What happens next?

[cixelsyd]

My initial reaction to the MiM is not very positive.

I honestly don't see how seven corps can possibly sustain a tour on their own.

Neither do I. If the G7 were planning a whole different business/performance model (as different as Star vs. Blast), then we could talk. But all we see are plans for a separate drum corps circuit, with all the same expenses and challenges.

OTOH maybe there's no plan for a split. If the MiM corps continue to participate in the DCI tour, perhaps the world does not come crashing down on drum corps universe.

From a G7 standpoint, yes. As I asked on another thread, why should the G7 leave? They can run their own shows, make their own rules, set their own schedule, get double pay in the process, and still maintain their places in DCI which (knowingly or not) are the true source of their brand equity.

The TOC series proved to be a pretty successful idea. I really don't see those show affecting non-TOC corps very much

Hold on there. Where do you think the money for the G7 pay raise is coming from? That money comes out of the DCI revenue sharing pool. We already see this on the 990s. Revenue sharing payments are down. For the G7 corps (Cavaliers as an example), that pay raise in appearance money makes up for it. For the other corps, this is a massive pay cut in an already nasty economy. Historically, the lower corps (at least, the ones that have survived) have already been making do with less. Now we ask them to make do with less than less. How is that going to work?

So you ask how this will play out. Right now, it is starting to look like the G7 will eventually get their seven corps league whether they leave or not.

[craiga]

I have been giving this alot of thought recently, and while I have no insider information, public statements made by some of the G7 directors over the last three years may provide some clues....

1. I think they WILL in fact leave DCI in 2014

2. I think they also will morph themselves into a focused, touring group of performers, incorporating all kinds of scenery, special effects, woodwinds, other instrumentation, etc and perhaps even lead to a series of indoor venues, ala Cirque Du Solie or Stars on Ice.

3. They will continiue to audition and recruit potential members from the DCI ranks, but may have to change the tour fee-paying model into paying the performers, like Blast did.

4. I think they will be successful at this new performance venture for a time....but they will probably have to make it non-competitive to avoid the 5/6/7 place groups getting fed up with Mr. G and Mr. H.

5. BD, SCV, and Cadets will continue to field their "B" corps as part of DCI's World class.

DCI will survive and potentially thrive, because the BOD will continue to be comprised of corps directors who "get it".

I am actually at peace with all of this.

[bawker]

Dear G7:

[BRASSO]

3. They will continiue to audition and recruit potential members from the DCI ranks, but may have to change the tour fee-paying model into paying the performers, like Blast did.

.

If they pay the performers, then naturally there won't be 135 in each of the 7 G7 groups thats paid. Thats a revolving group each year of approx 940 performers total. Thats unlikely. Theres no revenue out there that'd support such payment to performers to this 900+ degree.Are they going to change the model to allow the ages to go up over 22 too ?

DCI 's concept of supplementing the young amateurs education during the school months, with a summer eeducational experience endeavor to improve his or her musical and marching skills is a proven successful model. There are needed chsanges to be made to fine tune and update the model.... of course. But it would be foolish that in the process of making neccessary changes, we threw the baby out with the bath water.

[mingusmonk]

I have been giving this alot of thought recently, and while I have no insider information, public statements made by some of the G7 directors over the last three years may provide some clues....

1. I think they WILL in fact leave DCI in 2014

2. I think they also will morph themselves into a focused, touring group of performers, incorporating all kinds of scenery, special effects, woodwinds, other instrumentation, etc and perhaps even lead to a series of indoor venues, ala Cirque Du Solie or Stars on Ice.

3. They will continiue to audition and recruit potential members from the DCI ranks, but may have to change the tour fee-paying model into paying the performers, like Blast did.

4. I think they will be successful at this new performance venture for a time....but they will probably have to make it non-competitive to avoid the 5/6/7 place groups getting fed up with Mr. G and Mr. H.

5. BD, SCV, and Cadets will continue to field their "B" corps as part of DCI's World class.

DCI will survive and potentially thrive, because the BOD will continue to be comprised of corps directors who "get it".

I am actually at peace with all of this.

I agree with the bulk of this prediction/assessment. Which means the biggest risk is with the single-unit corps making the jump. Bluecoats, Phantom, Cavaliers, Crown. Sure they might have a current winterguard or indoor drumline, but they are not nearly as diversified as BD Entertainment, YEA and even Vanguard. Scary stuff for those groups.

[mingusmonk]

Are they going to change the model to allow the ages to go up over 22 too?

Yes.

[BRASSO]

Somehow, I think a 7 headed monster will lead to conflict, power sharing issues and other assorted drama behind the scenes.

Absolutely. Within the G7 there will be the inevitable split over revenue sharing, costs incurred, reimbursements, what to do next, what to leave in, what to leave out, etc. There are some gigantic egos involved here, and like all cases, SOMEBODY within this 7 will emerge to drive things the way HE envisions things... andthe others will be along for the ride. But there are big egos in this 7, and I don't see the egos giving in to one single ego.

