Save the Glassmen

[NewSkool]

This is how you ask for help. Up front and before bad things happen. No drama, no finger pointing. Thank you Glassmen. You'll definitely be receiving a donation from this fan.

[Tim K]

I hope for the best for the Glassmen. I agree with the poster who mentioned that less than 2% of drum corps fans could find fault with the Glassmen. When they used to be more regular visitors to the Boston area they always seemed friendly and that didn't seem to change when I visited the souvenir booths at Allentown and Indy last summer and watched them rehearse before the parade. Come to think of it, Bluecoats are also very friendly. Must be something in the water that the Ohio corps drink.

The fact that the corps realizes this in October rather than on the road is a good sign of credible leadership. Glassmen may not be the only corps in this predicament. BINGO is no longer lucrative in places where casinos are a bus ride away. This is nothing new. It's not a coincidence that more than a few Northeast drum corps that were funded by BINGO folded when casinos opened in Atlantic City. In the mid 1980's there was a bus that left daily for Atlantic City from Wonderland in Revere. Wonderland is a stone's throw away from where the 27th Lancers held their BINGO. Crowds dwindled more when smoking was not allowed in public places. The same is probably happening in the Mid-west today. Drum corps also have to compete for funds from corporate sponsors who want "bang for their buck" from donations. $10,000 could be better spent funding a summer recreation league that has 1,000 participants than a corps with only 150 members. The recreation program would be viewed as a greater good, and given the budget of a drum corps, perhaps a more worthy cause. One thing Glassmen have in the favor column is an excellent reputation and a long history.

I know many people have high hopes for the Glasmen next season. I remember seeing a huge improvement between Allentown and Indy for the corps and wondered if the season had been as little as a week longer whether Glassmen would have been nipping at a finals position. Longtime fans would love to see the Glassmen of the late 90's early 2000's return. While we can't make musical choices, staff selection, or design plans for the corps, our support will determine whether there will be a next year for Glassmen.

[elmhurstmusiced]

I sure do hope that they can pull this off. I have ALWAYS loved the Glassmen.

I wonder often though, if it would help many of these corps if they could maybe get some of their staff/designers to write and teach at a lower fee.

I know when I was marching with a little corps form Dane County, Wisconsin, that our corps director, who is now running a corps with people in Kilts, had a staff full of alums that basically worked for the love of the corps and activity. This might save some money.

I also wonder when I see corps using copyrighted music all the time, the fees are outrageous. Many corps-like Madison in 2012, and the Glassmen themselves back in 1995 have used public domain music and that might also help.

I know that there are many facets to these problems, I guess I am wondering out loud how often these types of things are taken into consideration.

I mean, I am sure the Glassmen could find some very quality designers and staffers that would work for next to nothing or even free.

Couple that with hot shot planning, and I think they could reduce their operating budget to well below the $850,000 mark.

When I first started teaching I had a budget of $3,000 and had to run an entire HS music program. Might not sound difficult, but my kids had the same type of experience as groups that had $200,000 operating budgets.

Just some thoughts.

[Iplaytimpani]

I sure do hope that they can pull this off. I have ALWAYS loved the Glassmen.

I wonder often though, if it would help many of these corps if they could maybe get some of their staff/designers to write and teach at a lower fee.

I know when I was marching with a little corps form Dane County, Wisconsin, that our corps director, who is now running a corps with people in Kilts, had a staff full of alums that basically worked for the love of the corps and activity. This might save some money.

I also wonder when I see corps using copyrighted music all the time, the fees are outrageous. Many corps-like Madison in 2012, and the Glassmen themselves back in 1995 have used public domain music and that might also help.

I know that there are many facets to these problems, I guess I am wondering out loud how often these types of things are taken into consideration.

I mean, I am sure the Glassmen could find some very quality designers and staffers that would work for next to nothing or even free.

Couple that with hot shot planning, and I think they could reduce their operating budget to well below the $850,000 mark.

When I first started teaching I had a budget of $3,000 and had to run an entire HS music program. Might not sound difficult, but my kids had the same type of experience as groups that had $200,000 operating budgets.

Just some thoughts.

There's a few things in here that I would like to point out. While I know you're merely thinking out loud, much of what you're saying is already the case.

I know many on the Glassmen staff. I can guarantee you, not a single one of them is there for the money. Many of them do work for nothing, and those that are paid, are definitely underpaid for what they actually do. I believe that to be true with any drum corps staff really. As a band director yourself, you should know on your own scale how underpaid you were. Now multiply that by the same difference of band to drum corps, and you're in the ballpark.

As far as using public domain, it still needs to be properly arranged. The Glassmen had a lot of original music by Key Poulan and Rob Ferguson this year, that not only worked incredibly well in my opinion, but was new material. Even if they were using public domain, someone still is arranging this for a top level drum corps. That's not a project for a college kid looking to get their feet wet. Even with that, I'm sure they are taking less money than they probably deserve for their work.

The biggest factor in the operating budget is traveling safely and taking care of the members. This is something that when it's not done to the highest degree, corps keep strung up by the neck. The Glassmen have ALWAYS been and will always be a MEMBER FIRST organization. That is why they've come forward now asking for help, not mid-season as the busses are about to pull away and leave people stranded. The corps simply needs help. It's learning to refocus it's fundraising with the loss of a very successful Bingo and Monte Carlo operation. But in it's own learning, it needs help. That's where us, the drum corps fan, comes in.

[Pete Freedman]

...

I mean, I am sure the Glassmen could find some very quality designers and staffers that would work for next to nothing or even free.

Couple that with hot shot planning, and I think they could reduce their operating budget to well below the $850,000 mark.

When I first started teaching I had a budget of $3,000 and had to run an entire HS music program.

