DCI BOD Response

[kickhaltsforlife]

I think many people don't realize that Crossmen really started to suffer competitively when they more or less "fired" the creative staff that George/YEA! installed after YEA! became involved with the corps.

If anyone is wondering, YEA! basically absorbed ALL of Crossmen's debts in exchange for all of their assets, with the idea being that a single organization could serve two corps more efficiently than two organizations could. I suspect that this is probably correct, but the implementation went a bit haywire after a few years.

Sorry for the off-topic posts.

(not all this post is a reply to you)

Didn't George/YEA! make all those staff decisions... including hiring the director that killed the corps competitively....

Trust me. I know YEA saved Bones' ###. And I appreciate it. Most Crossmen alumni do. But yes, things went haywire, not in the Crossmen's favor at all. Many poor and too quick decisions were made. And the corps members suffered.

And to be fair. Many members who marched through the move said 07 the first year in Texas WAS AWFUL. The new folks had no clue. It was a huge learning process. And it took quite a few years. And now their back.

Staying in YEA! would have killed the corps. Moving to Texas saved the corps. Moving to West Chester or any other place in the Delaware Valley could have also saved the corps. Moving away from the East was not necessary. And that is why many alumni are still upset with the move. I understand their feelings.

However, they ARE the CROSSMEN. Ask any of the kids who march now. And they will call any person who has worn the cross family. And many traditions are as strong as ever. And finally they are back to being the Crossmen on the field for the most part.

Edited January 16, 2013 by kickhaltsforlife

[kickhaltsforlife]

Okay, I'm sorry for the off-topic rant.

[danielray]

Uh huh. There was sustainability, as long as it was not local. key words.

I'm past the point of caring anymore, but even finally making it back to finals, it's got a lot of alumni ###### off. Some still won't refer to the corps as Crossmen

There was not a plan in place to create financial stability or had individuals involved that had a track record in being able to generate the kind of revenues required to keep the corps as a world class corps.

If they won't refer to the current corps as the Crossmen, that is a bit petty. It's not like they're VK.

[Jeff Ream]

There was not a plan in place to create financial stability or had individuals involved that had a track record in being able to generate the kind of revenues required to keep the corps as a world class corps.

If they won't refer to the current corps as the Crossmen, that is a bit petty. It's not like they're VK.

ok Dan, you know all

:rolleyes:/>

and I don't agree with their feelings about the corps since it moved, but in some ways, ya can't blame them. I know one alum asked for proof on how anything he sent to YEA was guaranteed it would go to Crossmen and he was told "trust us".

never sent another dime in.

[danielray]

ok Dan, you know all

/>

and I don't agree with their feelings about the corps since it moved, but in some ways, ya can't blame them. I know one alum asked for proof on how anything he sent to YEA was guaranteed it would go to Crossmen and he was told "trust us".

never sent another dime in.

Even Crossmen busses were sometimes fueled with Cadets souvie revenues.

[soccerguy315]

well, there was the time a Crossmen bus were loaned back to the Cadets one day b/c the Cadets bus had issues, and as thanks the Cadets ate the food and peed in gatorade bottles that previously had gatorade...

[kickhaltsforlife]

well, there was the time a Crossmen bus were loaned back to the Cadets one day b/c the Cadets bus had issues, and as thanks the Cadets ate the food and peed in gatorade bottles that previously had gatorade...

I have heard this from many people who marched that year..

[Tekneek]

I could only hope and wish that George Hopkins would leave DCI, even if it meant he dragged his G7 buddies out the door with him.

[jasgre2000]

no offense, but those 7, unless they sponsors to pony up seriously HUGE bucks, can't last long on their own.

and here's the funnist thing...since they claim to be the act....well.....they won't all win. Someone has to go on under the lights. so it kind of kills some of their posturing.

No offense, but DCI, without the G7, wouldn't last very long either. It is already struggling. Pushing the only corps that really approach financial stability out of the organization will mean the death of DCI. Like it or not, DCI and the G7 are codependent. So if you want to keep drum corps alive, there will have to be some compromises.

[jasgre2000]

I agree. While we've heard quite a bit from George Hopkins, who floats all kinds of ideas both good and bad, and Misters Gibbs and Fielder have also been mentioned, three if not four corps have been rather silent, unless I've missed something which is quite possible. There are so many threads on this subject no one can keep track of everything said. Also none of the directors seem to call me and ask me for my advice, and I'm not going to sit by the phone waiting for a call because it's probably not going to happen, so my thoughts are purely speculation. However, if there were to be a split, my guess is that at least three corps would not leave: Phantom, Crown, and Bluecoats. My reasons:

Phantom: has come so close to financial insolvency that while the potential of more revenue from a split may be appealing, there's also too much of a risk if the venture fails.

Crown: Crown does best when audiences go wild and perhaps more than any corps feeds off of the audience, and while many in the stands love Crown, Crown is not the favorite of those who adore the G7 corps. This may just be my hope. If Crown joins the spilt, we'll probably never see them in Boston again since I do not foresee G7 shows in New England. They snubbed BAC which alone would alienate most fans, and a spilt could potentially destroy DCI which would potentially alienate the 27th Lancer alum crowd since George Bonfiglio and 27th played a huge role in the founding of DCI. You have to have people fill the stands to generate the revenues the corps hope to get..

Bluecoats: Judging from the 990's, Bluecoats tend to run a tight ship financially and are known for being prudent. They may take a risk on the field, but they'd never risk the well-being of the organization. Also, I'd love to see this underrated corps win a DCI championship.

When push comes to shove, I understand the desire for more revenues, especially for the California corps who have higher travel expenses. The power grab is unreasonable, but it's human. The belief that the corps that are in the G7 are the most beloved and will always be the best is shortsighted to say thd least, as we have seen with Cavaliers placing 8th, some years where Bluecoats and SCV have been closer to the corps who placed in the 5-9 category rather than the 1-4 group. Also, survival at the expense of other corps is in excusable. I hope there is not a split. DCI would not be the same without the G7, and the G7 alone all season would not be as interesting as the G7 at DCI shows.

How would it be financially prudent to stay in an organization that would surely die? I don't like the idea of the G7 leaving, but people are delusional if they think DCI could continue to exist in any kind of meaningful way without them.