Will The G7 Split From DCI?

[mingusmonk]

b) If they created full-blown entertainment groups to generate revenue in the for-profit free-market to go up against Blast, Stomp, and Blue Man I believe that they would have to spend way too much time maintaining those groups it would cause the rehearsal time for the 'competitive' shows to drop, which in turn would cause the 'competitive' quality to also drop.

Who says they have to go against Blast or Stomp?

BD Entertainment's current footprint is not limited to providing drums and colorguard for music videos and Glee. They operate various units across the land. The Indianapolis Colts drumline is a BD Entertainment venture. They write the checks and ensure equipment and logistics. And I am sure the Colts aren't the only one outside of the west coast ran by BDE.

Edited November 19, 2012 by mingusmonk

[BOBSMYTH]

Maybe I'm the only one who thinks this, but maybe Dan Acheson should step down from his position in favor of someone who will be better suited to handle the situation and actually lead through it. To me, Dan's "leadership" has been weak, at best, over the past few years, trying to turn a blind eye to whats going on. I could be wrong, because I don't know all of what is going on behind the scenes, but from what I do know, it doesn't seem like he's really trying to do much.

Also, Hopkins has needed to step down as the director of the Cadets, and possibly as CEO of YEA! for quite some time now, as well.

Maybe its just me thinking this?

It is not just you. There are 7 corps directors who are thinking just like you.

Flashback - May 2010:

When the then DCI Board of Directors was dominated by representatives of the G7 and the G7 proposal was presented to them, they voted to move it forward to study it and presumably to recommend its implementation. That was step 1.

Step 2 - at that same meeting, the very next thing they did was vote to fire Dan. They did this becaue they knew that he was standing in their way of a complete coup.

Reaction - the rest of the voting membership recalled that Board for not representing the best interests of the activity as a whole. Once the new Board was seated, their first act was to override the previous Board's decision regarding Dan.

Conclusion: Dan is not the problem. He has been "leading through it". The current Board and the majority of the corps directors believe that he is the right man for the job. Don't take my word for it. Just look at their actions.

[bawker]

Seriously, though, if I'm Dan . . .the directors should be out now. All of this back-room stuff that's come out over the past few days just shows the "I got mine" mentality at work, and means that no compromise will ever satiate these folks undying need to be the loudest voice in the room.

My advice: Get out. Get out and prove that little Timmy wants clarinets and a three ring circus instead of being knocked on his ### by a wall of sound. So many times we've seen the lament from Hop's blog of "if only we could do "X" on the field" or "gosh, we don't market ourselves the right way".

Now you can, and you don't even have to share any of those yummy marching band dollars with your poor, poor friends from Atlanta, Madison or Boston. Sure hope you guys can deliver logistically and financially right from the get-go and that people don't get tired of seeing the same seven "bands" over and over again. Never mind how close YEA! and Phantom have come to being broke recently . . .somehow that's all DCI's fault and going to a smaller pool of shows/exhibitions in the "USBA" will fix things. :tongue:/>

The resultant mess from the seven "top" corps leaving may destroy DCI and the "G7" both in the process, but I'd rather not see Gibbs, Hop and Co. rot it from the inside over the next few years by trying to turn into their personal promotion machine and kill it anyway.

DCI has enough name recognition that things can be fixed eventually, whether it's a merge with DCA and a regional latticework of shows that would support things, or some other way.

I'm just ready for these big fish . . .in a very, very small pond . . .to put up, or shut up. To wear out the cliches in this post: talk is cheap, folks. This has been kicked around for so many years, and in so many different ways by George and company (anyone remember the 1997 Scott Stewart / Hop debate that was in Drum Corps World?) that it's become just empty chest-thumping at this point.

Pull the trigger.

[Michael Boo]

I have a dream that someday the entire activity will be run by adults.

[bawker]

I have a dream that someday the entire activity will be run by adults. :ph34r:/>

+1

[Dave]

I have a dream that someday the entire activity will be run by adults. :ph34r:/>

Indeed. A plus one to you, sir.

[jonnyboy]

The G7 didn't die a few seasons ago, not even for ten seconds. The TOC was a compromise, but the G7 movers and shakers kept working on the concept. This is what happens when your livelihood depends on drum corps, you spend your days hatching plans to beat people on the field and off.....at no expense. For all intents and purposes there is a handful of people that wake up in the morning and put their pants on to head to a drum corps office. They either work for DCI or a G7 corps. The rest of the world does something else with their day, and dreams of corps during lunch, breaks, nights and weekends. The American dream is to come in first place, makes lots of money, beat your competition and make a lasting legacy. There is nothing wrong with that, but when a handful of peoples idea of a job conflicts with ten of thousands of peoples idea of a fun pastime.....we have a problem.

