5 ways to save DCI

[MikeD]

I'll come back to the point - if it's difficult to start up local corps, what is it to start up a DCI corps? Close to impossible, I would think. We will not be looking at touring or front ensemble for several years. The goal is to keep start up costs down and be financially sustainable. Our costs will be far less than the smallest DCI OC corps.

If you can accomplish that, more power to you! No quarrel from me. I do think that our geographic locations may make a big difference in the potential for success, given the number of band programs that exist.

If I understand you correctly - the HS bands are a poor source of members for OC corps. Wouldn't you think a local circuit corps would be a better springboard? The kids are already in the activity, no switchovers from ww to brass needed, and they actually look up to the OC corps as something to aspire to.

On a percentage basis, all sources are poor for OC and lower WC corps. Given 25,000 plus HS and thousands of colleges, almost all of them with some sort of music progams, how many choose to do drum corps at all? VERy few.

You don't seem to have that aspect in Canada, so maybe starting up a bunch of small local corps will have some chance of success. I just don't see it happening here given the available alternatives in scholastic programs. I'd rather focus on making sure that school programs remain strong, and suggest that those who want the summer experience go on to do a corps, be it WC or OC, based on the individual situation.

[Grandpa]

If you can accomplish that, more power to you! No quarrel from me. I do think that our geographic locations may make a big difference in the potential for success, given the number of band programs that exist.

Thanks - we will do our best. I can't live with the idea that my daughters were of the last generation to experience this activity.

On a percentage basis, all sources are poor for OC and lower WC corps. Given 25,000 plus HS and thousands of colleges, almost all of them with some sort of music progams, how many choose to do drum corps at all? VERy few.

You don't seem to have that aspect in Canada, so maybe starting up a bunch of small local corps will have some chance of success. I just don't see it happening here given the available alternatives in scholastic programs. I'd rather focus on making sure that school programs remain strong, and suggest that those who want the summer experience go on to do a corps, be it WC or OC, based on the individual situation.

So where is the disconnect here? With that many band kids, many of whom are in grade 9-10 and don't have a hope of making SCV, why are so few going to OC corps? Is it not marketed to the HS kids? Is it too expensive (some OC dues are crazy IMHO) or is it too much of a commitment? With the numbers you cite as a recruiting base your OC corps should be bulging at the seams.

[HockeyDad]

I saw the title of this thread and my first thought was, "Do I still have a job?"

I know, that's a little Boo-centric. But if I'm not, who will be?

Mrs. Boo?

[fsubone]

It was great to see many HS school busses show up at the Ogden, UT show. Does DCI get involved with each show staff weeks in advance to send a couple of tickets to each band director and offer the students half price tickets? Has DCI ever considered, during the school year, to reserve a local theatre on a Thursday night and again, weeks in advance, promote and charge a fair price to all HS/college band programs to view a video about what a drum corps Summer is like? Not too long, then close with the finals Blu-Ray video. You could have corps directors do a similar gig using a local HS/college auditorium. Either option would provide great coverage around the country. Getting the local print/electronic media involved could be a key with marketing.

I think it's more down to the show host and the show promoters to contact directors and set up the reduced ticket pricing for groups, not DCI. I'm sure with some shows, i.e. regionals or TOC, where DCI takes part in setting up the ticket structure, but I would think most of the time it's down to the people hosting the show to figure that kind of stuff out.

That's an interesting idea you have with the second part. Right now, DCI does the Tour Premiere thing in theatres, and the Quarterfinals broadcast. They did used to do the Countdown stuff in like March or April, but it's been moved to June. I would like to see them do something again during the school year, instead of summer. Even if it's individual corps hosting the events, that could be a cool idea.

Lots of times actually, local media in small towns will cover drum corps when they come to town. I remember being on local news in a few places in 2009 and this year, we were covered in newspapers, they would advertise for the corps coming to town and doing dress rehearsals, and after winning in 2008, I remember a few news articles run in the town the corps was based in about us taking home the title, including a local news story.

[fsubone]

Why do I continue to use examples. Maybe I over estimate peoples grasp of the situation..... smh

People say volunteer to help out. I work 50 hours, volunteered at the fire company for 35 years, have a daughterin college I got to pay for. When do I and most people have time to volunteer.

Donate, if I'm going to give money to a cause its going to be one thar benefits the most people or those that really need it. I'm not going to give money to a group of people that can pay thousands of dollars flying to practice and can afford to take a summer off. Yes I know everyone doesn't fly and are struggling to pay fees but my money goes to food banks and reading programs.

When I mentioned bringing their own instruments I was looking for a way to reduce the cost of start up. Without reducing cost their no future. Having budgers in the hundreds of thousands without a viable, stable income there is no activity.

Well, luckily for you, drum corps operates during the summer. Even if you go by the one day a corps is in your town, and work souvies, or work on their cook truck, it's helping. With many of these corps, finding volunteers is a challenge, especially at the lower levels of World and Open Class. Those corps would love to have someone who can come out and scrub pans for a day on the cook truck, or help sell shirts, or perform some maintenance on the RV. Whatever your specialized skill may be. I know many corps will take volunteers for anything, and if you have any kind of specialized skill like welding, or engine maintenance, or baking, or sewing, a corps will find something that needs to be done in that area.