...

I think they are already relying on volunteers:

We have stayed afloat by reducing operating costs, utilizing generous volunteers, and, unfortunately, securing loans.

I suspect the big budget is primarily due to transportation costs. Your high school music program was presumably provided with free practice space and free transportation, when needed. These are the big costs for a drum corps. Still, your points are good ones.

[actucker]

I sure do hope that they can pull this off. I have ALWAYS loved the Glassmen.

I wonder often though, if it would help many of these corps if they could maybe get some of their staff/designers to write and teach at a lower fee.

I know when I was marching with a little corps form Dane County, Wisconsin, that our corps director, who is now running a corps with people in Kilts, had a staff full of alums that basically worked for the love of the corps and activity. This might save some money.

I also wonder when I see corps using copyrighted music all the time, the fees are outrageous. Many corps-like Madison in 2012, and the Glassmen themselves back in 1995 have used public domain music and that might also help.

I know that there are many facets to these problems, I guess I am wondering out loud how often these types of things are taken into consideration.

I mean, I am sure the Glassmen could find some very quality designers and staffers that would work for next to nothing or even free.

Couple that with hot shot planning, and I think they could reduce their operating budget to well below the $850,000 mark.

When I first started teaching I had a budget of $3,000 and had to run an entire HS music program. Might not sound difficult, but my kids had the same type of experience as groups that had $200,000 operating budgets.

Just some thoughts.

Do you find yourself in the habit of taking on enormous projects at a large discount or for free? I'm guessing probably not. Why should the designers or staff take a pay cut? Instructional staffs are already wildly underpaid for the amount of work they put in, typically making their living off of scholastic programs that can afford to pay better, all for "the love of the activity". Its one thing to love what you do, but at the end of the day, you have to make a living.

You get what you pay for.

Edited October 21, 2012 by actucker

[HockeyDad]

An $850,000 operating budget. Wow. And I bet Glassmen's operating budget is lower than a lot of others, too. For example, the California corps, and the corps at and near the top of the top 12.

There's something seriously wrong with the business model of DCI. If they even have a business model. Every time we get into this someone chimes in with, why should corps "A" help corps "B", it's every corps for themselves. If that's how it goes, and corps bingo operations are drying up all over the nation (due to competition from the growth of casinos, or unfavorable state laws, or both?), then the only possible result of this drum corps arms race is you'll have only 6 or 8 corps around no too far in the future.

Sad. The plea for money addresses the symptoms, not the causes. It's not sustainable, even if 300k is raised for this year. Next year it will be 400k, and so on. Don't mean to be a downer but, wow, this is sad.

[Corbin]

Do you find yourself in the habit of taking on enormous projects at a large discount or for free? I'm guessing probably not. Why should the designers or staff take a pay cut? Instructional staffs are already wildly underpaid for the amount of work they put in, typically making their living off of scholastic programs that can afford to pay better, all for "the love of the activity". Its one thing to love what you do, but at the end of the day, you have to make a living.

You get what you pay for.

If corps continue to fold and consequently the available DCI positions gets smaller, then some may be left with no positions that currently have them. Getting what you pay for assumes that anyone can pay for you. If corps continue to fold at the rates they have in the last several years, few will have positions in any corps.

[soccerguy315]

this sucks. DCI isn't going to last much longer like this...

[drumcorpsfever]

More Than An Annual Budget

I suspect the Glassmen's issues go beyond an annual operating budget. As mentioned by the official word from the corps, loans are owed from previous dealings. At least one previous fund-raiser was a flop - a house raffle the corps had a few years ago during the height of the real estate crash is one example. Also, expenses incurred during the 2010 season with a broken down, corps-owned bus in the middle of tour didn't help either. Certainly the loss of revenue from bingo and Monte Carlo is a valid reason. However, up-keep and maintenance costs on TWO old buildings (G-West and G-East) have much to do with the financial strain as well.

I also find it somewhat telling in the Glassmen website annoucement that "David Stinson, our Interim Executive Director, has been going through our finances with a fine-toothed comb. Dave, who is working without pay through the end of this calendar year, has determined that we will receive $550,000 from members, DCI appearance fees, and fund-raisers, but our anticipated annual operating budget is over $850,000. This leaves us with a gap of $300,000."

Has this come as a revelation to the board? If so, then perhaps improved budget oversight will be in order.

--------------------------------------------------

The Cup Is Half Full

There's a possible silver lining in the dark cloud hovering over the corps: It's a new day, new leadership, and a real commitment to dealing with the financial issues of the past in order to move the corps solidly into the future. I don't think the sky is falling on the Glassmen or on DCI. The reality is that the success of a drum corps and the success of a prosperous business share similar operating principles. Drum corps must have a solid business foundation in order to sustain success. Every successful corps requires a business-minded leader. That's the reality of modern drum corps. There's an opportunity here!

The best possible outcome is dig out of the mess they're in, restore the financial foundation of the corps, and develop a sustainable business model to ensure the continued success of this storied DCI corps.

As someone stated earlier, we don't want to lose a 50-year, 16-time finalist drum corps. This is wonderful corps that truly provides it's members with "An Experience of Lifetime". Please do what you can to support the Glassmen!

To The Glassmen

I commend the Glassmen's new leadership in coming forth with their budget issues now. Hopefully they will be in the position to provide a positive update PRIOR to auditions. As part of the $550,000 is from members, the corps will need to field as close to a full membership in 2013 in order to meet this revenue goal.

One of the first things I'll do tomorrow when I get the chance, is to find out if my employer has the Gmen listed in our matching gifts program. Either way, I will make my donation to the corps tomorrow.

Edited October 23, 2012 by drumcorpsfever