TOC/G7 Related Discussion

[Jeff Ream]

I'm not a G7 anything, but I don't get why everyone doesn't let it go and focus on the current situation. That proposal was never more than a bad idea, and died a pretty quick death. But speaking of dead...

DCI's dead in the water, and has been for a long, long time. Not sinking, but not really moving either. Audiences are stable, but still down significantly from a few decades ago, the public exposure to the activity has been reduced, and the number of avenues open to the corps to find enough funding to support themselves are limited because of DCI's 'tied house' business model. In their current state, they have an inability to compensate the corps - ALL corps - at anywhere near the amounts they need to survive.

You won't fix that with more of the same. It's going to take a radical overhaul to modernize the product and make it more appealing to the type of corporate sponsors that would normally be salivating at the opportunity to get their brand associated with what drum corps offers. But to get there, you're going to need someone who has both the experience in recruiting and managing those sponsors and a willingness to #### off some people in the activity in the interest of making the overall presentation and product better.

Dan A seems like a great guy. But that doesn't change the fact that he seems to be more a passenger on the train then the guy holding the throttle. Take it for what it's worth, but one of the marks of the type of strong personality you need is that the right leader would never sit still for being in that situation. She'd be the one telling the corps how the thing will go, not the other way around.

you're right yo9u won't fix that with more of the same, or even more new.

A wise business person goes back to look and see what worked, what didn't, and go from there. All DCI does is keep changing, never looking back to see what didn't work.

And guess who the ringleaders are?

If this was my company, and these guys were on my board, always throwing #### at the wall to see what sticks, and never learning from past mistakes, I'd have their ##### removed.

[danielray]

Surf's reward was more applicant interest than ever, and placing towards the top in souvie sales.

Yes, beating the almight out for bucks.

imagine that

Surf probably pretty well in souvie sales, but towards the top? Doubtful. I've done souvies for a couple corps... did a show on show comparison of revenues a few years back for several corps (top, finalist, non-finalist).

I'm sure Surf did pretty well this year, but there is a massive gap.... 6 figure gap... in what top corps do and even other finalists.

[danielray]

actually, Dan is a nice guy. And he'll chuckle when he reads this, but he can be a dick when needed. The problem is DCI's rules do not let him. And when you have a schism like DCi does, the only thing you can do is either a) try to be mr nice in the middle or b) call their bluff and tell them to leave.

He is not exactly in all that great of a position.

Honestly, it's time for option b if this comes up again after this season.

It is actually very far from a bluff. Anyone actually close to that knows it... and anyone rational realizes it.

I'd say probably the only thing that has stopped it so far and what has fueled the current compromise is the sentimental attachment to the DCI brand. All current corps finalist directors have marched DCI. None have known anything other than DCI... so there is this certain emotional attachment there. Had this not been the case, it would have already been done.

[Stu]

You're basically saying that drum corps is pretty much inbred.

Not the activity; the glorious seven... I mean a friend of mine has a few fingers missing on his left hand; yet he can still use his hands to count the number of G7 corps directors, caption heads, and techs in the G7 which do not have G7 performance or staff experience on their resumes as they bounce around from G7 corps to G7 corps.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Stu

[Slingerland]

Here, let me provide you with one element of the 5-year plan:

"The Participation Assessment Development and Education Committee (PAD) will tak a lead role to develop in 2010 and implement in 2011 an aggressive corps operational and artistic growth support plan as an extension of the participation review process. While respecting the autonomy of each organization, engage management and staff proactively rather than sit idly by. Opportunities exist to utilize DCI hall of Fame talent to offer development for aspiring instructors and designers. Deploy successful fundraisers, transportation experts, and business management advisors along with board development specialists. Commit a DCI staff position to corps development support."

Now, tear it down and prove how this is just another part of a "weak" plan.

I'm sorry, but that's the biggest pile of 'weak' I've seen in a year.

The DCI Hall of Fame? Are you friggin kidding me? Great men and women, all, but not a single one of them a person who can PICK UP THE FRIGGIN PHONE AND GET A DECISION MAKER WITH A TOP 100 BRAND ON THE LINETO FIGURE OUT HOW DCI CAN LAND A $200-250,000 A YEAR SPONSORSHIP DEAL FOR THE ACTIVITY.

The problem is that they're all amateurs. In the root sense of that word. They "love" what they do, but none of them do it in the way a business person would do it. Not a single person connected with DCI knows the decision makers in corporate America, and no one seems to be willing to swallow their pride and pony up the kind of money it would take to hire someone who does.

Until you fix that, you're dead in the water.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Slingerland

[Jeff Ream]

This is so crazy! Am I in a parallel universe? Really?

