35K the ball park take home is $26,250 and health care isn't even included in that number. Who's living on that? You're going to argue about starting small. This is small. The costs are always going to be higher in the start up than in the maintaining of the business. Largely because so much money goes out in the beginning before dollar one is ever brought in. These comments from all who have posted are not simply naysayers. They are a very real reality. Failure is an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbriggs Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 all those professional leagues have as a basis for competition set goals and rules to determine the outcome of the individual games. with drumcorps, it's the subjective opinion of judges that determine the outcome; and there's a WHOLE lot of disagreement when it's over NOW. how would professional drumcorps morph into something with a clear cut winner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeptic Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Cant happen. Not enough interest to anyone outside of music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBD Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 For a long time, (since I aged out in the 1980's) I have felt that a professional drum and bugle corps league, with paid members in corps, would be a natural next step for drum corps members. I envisioned a 25-30 corps league based on professional sports league models(NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, MLS, etc.) The corps in the league could use that model as the way to run each corps, with the best players/performers being drafted into the league, via auditions. The members of each corps would be paid to perform, with DCI being the "Collegiate" level for drum corps . Such a league could follow the exist pattern set up for Pro sports. (I.E. middle school band, high school band, College Band and/or DCI corps membership, Professional Drum and Bugle corps.) I even thought DCA could be transformed into the "major leagues" of Drum and Bugle corps, with each DCA corps paying their members. If this model was set up, I think it would be supported in the same way major league sports are supported. I think that if such league existed, it could be as big as the professional major league sports leagues, because of the fact that, at the middle, and high school level, there is the potential to be just as many/maybe more people who in music/performance, as there are in sports, at that level. Couple the idea that a Drum and Bugle corps professional league would also include women, who for the most part are left out of a professional league that would pay them for performing. (WNBA is one exception, maybe the only one) I believe that since this league would pay it's members, it would get the very best players/performers, and the level of quality would go up. This would in turn draw more fans, and inspire younger musicians to want to be a professional Drum and Bugle corp member. (giving musician another way to become a professional musician.) This could begin to create a cycle of improvement in the overall activity: For instance: 1.More young students may get into music, because they saw a exciting performance by a pro Drum and Bugle corps, 2. The new student goes out to buy instruments/equipment to practice with. 3. The instrument makers may see a increase in sales, and start putting MORE money in endorsements in popular pro corps. 4. leading to higher salaries for pro corps members 5. which would lead to more competition for spots in the pro league 6. which would lead to better,higher quality in the corps and shows, 7.which could lead to more people finding out about the activity, and wanting to become professional drum and bugle corps members. 8. which could lead to non-music related endorsements. (Nationally televised regular season competitions, with Budweiser as a official sponsor, LOL) 9. which may lead to a wider awareness, and more interest in the activity. There have been other "professional" Drum and Bugle corps, (Future Corps, BLAST!, etc.) where the members were paid, and in each instance, the corps produced amazing performances (mostly with much smaller ensembles than DCI, or DCA corps.) Theoretically, it may be possible to make professional Drum and Bugle corps big enough to draw in non-music related sponsers/endorsments, such as food, and drink vendors, and TV rights. (if enough eyes are drawn to the activity, it is possible for sponsor/endorsers to see a solid business sense for paying for rights to the activity. Just look at the National Spelling Bee, and cheerleading.) I would love to see comments on this, and what others think. I think the Brigs tried this a few years ago, I could be wrong though 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Baseball (objective outcome), Football (objective outcome), NASCAR (objective outcome), Hockey (objective outcome), Soccer (objective outcome), Basketball (objective outcome), all of these highly competitive activities draw many fans due to the unexpected results where the lowest underdog can actually win on any given day. Compare this to the small fan draw that Figure Skating (artistic subjective outcome) would have as a professional sport and you can also see that drum corps would have no chance as a professional "competitive" sport. However, as a "professional" outdoor musical event like Lollapalloza/U2/Madonna presented as Blast/Drum Corps/Stomp/Blue Man then maybe enough fan draw would warrant some sort of major sponsorship (maybe). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Somehow I knew I would see this reply. Who, me???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Sounds like what I am proposing should have been tried long ago. It is still possible to try it. you footing the bill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I think the Brigs tried this a few years ago, I could be wrong though oh #### Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdm Posted May 25, 2012 Author Share Posted May 25, 2012 (edited) you footing the bill? Possibly, for the first pro corps. We will see....... But the thread is doing exactly what I wanted. Bringing out possible objections/hurdles/resistance that such a league might face. Edited May 25, 2012 by cdm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Possibly, for the first pro corps. We will see....... But the thread is doing exactly what I wanted. Bringing out possible objections/hurdles/resistance that such a league might face. Cool. I'll play tuba, but I'm not marching one step until you give me a multi-year deal, guaranteed, at at least $100,000 per year. We can negotiate the signing bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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