[craiga]

Absolutely. Within the G7 there will be the inevitable split over revenue sharing, costs incurred, reimbursements, what to do next, what to leave in, what to leave out, etc. There are some gigantic egos involved here, and like all cases, SOMEBODY within this 7 will emerge to drive things the way HE envisions things... andthe others will be along for the ride. But there are big egos in this 7, and I don't see the egos giving in to one single ego.

I agree, BRASSO. The more into the weeds you get, the more you realize the risk for the G7 groups in this is immense...far greater than the risk to DCI, imo. And, Mingus is correct...the risk is even more immense to corps like Crown, Bluecoats, PR, Cavies etc who are not as diversified as BD/Cadets/SCV.

All the remaining DCI corps need to worry about is what the always have....funding and show preparation. While both are significant, it's what THEY'VE been doing for years. These challenges are the devil they already know...

[perc2100]

my hunch is 2013 is a way to test the water. if they are running the MiM shows themselves, and don't see a ton of profit from them...they may dump the idea and go back to the TOC option as it was in 2011 and 2012.

I mean with MiM, they get all the money yes...but they pay all the bills. Somehow, I think a 7 headed monster will lead to conflict, power sharing issues and other assorted drama behind the scenes.

I agree with this. I think that these corps will have their cake & eat it too: they will have the MiM thing which will generate extra revenue for them, while competing in DCI. I think that the directors are smart enough to know that they need DCI, and that they can likely "hold DCI hostage," so to speak, because they know that likewise DCI needs them. It will be a symbiotic relationship, but I think the Music in Motion thing will coexist with DCI.

UNLESS...

The corps directors decide to completely change their format and turn into a hybrid of Blast! & drum corps: something that would offer several groups performing in venues where they can be more experimental with design elements (woodwinds, lighting, etc). The groups can maintain their identity and produce manageable shows because they wouldn't need to fill 90 minutes just on their own. Whereas Star did their brass theater and had to learn two hours of literature, seven corps could to 20 minute productions and still offer a full 2 hour show. Corps that want to really push the envelope with crazy design can, while corps who want to stay within the framework of drum corps also can.

I still think that route would likely break even, and possibly not make profit. It's fairly well documented how difficult it was for Star to remain financially viable with their brass theater stuff after they broke off from Canadian Brass, and without a large benefactor bankrolling the organization, I'm not sure that would've worked. Gibbs, Hopkins, etc. have connections, but NOTHING like Bill Cook.

I think it's more likely that they will test the waters with the Music in Motion shows this year, will continue to tweak the format a bit over the years, but will likely stay with DCI. In that instance, it's mostly win/win for fans, as they get to enjoy all of their favorite drum corps PLUS have the MiM format shows (or they can completely ignore those MiM format shows if they chose, and still enjoy SCV, et al in DCI competition). Corps have been experimenting with theater type shows for decades, and I think the MiM thing will end up being more like a joint theater-type production and not its own marching circuit.

The biggest question, IMO, is will the non-G7 corps lift the ideas and try something similar? Certainly the people behind Madison Scouts have plenty of experience doing that type of thing (Blast), have the connections, and could likely produce something pretty awesome. If Jim Mason got together with some of his colleagues in non-G7 corps to do something similar (again, while still doing DCI), imagine how awesome that landscape could be for us fans? We'd have the DCI shows, the MiM productions, and another organization of, say, Scouts, Crusaders, Spirit of Atlanta, and Blue Stars (just to pull corps out of a hat that have long traditions of excellence and crowd-pleasing shows) doing a similar "extra curricular" performance thing. We'd have more awesome drum corps than we'd know what to do with it!!

I also think it's highly possible that the MiM thing will be successful enough to be adapted by DCI, with the best ideas being implemented to the entire DCI member corps/infrastructure. It's possible that the MiM ideas that really are viable will be tested/proven with the MiM thing, and maybe DCI is letting Gibbs & Hopkins experiment on their own dime/free time so to speak, and when there is proof of concept DCI can jump on it, make nice with the G7 crew, and implement what works.

Who knows? It's easy to get offended by the "those jerks think they're better than everyone else" rhetoric, but on the flip side I actually think that there could be some awesome stuff come from this. The US Civil War was awful, but it brought about some pretty incredible/integral change to how our country does things. Perhaps this little revolt might help enact some great stuff to the activity and really push it in a positive direction once the dust settles, the smoke clears, and things are ironed out.

[dustyboo]

I think the show in Dekalb this year will be the one to watch and the G7 are probably using that as a gage at how well these shows may be attended in the future. For the past couple of years the TOC show in Rockford seems to have been a sucess. However, I would guess the majority of the people that went to that show were the local Rockford people that went to the 'Show of Shows'every year and didn't have any idea it was anything different than their annual corps show. Now with the MiM show not in Rockford, I think you will see the 'Show of Shows' crowd about the same as it has always been and possibly a large decrease in the number of people that go to Dekalb compared to Rockford.