Is DCI broken?

[HBD]

Does the Directors of DCI currently have the responsiblility to varify a corps financial stability each year?

It might be a good idea from now on if it isnt in place already.

[Jeffe77]

There's regional model already existing in DCI, in California with a good portion of open class corps opting to tour nationally or not. For example City Sound, Impulse will tour only in California performing in 7 shows. However VK and Gold will opt to compete at prelims. I think we should bring back DCI regions with existing and new corps competing in them. Once that is done, corps that can financially go on national tour or go to prelims can do so.

Pacific Crest is a good example, since their inception in 1994, they toured in California only until 2000, when they started to tour to San Antonio. Then I believe in 2001 moved to Division I (World Class). Starting then they gradually did more shows over time.

Here's a thought, DCI Pacific, DCI East, DCM, DCI South, etc. Corps in these regions compete from mid June to 1st week of July within their respective regions. Each region can have a corps from the other 3 regions to compete within the regional portion of the tour, like in 1994 when BD went back east or Phanton this year. At this point, the breakdown would be 8 corps in the West and MidWest, and 3 in the East and 4 in the South.

My whole point is that it will create potentially more shows in a particular region, then smaller corps have more shows to compete in for 3 weeks, with bigger corps there. This is especially could be the case out West and the Mid-West. My thinking is that it may alleviate the pressure to tour nationally for those corps that may have some financial difficulty. And maybe more corps could spring up knowing, that a 3 week 9 show tour is worth fielding a corps

I'm just blabbing now, just thoughts in reaction to Teal Sound's situation

Edited January 3, 2013 by Jeffe77

[actucker]

There's regional model already existing in DCI, in California with a good portion of open class corps opting to tour nationally or not. For example City Sound, Impulse will tour only in California performing in 7 shows. However VK and Gold will opt to compete at prelims. I think we should bring back DCI regions with existing and new corps competing in them. Once that is done, corps that can financially go on national tour or go to prelims can do so.

Pacific Crest is a good example, since their inception in 1994, they toured in California only until 2000, when they started to tour till San Antonio. Then I believe in 2001 moved to Division I (World Class). Starting then they gradually did more shows over time.

Here's a thought, DCI Pacific, DCI East, DCM, DCI South, etc. Corps in these regions compete from mid June to 1st week of July within their respective regions. Each region can have a corps from the other 3 regions to compete within the regional portion of the tour, like in 1994 when BD went back east or Phanton this year. At this point, the breakdown would be 8 corps in the West and MidWest, and 3 in the East and 4 in the South.

My whole point is that it will create potentially more shows in a particular region, then smaller corps have more shows to compete in for 3 weeks, with bigger corps there. This is especially could be the case out West and the Mid-West. My thinking is that it may alleviate the pressure to tour nationally for those corps that may have some financial difficulty. And maybe more corps could spring up knowing, that a 3 week 9 show tour is worth fielding a corps

I'm just blabbing now, just thoughts in reaction to Teal Sound's situation

I actually do think you have a point here. I think part of the genius of WGI is that there are smaller circuits underneath the national umbrella. Obviously that is largely due to the huge number of scholastic groups that never compete outside those smaller local circuits, but using that model as a jumping off point wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

[shostahoosier]

I thought DCI had a system in place to check the stability of corps.

This is awful for Teal Sound (specifically the kids) but I'm sure if there was even a chance that the corps couldn't finish the tour, they wouldn't have gone out this summer.

This is a recruiting and fundraising disaster for any organization!

[Gary Matczak]

Teal Sounding folding mid-tour is sad, but by definition, the ball had to have been dropped by both DCI and the Teal Sound board of directors for something like this to happen out of the blue DURING the DCI tour.

This sucks for everyone, including the show sponsors. But DCI should have been on top of this before it happened. If DCI is somehow "not" supposed to be aware of a bad financial condition of a member corps, then the DCI system is broken, and it should get out of the way of the activity before it kills it off.

Point of fact, those Teal Sound kids should have never went on tour. They should have had a chance to march somewhere else, -- in January. How many DCI age outs just had their last season of drum corps ruined?

I'm sorry, but this is low rent business organization at its finest. How many corps do we need to lose to wake up here?

Lee Rudnicki

Exactly what I have been saying all day,............like the NFL, the corps/teams compete to be champions, but are also in business together,............this cr@p is total and careless disregard,..................

[MarimbaManiac]

Is DCI to blame?

No, of course not.

However, when DCI requires a financial review of a corps in order for them to compete in world class, they take upon themselves the responsibility of making sure that a corps is financially viable enough to sustain an extended cross country tour. DCI puts themselves in the middle of a corps finances at that point, and puts themselves on the hook.

If they are going to do this initial review, they also need to do follow up reviews to make sure the newly promoted corps remains stable. Perhaps every 2 years for the first 4 years, and then every 3rd year after that. EVERY CORPS should have to undergo these types of reviews to maintain their world class status.

