garfield Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 USBands, formerly USSBA is more along the "idea" that I've presented. It's cheaper and more accessible than BOA in my opinion. Garfield, I presented an idea. You've presented a dinosaur RAAAAWWWRRR that is pessimistic at best and offer no solution of your own other than the sky is falling in the drumcorps world. By all means, what do you suggest? I mean I don't like all of George Hopkins ideas, but to his credit...at least he has the cajones to try something every once in a while. He doesn't stand around and complain about things and then do nothing Yes, and many directors trusted his ideas. Look how that ended. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCImonkey Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Dinos in Dublin....sounds like an awesome show title! :) I think I'll go next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCImonkey Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Yes, and many directors trusted his ideas. Look how that ended. Touche' Not all his ideas were bad though..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 DCI needs to go to a WGI model. Most American HS bands are not BOA quality but nonetheless, many are competitive. If we make an AFFORDABLE standard circuit for these bands to compete on, (yes BOA I said AFFORDABLE), under the DCI umbrella, these bands will serve where many of your former Open Class corps served. I'm thinking Scholastic Marching Band divisions, Independent Marching Band Division, Independent Drum Corps, hell even Scholastic Drum Corps..... More bands buying into the circuit creates: A) New fans B) Puts butts in the seats C) Brings school systems on board supporting a new competitive endeavor for their marching bands D) Provides show sponsors to make the Regional touring model a feasible possibility again. As far as school boards not wanting to host corps. This may be true, but working in the school system I know 1 thing that is a fact. School Administrators work ALL SUMMER. They have the A/C on ALL SUMMER while they work. ....and the PRINCIPAL of a school makes 100% of the decisions related to his or her campus BY LAW. Not the school board. The Superintendent might have some say, but some elected ##### has NO say over the day to day dealings of the principal. (Yes, did I say I worked in public education) Really Monkey, I'd like for you to expound on this idea... DCI creates Scholastic, Independent MB, and Independent DC division, even Scholastic Drum Corps. How is this done? Is your complaint that BOA's competition fees are too expensive and that DCI could run the circuit more cost effectively? So DCI should partner with BOA to put them out of business? So DCI is then running band circuits. How do you create drum corps out of that? Schools pay for it? Do you think GH will like DCI competing with his USBands circuit? How do you get his support when he has no respect for DCI's ability to run a drum corps circuit, let alone a marching band circuit (cutting his revenues)? I'd prefer you throw out whole thoughts and solutions instead of just headline ideas that someone else has to figure out how to actually accomplish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Kamarag.... Do you think there is any model that could include both scholastic bands and drumcorps that could work "feasibly" in your opinion since you have experience doing both? That's a great question. I'm not sure how it would serve both activities, especially given how incredibly different they both are. I'm also not sure there's a need to serve both. But... Regional band associations do a great job with the marching band (and some with indoor) seasons. Would they be a feasible way to oversee a regional drum corps model? I think they'd do a better job than DCI does, that's for sure. In fact, it might be better to use those associations, like USBands, or Tournament of Bands (in the Northeast anyway). Since USBands is part of YEA, I'm not sure that's the most objective way to go. But using regional associations would allow DCI corps to return to the old regional model without reinventing things from scratch. To continue the example, there's no reason to bring back Drum Corps East or the Garden State circuits when you have several regional models already in place, including DCA. I do believe you're going to see in influx of corps into DCA over the next few years, as DCI Open Class corps find a new performance outlet and with the possibility of new C2-like corps from existing DCI organizations. If nothing more, it's certainly an interesting thought exercise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCImonkey Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I'm thinking about butts in seats. What creates butts in seats more than having more performing groups? So we go to North Carolina for instance.... Scholastic Class A: George Carlin HS Marching Band Myrtle Beach HS Marching Band Danville VA HS Marching Band Scholastic Open Big Time Charlotte HS Marching Band Big Time Fort Mill HS Marching Band Big Time Triangle Area Marching Band DCI Open Class Newly formed Virginia based Open Class corps Newly formed NC based open class corps Newly formed SC based open class corps Music City DCI World Class Carolina Crown Spirit of Atlanta Boston Crusaders of Florida --------------------------------- Then we go to Georgia and the scholastic bands all change but the STANDS are packed!! So the only thing you would have to do is ENTICE bands to have camp as soon as school gets out, put their fall shows together and compete at a handful of regional events in their area. World Class corps can stay closer to home without having to travel all over God's earth to have enough competing units to have a successful show. Independent corps receive appearance fees, and marching bands pay appearance fees. What's in it for the bands? More adjudication opportunity before the fall.....more time to clean the show because you'll have to learn it early. A chance for kids to compete ON THE SAME FIELD as their DCI counterparts. Big show revenues for schools and DCI. What does DCI do? Sanction the show, secure the judges. That's all...they are a the