What you describe above in the first sentence is EXACTLY what happened! Except you have to substitute "They", as in the BOD. They summarily held their line, to the extent of invoking legal passeges from the by-laws to enforce their line, and forcefully rejected the Seven's plan and voted to invalidate the prior 3 + 2 action of firing Dan. How much more hardball, courtroom and boardroom steel can you possibly expect? The remaining members of DCI planted their feet in the sand, and told the mutinists to go pound sand, and took the activity out of their hands. If you look at it objectively, it worked and, IMO, it was a beautiful thing. I think of the "steel" (your term) that it took for those O-15 to stare down the wizards and I wonder how much more you think the activity needs. The ED is the representative that facilitates the director's will and, at that moment, Dan worked for the then-leaders. What was he supposed to do AT THAT MOMENT? Tell the O-15 to go to hell and that HE was taking command? It wasn't HE who orchestrated the rescuing of the organization - that action started in the O-15. The contention of the other directors in the room was that the leadership had FAILED in their FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY. The O-15 were bound by their by-lawed written, and legally-confirmed FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY to act in the best interests of the activity, and that, according to the opinion of the O-15, to fulfill that duty they had to reverse the actions of a few on the BOD and REMOVE them.

Could Jack Welch have shown more "STEEL"?

Then you have the perfect hindsight to describe exactly what would have happened if DAN had done EXACTLY what was done by the collective O-15. How in God's name can you so accurately predict the future from a revisionist-history standpoint? What you describe is one (even likely) outcome, but you analyze from a position of a businessman. These are NOT businessmen and this is NOT about such business strategies, and the proof is that they did NOT do what you suggest they would have done! This fight is primarily about one thing: The Seven do not any longer want to play under the conditions where their futures are dictated to them by the other members of the collective. They believe they can support themselves without DCI, and are trying to use that as a fear-mongering technique to bully the other members of the collective to agree with their direction for the activity.

This is where your perfect foresight is usually brought up. OF COURSE the activity is going to fold in September! Anybody who doesn't see that is not looking at reality, or is a bad businessman, or is simply not paying attention, or is a flat out buffoon! WE"VE HEARD IT ALL!

I also happen to agree with the tact the O-15 took after claiming control - the did the magnanimous thing and compromised - offered a fig leaf - the Seven in the form of a plan crafted to allow them to test their theory - the TOC. You call that a mistake. I don't. Even in the board room and in all negotiations, the best way to get someone down off their high horse is to give them a ladder. You see, I think that it's possible that elements of the Seven's plan could be valid and beneficial to the activity. The O-15 feel the same way, I'd bet. You characterize the TOC as a "compromise" and connote it as the O-15 "giving in" and therefor they are weak. I say far from that. As it stands at this minute, if the TOC is successful, then DCI will benefit from that success.

They were also smart to limit current elections to one year. In every contract negotiation I'd like to have both a put and a call feature so I leave myself maximum flexibility to change my mind in the future. In this regard, both camps will benefit from sitting down and redressing the year. Keeps things fresh. There will be a time for long-term commitments, but only after the camps have danced together a bit. That's fine. It's the safe thing. No one wants to feel trapped at this point. But, you imply that these terms show weakness, in Dan, in the O-15 "leadership". Hogwash.

God.

"It comes down to the confidence to know that you're in the power position..."

This is EXACTLY what the O-15 did. And you call them, and Dan, WEAK as a result.

I'm living in a parallel universe. Cats are sleeping with dogs.

meoof

boweow

:w00t:/>

[Jeff Ream]

Bylaws don't need to be rewritten... that is silly, does absolutely nothing to solve the problem.

Brand needs to be transfered to a new for-profit entity that runs things. Drum corps as a non-profit entity makes little sense and the mentality that what DCI does is both noble and interesting is part of the problem. It should care only about money. Period. Anything else is noise.

If you are a CEO.... you have one faction, you. Otherwise, you are simply a crossing guard, trying to make sure no one gets hurt.

actually, bylaws do need to be re-written Dan. They are what drives the organization. bylaws are what caused the upheaval in 2010 when the Board lost members. No one can just go in and take control.....the rules the organization put in place don't allow it.

[Jeff Ream]

I had to google who that was...

Anyway, this is about how relevant drum corps then is to drum corps now.

[

and you think, knowing your ties to Gibbs and Hopkins, they're ok with someone coming in and telling them how to run their show?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

now ifyoumean they get a puppet of theirs installed and he does your bidding, ok, I can see it. Not happening, but I can see where their minds lay

[Jeff Ream]

How is it weak?

Here's my alternative plan... not 5 year... but 5 minute plan...

"Hire really ####### great salesperson. Incent heavily."

Whole plan.

What's he going to sell? Sponsorship? Tickets?

I don't know... but who the #### cares... as long as they are SELLING... not thinking about planning to possibly maybe do something ... someday.

Close something. Anything. Increase revenues.

The last thing DCI needs is another ####### committee. Name one great thing that any DCI committee has ever done?

Committees aren't plans.... suggesting to form a committee is definitely not leadership... it is punting and making it look like actual work.

right. But see the 7 want to cut costs so they get more money. Hiring a slaes person, at least up front, costs them money.

[danielray]

actually, bylaws do need to be re-written Dan. They are what drives the organization. bylaws are what caused the upheaval in 2010 when the Board lost members. No one can just go in and take control.....the rules the organization put in place don't allow it.

If you're worried about bylaws, you already lost. Again, DCI as a non-profit has no future.. as a consortia... no future.

DCI needs to be a for profit dictatorship.

Name one consortia that ever took over anything? That ever invaded anything? Consortias are about making the weak less interesting... and diluting strength through inefficiency.