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G7 Update


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What John said.

Those are huge factors.

Yep, having been in the lesser Sr circuit back in the day it was a helluva hit when gas went from 35 cents or so to over $1.00. (Anyone else remember gas pumps having to dispense based on half gallon because the price per gallon indicator didn't go over .99?). Between that and some economy hits a lot of corps in the boonies realized they couldn't afford to go to shows without a bigger payout which killed lot of local shows and corps. And today... well hang inflation adjusted it's just obscene.....

I'd say #2 would be equipment costs. No idea on a BITD vs today costs of percussion but horns of any type are way up there unless you buy overseas crap which ain't worth it.

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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But, looked at in the opposite - and this is only anecdotal, of course - there is no empirical evidence to prove that having two of the top-four of the 7 at our show (and, in one year, the eventual gold medalist) put any more BITS than in the years our lineup started with number 6. None. And we have 8 years worth of data to back that up.

Lots of drum corps fans have a particular single, local show they attend and the lineup is not what draws or repels them. They'll go to the "DCI" show within an easy drive. Your typical attendee at a show will only attend that one show. MIMPA is not going to be able to put on as many shows as DCI regardless, and won't be recognized as what it is by the latent potential fan base, anyway. Not to mention their policy of having solely MIMPA-run events means there's no local groups with an incentive to bring out the crowd, generate interest for days and weeks ahead, and provide volunteers to run things.

And even if the G7 sticks around in DCI for another year or three, their practice of isolating themselves from other corps via the TOC shows and now the MIM shows means that fewer and fewer attendees of generic DCI shows are even going to remember they exist.

In terms of the membership, if the G7 splits, I could totally see a lot of talent among potential marching members choosing the top non-G7 corps--Boston, Madison, BK, Spirit, Xmen, Blue Stars--that will suddenly have a strong chance at winning a DCI championship or at least medaling. A full-on split will also mean major rule changes in MIMPA--I'd expect woodwinds and 200+ member groups, not to mention light shows and general sensory overload. That's going to turn off at least some of the G7's potential marchers, I'd expect.

Edited by skywhopper
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And even if the G7 sticks around in DCI for another year or three, their practice of isolating themselves from other corps via the TOC shows and now the MIM shows means that fewer and fewer attendees of generic DCI shows are even going to remember they exist.

This is utter nonsense (and why these threads rapidly devolve into a theater of the absurd).

The G7 have been doing TOC shows for a couple years already so obviously most fans who did NOT attend a TOC show have completely forgotten that BD,Crown,PR,Cadets,Bluecoats,SCV and Cavies exist. OH THAT'S definitely true. No one remembers these corpsdoh.gif

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Not to be too much of a downer, but can anyone honestly tell me that they believe that there would be just as many butts in seats for in a show with the following lineup, as there would be in a MIM show?:

Colts

Troopers

Oregon Crusaders

Pioneer

Spirit of Atlanta

Pacific Crest

Crossmen

Absolutely. If the prevailing DCI ranking order was....

1. Colts

2. Troopers

3. Oregon Crusaders

4. Pioneer

5. Spirit of Atlanta

6. Pacific Crest

7. ---

8. Crossmen

9. ---

10. ---

etc.

....then yes, that show would draw similarly to last year's TOC shows.

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No, Sam, I can't say that there would be just as many BITS to see this lineup as a MIM show and, of course, neither can the 7 say either. They only believe it but, apparently, not with enough conviction to head off and attempt to find out. But, looked at in the opposite - and this is only anecdotal, of course - there is no empirical evidence to prove that having two of the top-four of the 7 at our show (and, in one year, the eventual gold medalist) put any more BITS than in the years our lineup started with number 6. None. And we have 8 years worth of data to back that up.

It's been more than a little surprising to us, too. But we've found we have better attendance when a new corps does our show, someone that's not been here before (or much). We have been able to adjust ticket prices based on the lineup, but only in a minimal way such as a $1 per ticket or so.

You may have a bias that is coloring your opinion - which is fine - but I don't think your connotation about attendance reflects the "fly-over" country.

Of course, my bias may be that all shows are like ours, which is clearly not the case.

Agreed. At the show I run, for over 10 years now, we have found that it doesn't matter what corps we have. We have the same amount of people every year - no matter who we have. Some years 1 or 2 G7 - other years none. And it really doesn't matter. As a matter of fact, the only complaints we've received have been about G7 corps. "They were boring" - too "out there" - "can't we have more like Troopers." No one ever complains about an open class or lower level world class. In fact they usually get big ovations. I'm lucky in that our show is in a place with an old drum corps history - the center section people totally get it. They support all of the groups and don't care for the politics of the "big boys". So I CAN say, that it won't matter if they leave. I know that may not be the case for every show however. But I do believe both fans and members will eventually (if not immediately) go to DCI and not the MIM Circus act.

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Absolutely. If the prevailing DCI ranking order was....

1. Colts

2. Troopers

3. Oregon Crusaders

4. Pioneer

5. Spirit of Atlanta

6. Pacific Crest

7. ---

8. Crossmen

9. ---

10. ---

etc.

....then yes, that show would draw similarly to last year's TOC shows.

So fans only care about arbitrary DCI rankings, not excellence and quality of performance?

Theater of the absurddoh.gif

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A previous poster asked how current MM members feel about all this, so apologize if this is redundant.

In the midst of 99% of these posts ranging from very critical of G7 corps to some even suggesting an option of physical violence (really?), leaving their seats when these corps perform, not buying any souvies, not attending any MIM's, etc... Let's not forget this...There are about 1,000 students involved in these corps and many have been devoted members for many years (not even considering the hundreds of volunteers and other supporters).

So, as you leave your seat in protest prior to a G7 peformance, you might want to remember that A) The director may not care if you stick around, and B) you're making a comment about the members of said corps at the same time.

DCP should sell rotten fruit in the stands to throw at the members of the G7 corps. Why hold back? Let's make sure the message is received!

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Not quite. Drum corps in DCI has gotten much more expensive because the costs involved in travel have skyrocketed. Bus rental, fuel cost, and insurance are FAR greater than salaries and equipment costs.

Really, it's not even close.

This is true, and I get what you're saying, but honestly you're nitpicking my main point: expenses have not risen due to some goofy conspiracy of 7 vs the have-not

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Minor edit: when talking about the entire 7, they are the best recently. See, within the last, oh 13/14 years, both Crown and Bluecoats didn't make finals. Blue I don't think cracked top 6 til 2002... Crown what, 2006?

Quite so. Had this proposal been made as recently as 2005, then Boston Crusaders would have had a stronger claim* to be part of the G-7 than either Bluecoats or Carolina Crown. How would those two corps have reacted to being shut out of power at that time?

*Using the method I suggested before, which imagines what the "7" would have been if it were determined by a consistent forumula: seven consecutive years of Finals appearance with an average placement of better than eighth.

Edited by N.E. Brigand
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