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Can you lose your World Class Status?


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The performance and capabilities of drum corps vary SO MUCH (think of the difference between the Blue Devils and Cadets versus, say, the Blue Saints and City Sound) that we really need to go back to three classes, regardless of the number of corps.

The Blue Devils should not be in the same class a Pioneer or Cascades. Then again, Blue Devils B and Oregon Crusaders should not be in the same division as the aforementioned Blue Saints and City Sound. Ironically, I think it is DCI's very own DE-emphasization of competitiveness in determining the classes that has led to the classes becoming MORE imbalanced.

The competitive nature of the activity has been around for 50+ years, and that's not a bad thing. Personally, I think the classes should be determined purely by ability and execution. Similar to the English Premier League. Remove politics and popularity from the equation. Say, the Top 17 or 20 from Semifinals are the World Class (Div. 1) corps the following season. The remainder of corps can be split down the middle: the top half Open Class (Div. 2) and the bottom half Class A (Div. 3). This would require overhauling the current touring requirements (we shouldn't force corps to compete beyond their means; if a corps can't afford to travel the country, but can still produce a high-quality product, they should still be allowed to be World Class), but I'm fine with that.

I also fully agree with the suggestion that EVERY DCI corps should have a "check-up" (not necessarily a full audit) of their books every few years by DCI. It may be anathema to the BOD, but how many corps need to be run into the ground by financial mismanagement before DCI wises up and realizes that this area needs at least SOME supervision?

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I agree on a new class system. Plus, with prelims allowing all corps to compete, it seems to be a lot more fair to allow smaller corps to compete for their own title in a lower division.

As far as finances goes, it isn't hard to look up financial records of drum corps. They are nonprofit organizations and must report all financial records, which are then published for the public to see (you just have to do a little searching). Of course, with organizations like SCV that have multiple corps and a winterguard program, it is hard to tell what money is being spent where. However, with smaller corps like Pioneer, the numbers are fairly telling.

For instance, in 2010, Pioneer had total expenses of $463,301 and total revenue of $410,889. Which doesn't look good.

On the other hand, SCV in 2010 had total expenses of $2,766,126 and total revenue of $3,188,751.

Edited by DarkHorner
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I say open the books or lose status. Better yet, go to a salary cap type system and spread the wealth among the other corps. So that they can have similar staffs, traveling accommodations, etc. Try to level the playing(Marching) field kind of like what NASCAR does with rules and specs based on the physical car, and let it be determined by the driver or in this case the actual performer. It just seems to me that with how many staff members jump from corps to corps, that it is about George Washington beeing your best friend. I for one can understand why with today's economic problems, but if a cap was put into place it would not only put less emphasis on individuals wanting to march with say a top eight corps(TOC) with a shot at a title, and staying local to a corps that has a down stream of money from the cap.

What do you mean "share the wealth?" What wealth? Why should any organization that busts their ##### every year to balance their budgets give their hard earned dollars to another organization? Socialism doesn't work, especially in drum corps.

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Thunder would likely have beat Cascades if they were on World Class sheets. Oregon Crusaders would likely have 10-pointed them - there simply was no comparison between the Oregon and Seattle shows.

It is my understanding that World Class pays performance fees and Open Class does not. The WC fees are determined by placement, so I'm not sure whether groups at the Cascades' level actually get any.

Not true. Open Class corps get a performance fee at every show they march in. It's a small percentage of what the WC makes but it certainly pays for their trip to the show. It is collected by DCI in the show contract that the local producer pays, right along with the WC fees.

There is a financial incentive to get into, and stay in, WC.

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Not true. Open Class corps get a performance fee at every show they march in. It's a small percentage of what the WC makes but it certainly pays for their trip to the show. It is collected by DCI in the show contract that the local producer pays, right along with the WC fees.

There is a financial incentive to get into, and stay in, WC.

Almost. Open Class corps competing in World Class shows (pretty much most shows until the last two weeks of tour) receive payouts. Once the Open Class tour starts, however, this is no longer the case. It was changed at the behest of the Open Class directors. You'd have to ask them why, but I *believe* they elected to take a lump sum payout at the end of the season rather than appearance fees from Open Class show hosts. Perhaps someone with more knowledge can give the exact details.

Randy Blackburn and Tom Maiello have explained it before, and I know Randy told us about it when I was in staff at Teal.

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It would be nice if just 10% of the corps alumni gave $100 a year to the corps of their choice. Sadly drum corps have to work for every dollar they have, which is minus nothing at the end of the year. If DCI wants to control corps finances, I would like to see what their track record is on saving corps on the brink. I don't think that financial stability should determine whether you are World Class or Open, it is about what you put on the field.

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I don't think that financial stability should determine whether you are World Class or Open, it is about what you put on the field.

That's how it used to be. It led a major decline in drum corps due to poor financial management, as corps spent more money than they had to stay competitive. Do we really want more Magic of Orlando situations? The classification system in use now is FAR superior to the old-school way.

Edited by Kamarag
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What do you mean "share the wealth?" What wealth? Why should any organization that busts their ##### every year to balance their budgets give their hard earned dollars to another organization? Socialism doesn't work, especially in drum corps.

That's an awfully strong reaction to something that many professional sports leagues long ago realized was necessary to their competitiveness. Does the NFL practice "socialism"?

Does the existence of Colt Cadets and Blue Devils C anger you? Are you upset that the soviet agents who run Carolina Crown are leeching revenue off of an official Yamaha equipment reseller and an online ticketing company? Did you hit the minus button on the post detailing how Crossmen helped find alternative transportation for Teal the other day?

DCI is not a cutthroat all-or-nothing competition. Every corps in DCI benefits from every other corps in DCI. Fewer corps means fewer shows, fewer matched opponents, fewer potential audience members. If a corps shuts down, every other corps in DCI loses something. The smaller DCI gets, the *more* corps will need to share and help each other out.

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