sanctioning body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Look, for all the doomsday talk about DCI dying and not enough kids marching, I truly believe that DCI will be around for quite some time. I mentioend this before and I will state it again: from 1970 to 1989 the drum corps activity lost a LOT of corps. More than I can count. From 1990 to present we have lost many corps as well, but fewer than the 20-year period between 70 and 89. The industry has stabelized some. It's not perfect, and we will continue to lose some groups from time to time, but we also have some healthy organizations out there. If things were SO GREAT back in the day then why did so many corps die? Look, I am 47. My favorite decade was the 80s. In the 80s all I heard was the 70s were better. And people from the 70s tell me that all they heard was how the 60s were better. Perception being reality to each person and their taste, it stands to reason that we usually love drum corps most when we were younger, perhaps involved, and certainly when we were first introduced. I have worked hard to keep an open mind, and honestly I still love drum corps to this day. I see some things I don't care for, some things I do not understand, and I see policies and rules in place that baffle me at times, but that is to be expected. The argument about regionalization saving drum corps is a valid one and I believe it would work, but what stands in its way is not the national tour model of DCI, it's scholastic band. In particular it's the competitive bands that wish to occupy the summers of their students. This does not allow the student to get out of the school for a little (which I think is healthy) and to experience their passion in a different setting. BOA bands are some of the biggest culprits of this "lets offer drum corps right here in the school." As it is right now, growth in DCI will be minimal due to the cost of a national tour and the extreme cost to put a competitive product of that caliber on the field. As long as the drop-out rate is also minimal, then DCI should be fine as it currently is for quite some time, but it will be a very small niche activity. If DCI does want to grow, then there is NO DOUBT IN MY MIND that a regional tour model will have to take hold. Such a model can allow weekend corps to jump in at minimal cost, even if they are not the most competitive. Additionally, the TOC needs to die. Having a select group of elite corps is not the best model for a growing tour and certainly not for regionalization. It's fine if the status quo is good. What drum corps really need is people to work bingo, to help in other fundraising, to volunteer time in various areas like food, uniforms, helping to secure housing, educating school boards about the possibilities for students when a drum corps uses their facilities, and much more. All of us need to continue to donate money when we can, even just a few dollars here and there helps. This is the base infrastructure that is so crucial to keeping your local corps healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 So the only thing you would have to do is ENTICE bands to have camp as soon as school gets out, put their fall shows together and compete at a handful of regional events in their area. There is almost zero chance of that happening. The logistical nightmare of doing what you propose, moving the schedule far forward for bands will automatically cause most, if not all, to dismiss the idea immediately. Not to mention that if you did do this, you'd field bands so full of holes they'd need a Swiss cheese factory sponsorship. You're also discounting the fact that band directors need time off to decompress (for some, that's what drum corps is for), and you'd put a severe crimp on the staff of competitive bands. I know I'd never do that with my bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da_Expert_has_spoken Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I'm thinking about butts in seats. What creates butts in seats more than having more performing groups? So we go to North Carolina for instance.... Scholastic Class A: George Carlin HS Marching Band Myrtle Beach HS Marching Band Danville VA HS Marching Band Scholastic Open Big Time Charlotte HS Marching Band Big Time Fort Mill HS Marching Band Big Time Triangle Area Marching Band DCI Open Class Newly formed Virginia based Open Class corps Newly formed NC based open class corps Newly formed SC based open class corps Music City DCI World Class Carolina Crown Spirit of Atlanta Boston Crusaders of Florida --------------------------------- Then we go to Georgia and the scholastic bands all change but the STANDS are packed!! So the only thing you would have to do is ENTICE bands to have camp as soon as school gets out, put their fall shows together and compete at a handful of regional events in their area. World Class corps can stay closer to home without having to travel all over God's earth to have enough competing units to have a successful show. Independent corps receive appearance fees, and marching bands pay appearance fees. What's in it for the bands? More adjudication opportunity before the fall.....more time to clean the show because you'll have to learn it early. A chance for kids to compete ON THE SAME FIELD as their DCI counterparts. Big show revenues for schools and DCI. What does DCI do? Sanction the show, secure the judges. That's all...they are a the sanctioning body. Ive judged some of those bands... none of those are "big time" outside their state.. Fort Mill is decent, was a Bob Cotter band way back when and he got the ball rolling there... but SC bands are very competitive... heck, Dorman gives Crown a run for the money on show design and playing, definitely their percussion is better than crowns, but that's not hard to do... teee hee.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCImonkey Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 (edited) None of those bands I mentioned are real bands.....but thanks man. I made them all up. Edit...I guess there is a Myrtle Beach HS marching band but I'm just using generalizations. Edited August 8, 2012 by DCImonkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.