2012 DCA Rules Congress - Baltimore, MD

[Jeff Ream]

I believe that there is merit and market for keeping some form of the corps activity alive.

At a minimum that would preclude the addition of woodwinds, I think.

How could one preserve any identity separate from Marching Band, otherwise?

and if you could not preserve that separate identity, what would there really be to preserve and pass on? And to what point?... Marching Band will still exist, at least on a scholastic, regional basis.

woodwinds will chase away more paying customers than it will add

[Jeff Ream]

Because the issue is not the 'summer band' route, but a lack of income to fund their season...e.g. the Glassmen's bingo went from nearly 110K net to under 10K in one year.

but Mike, we were told for years going the summer band route would bring in thousands of new fans

[MikeD]

but Mike, we were told for years going the summer band route would bring in thousands of new fans

It has. show attendance is not the issue. Finding new funding sources is the problem for corps like the Glassmen.

[Gary Matczak]

Typical. Attack the person and not his argument. Not surprising really, especially given my argument for preserving alumni corps is a strong one.

I have nothing but respect for people that participate in alumni corps. The sad thing is that in this forum, if you don't care for them, you get crapped on. But as I said, it's no surprise. After all, this is the same forum where I was crapped on for *not* reviewing alumni performances when I did my DCA show write-ups. The irony is that the only person besides Fran to have a reasonable counter and present it respectfully was a guy much younger than any of us (Kyle).

so then comments like "trot out It's a Grand Old Flag and Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White for the nine thousandth time," are complimentary?

[LegalEagle50]

So if it isn't complimentary it is bashing? Just trying to understand the logic here.

[donincardona]

So if it isn't complimentary it is bashing? Just trying to understand the logic here.

not really liz.. but the tone coming from john is. an the way he posts. and lets be honest there are others to.

[cixelsyd]

I do, however, have an objective view of things, having performed and taught in both DCI and DCA, as well as being an active educator and judge in the marching band world.

So you have done all three, chosen to stay active in marching band only, and that is why you are objective?

[LegalEagle50]

not really liz.. but the tone coming from john is. an the way he posts. and lets be honest there are others to.

SO when I suggest alumni corps start catering to a younger demographic both for members by what they play and audience members, basically I am saying the same thing as John. And people act like its the end of the world as they know it too. But it isn't bashing. It's in hopes of keeping it alive.

[Gary Matczak]

So if it isn't complimentary it is bashing? Just trying to understand the logic here.

I dunno,.............I guess if I were in a corps that used tunes like those as a staple, (which I do),.............I would take it as a shot,...........and, I can't think of a non compeditive style corps that doesn't play tunes from the past, theirs or others.............

[cixelsyd]

Now, what is with all the doom and gloom on this thread all of a sudden? This is the post that seems to have generated it:

Unfortunately, if there is some remnent of corps still alive in the near future, it likely won't be what we now see as alumni corps, nor all-age field corps.

The field competition model is just not sustainable.

Okay, everyone seems to have bought into this premise. But why?

Rising costs and declining fan base have exposed the lop-sided business model of the All-age activity; which depends too heavily on fundraising, volunteer labor and member fees (as well as huge costs absorbed by members). If the activity had to survive only on what the public was willing to pay for the product, it would have died long ago.

These are great points. But they have been true since 1920. The activity must be suffering a particularly slow death.

As corps exit the stage, the model will begin to break down even faster, as recent events in New York have shown.

I do share your concern that too few corps could burst the bubble, and force changes to the travel habits of the surviving corps. I think that is a bigger concern on the DCI side, where nationwide tours require a certain number of corps and shows to be practical. But those would be changes, not total destruction.

In addituion to that, when you take a look at the total $$ spent each year (and add in the volunteer man-hours to produce the product), and then apply it to performance time acheived and the number of participants served, it's a pretty incredible expence to have this activity. The activity hangs on only due to the determination, hard work and a whole lot of sacrifice, by a relatively small number of participants, who come back year after year. I give them their props, whole-heartedly. But, they won't long be able to fight back the incredible challenges of economics which are working against this model.

But that is just it. Corps have been climbing ever higher mountains all through time. Drum corps competition has driven these people to these extremes both on and off the field. As it gets more difficult, we may well see corps drop out. Others will view that as an opportunity to enter the competition (or move up, if already in it). Maybe the net effect will be less corps, but they will not all evaporate in 5 years like some say.

I am not kidding about 1920, by the way. Travel was far more challenging back in the 1920s and 1930s, yet dozens upon dozens of corps from all over the country piled on trains with all their equipment and found their way to nationals back then. The activity continued undeterred through a full fledged economic depression. It may have been more miraculous back then. Maybe the explanation is that the governing organizations back then, AL and VFW, had a strategy for developing and growing the activity from top to bottom. They organized contests at the local, state and national levels. They developed guides for how to start a corps, and distributed that information to their posts all over the country. They published other promotional materials to encourage the creation of more corps. And their conventions even provided the audiences whose ticket purchases subsidized this wave of growth.

Since DCA and DCI have taken the roles AL and VFW used to serve, there has never been a comparable strategy formulated and executed to grow the activity. For 40 to 50 years, drum corps has continued on without a strategy, and it is still here. It will still be here in another 5. And imagine if DCI and/or DCA developed a strategy.

DCI will survive by melding in with the marching band activity; benefiting from their larger base and built-in parent following; eventually becoming , simply, summer band. Not saying I like it; just think that's the way it is.

This is largely true already, by the manner in which drum corps and competitive marching band have aligned with each other. And there is no reason DCA cannot follow that alignment just like DCI has.