Maybe DCI doesn't feel they are responsible for the finances of every world class corps, however the MINUTE they required a financial review to move a corps up to world class, they took upon themselves the responsibility of financial oversight for these corps. They open the door, and have to take responsibility for extended review.

[HBD]

Is DCI to blame?

No, of course not.

However, when DCI requires a financial review of a corps in order for them to compete in world class, they take upon themselves the responsibility of making sure that a corps is financially viable enough to sustain an extended cross country tour. DCI puts themselves in the middle of a corps finances at that point, and puts themselves on the hook.

If they are going to do this initial review, they also need to do follow up reviews to make sure the newly promoted corps remains stable. Perhaps every 2 years for the first 4 years, and then every 3rd year after that. EVERY CORPS should have to undergo these types of reviews to maintain their world class status.

Maybe DCI doesn't feel they are responsible for the finances of every world class corps, however the MINUTE they required a financial review to move a corps up to world class, they took upon themselves the responsibility of financial oversight for these corps. They open the door, and have to take responsibility for extended review.

AMEN, and amen to Lee for starting this thread in the first place!

[Grandpa]

My question is to all the "short tour" haters...

Do you still think Mandarins, Academy and PC are going about taking care of themselves the wrong way now?

If there is anything broken with DCI it's the "el grande" touring model and super corps.

I certainly want to see SCV, BD etc continue to be the apex of the activity but we really need to have affordable, local circuit alternatives.

[bawker]

Is DCI to blame?

No, of course not.

However, when DCI requires a financial review of a corps in order for them to compete in world class, they take upon themselves the responsibility of making sure that a corps is financially viable enough to sustain an extended cross country tour. DCI puts themselves in the middle of a corps finances at that point, and puts themselves on the hook.

If they are going to do this initial review, they also need to do follow up reviews to make sure the newly promoted corps remains stable. Perhaps every 2 years for the first 4 years, and then every 3rd year after that. EVERY CORPS should have to undergo these types of reviews to maintain their world class status.

Maybe DCI doesn't feel they are responsible for the finances of every world class corps, however the MINUTE they required a financial review to move a corps up to world class, they took upon themselves the responsibility of financial oversight for these corps. They open the door, and have to take responsibility for extended review.

+1'ed.

I think that we've seen enough groups fold. We are at a point that there are few enough corps total that this type of annual (or semi-annual) review is warranted.

Might that mean that a "big name" corps might be put on a certain amount of probation from traveling? Possibly.

However, it's better than losing them a few years down the road because the house of cards couldn't sustain itself.

One thing I don't think we know enough about (and I hope the Community might be able to shed some light on) is . . . who are the folk(s) tasked with checking the financial solvency of the corps organization? Not so that we can point fingers, but in order to ascertain if there might be a better way.

Is there an independent review of a corps financial statement and books by this person (or persons)? Are they outside of the DCI org? If not, should an objective third party be involved in such an endeavor?

Perhaps this off season, instead of throwing out Rules Congress stuff for the on-the-field product, we need to shore up the other 99% of what drum corps is . . .behind the scenes . . .in order to keep the activity going. Legalizing flying monkeys won't do anyone any good if you don't have the money to get them down the road.

Writing that kind of stuff . . .and hashing it out . . .is about as exciting as watching paint dry, but there are enough good minds in the activity that something good could come out of such a conversation.

I'd love to see a set of standards (if one isn't already in place) to help corps, DCI and others decide if they're ready for the cross-country grind. Of course, there is no one size fits all solution, but I have to think there are at least some guidelines that can be put together for fledgling (and established) groups.

[Toby]

+1'ed.

I think that we've seen enough groups fold. We are at a point that there are few enough corps total that this type of annual (or semi-annual) review is warranted.

Might that mean that a "big name" corps might be put on a certain amount of probation from traveling? Possibly.

However, it's better than losing them a few years down the road because the house of cards couldn't sustain itself.

One thing I don't think we know enough about (and I hope the Community might be able to shed some light on) is . . . who are the folk(s) tasked with checking the financial solvency of the corps organization? Not so that we can point fingers, but in order to ascertain if there might be a better way.

Is there an independent review of a corps financial statement and books by this person (or persons)? Are they outside of the DCI org? If not, should an objective third party be involved in such an endeavor?

Perhaps this off season, instead of throwing out Rules Congress stuff for the on-the-field product, we need to shore up the other 99% of what drum corps is . . .behind the scenes . . .in order to keep the activity going. Legalizing flying monkeys won't do anyone any good if you don't have the money to get them down the road.

Writing that kind of stuff . . .and hashing it out . . .is about as exciting as watching paint dry, but there are enough good minds in the activity that something good could come out of such a conversation.

I'd love to see a set of standards (if one isn't already in place) to help corps, DCI and others decide if they're ready for the cross-country grind. Of course, there is no one size fits all solution, but I have to think there are at least some guidelines that can be put together for fledgling (and established) groups.