I've posted this before, along with the disclaimer that I have no real insight into how this corps world works, but here are some ideas (old man shaking fist rant begins):

Make marching musics major league a real League. DCI sets the rules, let's pay the DCI office to run the whole show. Corps will still do what they do, but DCI will dictate miles traveled, days of practice, winter camp and summer days of practice etc. One weekend a month for winter, every weekend in May, move in June sometime. Tour July and two weeks of August. etc. End the arms race of millions of miles and exorbitant travel expenses.

In the newly organized League offer membership to all, but deny membership to those that don't want to sign on. I suspect we might lose a few G7 corps at first, oh well. Maybe The Cadets and Devils will try something for a while....who cares. Change is good. Personally I feel Gibbs and/or Hop could disappear from the scene and the whole would be better for it.

Merge with DCA could be a possibility, but that would entail DCA going pc a tiny bit. You simply can't have beer drinking in the lot and cig smoking while playing your horn in a youth activity of today. Not my mores, but societies. No merger no biggy....just a thought.

Is it really fun to have a show in MetLIfe? Finals should be in a venue the suits a world championship, but most other shows can be at big high schools or small colleges. DCI is already pretty good at this. We have plenty of people that know how to run shows and work with school systems, lets be better at it. Help any organization that wants a show, make it a money maker! Why pay the G7 for new uniforms, 11 vehicle convoys and full time staffs? Put some money into show hosts and host schools. Make people clamor to have a show in their home town. Maybe in a perfect world...I'm a dreamer.

The bottom line is that we cut the cancer. The means a few individuals or groups.....before they kill the whole thing for the rest of us.

Edited November 19, 2012 by jonnyboy

[Jeff Ream]

Have you heard this rumor as well?

Oh yeah, that rumor has been floating for a while now, and it'sa no brainer given the ties between YEA and the City of Allentown to look at it. However, the City has longer ties with DCI, and my hunch is if you look at it economically it makes more sense for the city to run their current two day event with DCI than a one day event with TOC/Music In Motion/whatever they will call it.

Why?

More hotel rooms sold, more restaraunts filled, more people going to Dorney etc for a 2 days event. I mean many people who live within driving distance get hotel rooms to stay for the weekend for the event as it is.

[garfield]

This is what happens when your livelihood depends on drum corps, you spend your days hatching plans to beat people on the field and off.....at no expense. For all intents and purposes there is a handful of people that wake up in the morning and put their pants on to head to a drum corps office. They either work for DCI or a G7 corps.

We have plenty of people that know how to run shows and work with school systems, lets be better at it. Help any organization that wants a show, make it a money maker! Why pay the G7 for new uniforms, 11 vehicle convoys and full time staffs? Put some money into show hosts and host schools. Make people clamor to have a show in their home town. Maybe in a perfect world...I'm a dreamer.

Oh, the irony!

Here's one pure fact:

And the fact is that many, many 'local' shows are nicely profitable and supporting a myriad of local programs from school music programs and athletic fields (like ours) to service organizations and groups not connected to music at all. Many band programs that have never heard of drum corps are nicely rewarded, even as the actual volunteers who organize, advertise, and man these shows take NO PAY what-so-ever.

If you'll review the G7 presentation of 2010 you'll find that one of their prime contentions is that the local show producers should NOT be profiting from drum corps shows. Only drum corps (and, in their view, only a select few drum corps) should be profiting from drum corps shows.

It is the pot of money that local show hosts make that is one of the targets of the G7, along with the Friends program and others.

One of the flaws in your model, johnnyboy, is that DCI schedules shows within the confines of the tour schedules of each of the touring corps. It's a sad fact that the number of shows is limited by the physical ability to get enough corps down the road.

Just imagine how difficult it will be to schedule a tour made up of just 7 corps!

If the whole mess weren't so depressing, the idea itself would be just laughable.

Edited November 19, 2012 by garfield

[Jeff Ream]

I asked a simple question and a simple Yes would have sufficed; but I guess that I touched a nerve. Sorry I questioned your Woodward type prowess and Bernstein type ability.

Stu,

Simple questions from you that get simple answers that begat even more questions, and accusations about integrity. So, I threw it all out there, because really, it shut you up.

Normally, I'm all about getting red marks, but to see you have no comeback was worth the potential green marks