G7 Update

[RockyGranite]

We all like what drum corps used to be right? We all want those days back right? So THE 7 have said they want the top 12 running DCI again like "the old days." What's wrong with that? Kids today will go where the fame is and where they can get the best education and WIN! Cadets, Blue devils, etc can leave DCI and kids will go with them. I think that THE 7 are thinking ahead and we are still thinking of yesterday. How many of us are truly understanding of what goes on with young people today? There are choices that kids have today that we didn't have in the 70's. How many young people, of marching age, are on here complaining about the G7? My guess is NONE! These kids are the future of drum corps and they will take these changes with them and even alter them later on.

How many new educational ideas have come out in the past 30 years? Several. They take an idea and change it slightly. New buzz words are added. This is in an effort to (hopefully) make schools better.

G7 is looking to the future and they did say they are not sure if these are the right answers but they will try.

Was it the right answer to go to two valve bugles? Was it the right answer to ground timpani's and keys? Was it the right answer to change to three valves? To change to Multi Key instruments? These decisions were made and we, or really drum corps, has to live with the decisions.

I guess we can just sit back and enjoy the show or turn the channel to something better. Is there anything better?

I get it, many of you dislike George and I was not a fan a while back either but since he became the cadets director they have had a winning organization every year since. Kids flock to be a part of that group. Same can be said for the other 6 corps. Hundreds of kids go to them each year. Those same kids don't give a crap about what we say because we are older. Remember back to your youth when you felt the same way about your parents? (Don't lie, you did!).

If the G7 were to leave DCI today those kids would follow them. More young people today want to march with those corps than any other corps.

I think there is a difference between "looking to the future" and attempting to take control of an organization to direct the course of that future.

The 7's attempt to stack the BoD deck is nothing more than their latest attempt to take control...with the added threat of taking their ball and going home if they don't get their way.

[ibexpercussion]

Let 'em go, DCI. They need you more than you need them. There's still a lot of great corps to watch that will fill the void.

I think it might be more closer to 50/50 as far as which needs which (DCI or G7) more. Yes, there are still plenty of other high quality corps out there to fill the void. But, these groups each year are the "premier" groups, and DCI would feel the sting so to speak. Yes, these groups do need DCI as far as having a place to truly belong and perform/compete. But these groups could also pull in huge crowds with shows featuring just them. I think if we are all honest, we would rather watch a show with these 7 groups, as opposed to a show line up that is headlined by 7 other groups. Yes, there are the cases of regional fan bases, and alumni wanting to see there group, but on the whole we would rather watch a show with the G7 groups as opposed to others.

[cixelsyd]

Seems you might not exactly be interpreting in the proper context.

Go to the DCI web site. Scroll to the bottom. Check out the list of sponsors.

Consider, if you will, the relationships those organizations have with the top 7 corps vs. the remainder. The sponsorship and endorsement deals these top 7 corps have are dramatically different than the level of support given to the remainder. It is not even close. At all.

So, what would really happen to this support if there were a split? Where would these sponsor companies choose to focus their attention?

I will give you a hint.

Go to the web sites of DCA, WGI, BOA, USBands, and each of the drum corps, winter guards, drumlines, and even the more ambitious HS marching bands. Scroll to the bottom. Check out the lists of sponsors. Look familiar?

Obviously, sponsors are going to support all of the above.

There is a sort of delicate ecosystem here, and disrupting it would only further concentrate support by some key sponsors, not broaden it. Again, a decrease in support on the part of manufacturers for non-G7 corps (even though their deals aren't all that great as it is) could be disruptive enough to where we would see many more Glassmen or Teal type scenarios.

That makes no sense at all. X dollars of sponsorship money is still X dollars. What would be disruptive is the "The 7" causing the split in the first place.

And, while the reviews of the 990's are truly revealing, the part of the story that they do not tell is the timing of cashflows and interdependency of revenues. This is deeper story, as the it is the true and most significant vulnerability of many of these organizations (and this was the real issue with the Glassmen and Teal - paying Peter from Paul, etc.). Any disruption from any point for these organizations is pretty much air in the line, which will be fatal for some.

As an outsider looking in, simply observing, this seems to be one key point where DCI and the remaining corps have really over played their hand.