You talk about not wanting to donate to DCI kids, then what gives you the right to complain about DCI dying? If you're not donating to help keep the corps afloat, then you're part of the problem. I can barely afford to pay my fees, I had to get family donations and sponsorships to do it, and the summer I wan't marching because of health problems, I scraped together some money to help someone else march because I wasn't. I figured if I couldn't experience the summer, someone else at least deserves to. This is one of those kinds of things where if you're not part of the solution, you're a part of the problem. That's great that you donate to food banks and reading programs, but DCI corps seem to be failing at an incredible rate, we just lost another corps this summer, because people didn't donate when they asked to. Since I'm now technically an age-out, I plan to put aside money every year to spread around to a few corps that I know need the income, whether or not they're where I marched, because it's better for drum corps as a whole. And I know how much of an impact DCI has had on my life, and I would absolutely hate to see someone else not get the chance to have that experience because they can't afford it or their corps of choice can't afford to exist anymore.

Edited July 26, 2012 by fsubone

[Rifuarian]

So where is the disconnect here? With that many band kids, many of whom are in grade 9-10 and don't have a hope of making SCV, why are so few going to OC corps? Is it not marketed to the HS kids? Is it too expensive (some OC dues are crazy IMHO) or is it too much of a commitment? With the numbers you cite as a recruiting base your OC corps should be bulging at the seams.

There are several interconnecting reasons. You're right when you say marketing and expense has something to do with it.

First, it has to do with the way band directors use drum corps. Drum corps is used as the ultimate example of what a marching performance should look like. Understandably, they focus on the best of the best. The kids are shown videos of the very top corps, while groups merely placing in the lower half of finals are overlooked - much less open class corps. When a kid decides to march corps, he or she often wants to march with the very best . . . or with no one. They go out for their dream corps, don't make it, and go home. I've seen it time and time again with the kids I sometimes work with, and my own friends and relations. You can talk to them about the experience until you're blue in the face, but ultimately it's the on-field product that attracts (which is understandable).

Lack of exposure is another problem. Where I grew up (and where I live now) there were many great Div I/World Class options within reach, but few Open Class options. Open class corps play fewer shows than WC, they're often at shows by themselves, and the shows that are most heavily attended by bands often have no OC corps at all. And band directors often show up late to shows, or have their kids wander the lot or souvie stands during the early part of shows. Indeed I've met a lot of directors who don't really know what OC is at all. Another problem: For the past decade (longer, really) the very best in OC corps have been concentrated on the coasts, and nowadays just the West Coast, which means much of the country never gets to see them at all. If more kids saw the likes of Oregon Crusaders or BDB it might make OC look like a better option.

Expense - Many OC corps have dues as high as WC corps. For some of these groups much of their money comes from dues, so this is necessity (and one of the reasons why they can be so unstable). The financial pressures on young people are pretty intense nowadays. I only marched a decade ago (and ended my DC career before I graduated high school), but tuition costs and corps dues are much higher today, having grown at well past the rate of inflation. Meanwhile the wages for your typical teenage job have stagnated, and those jobs can sometimes be much harder to come by. And even if they have parents willing to pay for it, well, adults are facing much greater financial pressure today as well. The upshot is that many kids and parents feel that if they are going to shell out the money to march a year of drum corps (and I think the percentage of kids who march just 1-2 years is much higher today than anytime in the past, though I can't prove it) they want to go for their dream corps. Or nothing. I've often found myself explaining why this is a mistake, but ultimately they're in the right.

Finally, with regards to band and band directors: Those kids that are motivated enough to out for drum corps, even the younger ones, are precisely the kind of kid these directors can't afford to lose for the summer. And the summer is a very critical time for even a modestly competitive band. So there is often, but certainly not always, some degree of discouragement on the part of band directors that prevents kids from marching early.

[Grandpa]

There are several interconnecting reasons.

snipped to save space.....

Great analysis - thank you. Very informative.

Edited July 26, 2012 by Grandpa

[MikeD]

So where is the disconnect here? With that many band kids, many of whom are in grade 9-10 and don't have a hope of making SCV, why are so few going to OC corps? Is it not marketed to the HS kids? Is it too expensive (some OC dues are crazy IMHO) or is it too much of a commitment? With the numbers you cite as a recruiting base your OC corps should be bulging at the seams.

You saw the marvelous post that covered a lot of what I think as well.

But...I'll make a few comments anyway!

Bang for the buck is a big one, that encompasses the quality of the corps show/performance and the cost of having that experience. Esp if the band is a decent competitive band...why spend all that time and $$$$ to belong to a group that is only marginally better than the band, if it even is better?

IMO kids today are looking at DCI corps as the equivalent marching ensemble to the all-state concert programs, so they only want to be with the best.

I know our band kids work their tails off between MB and their other commitments, so I don't see the amount of work being an issue, esp in the summer.

[SCVCRNMOM]

Well, I might be able to help shine a little light on this topic with my daughter's story. I had no idea there was a DCI. No clue. My daughter did not think she was good enough to even think of trying out for any kind of DCI corps world or open. Then SCV and SCVC came to our high school, and we hosted a DCI show for two years in a row. My daughter attended every practice, we baked cookies, and we helped the kitchen crews. Last year a hole opened in the trumpet section, and our band director was contacted by SCVC and asked if he knew of a player who could fill it. He suggested my daughter and she made it onto the trumpet line. She is on SCVC again this year and will be in DCI until she ages out because she loves it. My daughter was the first from our area to join SCVC. Now we have 5 kids in SCVC from our area, and many in our HS band going to shows to watch them! This never would have happened without that first show. I wish more kids in HS band from my area, the central coast of CA, could see a DCI corps. Around here they may not know they exist or think they can make it onto a corps. We are a huge untapped market and talent pool. Look at what happened here we went from 1 kid involved in corps to 5. SCV is thinking about having another show here. I sure hope they do.