Could a Change in Show Design Help Alleviate Financial Problems?

[Fran Haring]

It isn't a big deal that corps can't sustain themselves through performances, merchandising and direct revenues at this stage. This is true of all arts. Donations also aren't the answer as these are hard to get, tough to keep and offer no predictability. The answer is simple new for profit businesses that throw off cash to the orgs.

OK... now I fully understand what you were saying. And I agree. Had a conversation earlier this evening with a friend on this very idea that you have brought up.

[perc2100]

I'm talking revenue streams that have ZERO connection to marching or music world, and several of them in very different areas.

The difficulty in this, I think, is that it takes time for a business to grow to profitability: not just a year or even two. I wonder how man corps have the income capital to not only continue to support their own endeavors (be it Cadets + Cadets2 + YEA, or even just, say, Crossmen) ON TOP OF financially supporting a business from start-up to profitability. The reason why Star was successful with this, is because they had a huge benefactor that knows business and was able to financially support everything to profitability: I think Mr. Cook said that it took quite a long time for the businesses to turn a profit and contribute to Star. I'm not sure many corps have the capital to support a business for as long as it would take for the business to turn a profit and be able to financially contribute to the corps. It would be more wise for a start-up corps to start a business before the field a competitive corps: that would give them the time to nurture the business and then field a corps (and take on the expenses) once the business is profitable and able to financially contribute.

A buddy and I have talked about doing this for a WGI unit (where I think it would be MUCH easier to do). You could purchase a convenience store, or a storage facility with low(ish) overhead, have members work the business in exchange for lowered tour fees, and then put the profits towards the unit. With the huge expenses of a drum corps, you would need to own a larger business (Star's bus company is such a genius idea for a drum corps business).

The G7 proposal was talking about corps payouts being INCREASED to $3,000. Most of the time that doesn't even cover the cost of fuel from one place to another.

The HS I teach at has huge expenses just to get to a competition. For us, four buses of members to an in-county competition = $2,000 alone. To pay a driver for the tractor trailer is around $500-$750 depending on the time commitment, and renting a U-haul type truck for other equipment is another $250-$500. So that $3000 payout would barely/not even cover the expenses for my high school band for one performance. If you factor in all the other costs of a corps, clearly performance fee payouts don't do much to contribute to expenses.