On the flip side, that explains why the "The 7" have not left DCI (and probably cannot) - because they do not have the cash flow to follow through on their bluffs.

[skywhopper]

How can we even verify the legitimacy of this letter?

Wait a week to hear what announcements come out after the given deadline?

I think the way it's written is way too obviously a well-edited Hop. And I have found other information that confirms its legitimacy.

[danielray]

3. Daniel, you are incorrect when you speculate that ONLY the 7 corps have great endorsement packages. Corps like Boston, Madison, Spirit, Blue Knights, Blue Stars, Troopers, and others have every bit as much in terms of product endorsments as the rest.

Not speculation.

Details for various groups are confidential, so won't discuss any further. I'm quite familiar with several of them (including some that you specifically mentioned). All World Class (and some open class) corps have good deals. Some, however have great deals and others have amazing deals.

Without going into specific deals about specific corps, I can simply explain that there are a few different types of deals:

- Discount - organization can purchase instruments at a great discount, can resell and usually make enough margin to regularly churn horns without losing anything

- Loan - instruments are simply loaned to the organization and remain the property of the manufacturer. Organization returns them to manufacturer upon request.

- Free - instruments are provided to the organization free of charge and become the property of the organization.

Most have some variant of those 3 (even some sort of hybrid model for a couple). Some are also compensated by some manufacturers beyond the loan/free arrangement.

Anyway, there is a very wide range of deals and the organizations that tend to consistently have the highest performance level tend to have the best deals as there greater competition among manufacturers for these groups. That is as much detail as I will go into.

[chaddyt]

Anyone else finding Crown's show title last year slightly ironic?

[Stu]

Bill Cook had a pretty good idea about it.

As Jeff said, I also believe it would be in the best interest if Dan Acheson was given way more authority to make Executive decisions. But that authority has to be allowed and checked by the Board, and the Executive Director should always be governed by the Board. What Bill Cook described, even if the person is benevolent, is a dangerous corrupt idea for a 501c corporation. He flat stated in his treatise that the Board should be just puppets of The Dictator. This type of absolute power is fine when a single person 'owns' a business, but absolute power, without check and oversight, should never be allowed to anyone in either a 501c or a public owned corporation. So, if you, The D-Ray want to purchase the assets of DCI and form it as a single owned business then be the type of Dictator you want; but as long as DCI is a 501c3 it should have an ED who can make command decisions yet still have to be checked by the Board.

Edited January 10, 2013 by Stu

[dasboot]

Current marching age poster here. Despite the fact that I auditioned for the cadets, I do not approve of the G7 proposal or whatever it is called now. I think it is ridiculous. The one thing that stands out to me for this whole situation is this : Take care of yourselves, take care of each other. I learned this from my boss, and I think it rings true. If the top corps want to get more members, they need to support dci, not just themselves. If they do this, then they will be supporting themselves. To me, the MIM corps sound like a group of children right now. "Give us what we want, or we won't play with you!" I think they need to grow up, and act like adults. My opinion, YMMV of course

[troopers1]

God love the man, but Bill also thought such things like bingo was the "life blood" of the activity. That hasn't panned out too well.

He was right. But gambling laws have changed.

[cixelsyd]

We have been meeting every Thursday for the past 6 months via phone. For the most part we have discussed our plans for 2013 and the 6 events we are managing. We have each contributed $3250.00 to the cause, and we are aware that we will need to do more in the coming months.

Three of the events are managed by corps in the “7”, the others are owned by our corporation, Music in Motion (“MIM”). Music in Motion is a California Corporation. We have filed for nonprofit status, and we are awaiting approval. Pat Seidling, a very part time administrator for MIM as the association’s director, and volunteers have done most of the work. We have insurance, bank accounts and all necessary requirements to operate at a basic level; however our organization is in the early stages.

Our goal this year is to run the 6 events we are associated with and to run them well.

Last year we were “marking time” a bit but with our organizational steps of recent months, our commitment to a higher level of program and excellence is clear. We are in action in this regard.

We are committed to our participation in Drum Corps International.

Then why are you forming your own corporation to run events? And why are you constantly making statements such as this next one -

If possible, the “7” would like to remain as active members of Drum Corps International through the years to come.

"If possible"?

That does not sound like the thought process of people who are committed to DCI participation.