Leveling the playing field

[rayfallon]

For the record, I think the "everyone deserves a trophy" has handicapped an entire generation in real life...but that's another discussion.

So maybe a better question would be, "If you could wave your magic wand and instantly have parity in DCI, would you do it?"

No, and if you did it would last less than one season.

The superior organizations would still excel, and other organizations with ideals that focus on results not measured by scores and placement would still find their level - by the way these can be superior organizations and succeed as well, just as they do today.

And guess what, even in the "everyone deserves a trophy" world of youth sports, some kids work harder, get better training and equipment, and do better, and some kids with no help from any organization succeed on sheer talent and will power and family support.

And it has always been this way and always will.

[rayfallon]

Would Pioneer have overnight success? Of course not, did Star? But imagine they have the funds and savvy to pull in some top people across the board...build it and they will come! I agree too about the $3k thing...if I'm gonna live on a bus, sleep on a gym floor and work my butt off, I want to be competitive.

Actually Star WAS an overnight success.

[garfield]

Well that's a tall order to say what all I would do with DCI, however, I believe one thing I would do is this:

Hire a consultant, or bring on someone who has experience in working with non-profit organizations such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Big Brothers Big Sisters, whatever, and have off season seminars for all the corps to attend on how to fund raise. Basically, a week boot camp on business planning/fund raising/sponsorship getting training. IMHO, DCI has a responsibility to pull together resources that all corps can benefit from and this would be one small area they could do that. If the individual was a full time DCI employee, then undertake on behalf of DCI as a whole in order to increase advertising/corporate sponsorships.

We have to remember that most of the individuals running corps today have MUSIC background, not business planning/development backgrounds. Yes I know directors have to fund raise to fund their bands, but what I'm referring to is a whole next level...how to fund raise, build revenue streams to generate millions. Someone with experience at a large non-profit would know how and know the challenges associated with undertaking this. This, again imho, is why DCI doesn't grow...it is a business and it needs to be run as such.

I will say this, and I'm no businessman genius, what I am talking about here is not rocket surgery, and it ABSOLUTELY can be done. It takes planning, forethought and execution. And by the way, as an example...I offered DCI a business plan on how to generate over $100k+, potentially much much more depending on what price point they settled at, in extra revenue for a couple days work and they said no thanks...and that plan was how to implement a Fan Vote.

"Rocket Surgery". Pppffftttt. That's funny. Can I use that in my sales pitch?

Did you stop to think that maybe they didn't want fan voting at that price benefit? Maybe if your idea generated a million, or ten million, dollars they'd have given it more thought. Maybe they believe the fan vote will pollute drum corps contest format and it's not worth doing at even much higher prices. That they turned down the idea doesn't make them incompetent.

Your fundraising solution is stop-gap at best. The only, viable, long term solution to drum corps is non-correlated funding, not begging. We should look to BD and SCV for examples because, frankly, they are money machines. But their solution doesn't work for the activity as a whole either because bingo's not available everywhere. Corporate sponsorship and business support is the only viable answer because even where there aren't bingo halls there are still a bunch of TV's, computers, and smartphones. Drum corps' marketing demographic alone is worth a goldmine to a content provider looking for deeper reach.

A third-party, non-director driven, separate corporation has to be formed to market what drum corps is to contacts in media and advertising. That corporation needs funded to get its start. The existing directors must be willing to pony up start-up funds to get it going and I guarantee you that with a viable marketing plan and a viable product to sell, start-up funding will not be hard to obtain. Crowdfunding is too small. Even Angel investing is too small. Mid-level mezzanine finance fits DCI's scale and, at that level, introductions to media channels increase in frequency and depth.

Each corps must be offered "shares" in the new corporation, beyond the initial startup shares issued to DCI as a whole. All corps are allowed to participate in the new revenue stream up to the extent of their financial investment. There is no minimum to participate. If a large corps contributes an additional 30% of funding money, then that corps is entitled to 30% of the net, distributable profit to split. If a corps can only participate in a small way they'll earn a return based on that participation. The more they grow and contribute financially to the funding of the corporation the more they participate in the distributable profits of that corporation. That corporation's singular goal is to pay 100% of it's distributable profits back to its funders, be they corps or outside investors.

No corps is excluded and each corps participates based on their financial contribution to the corporation. Individual corps have NO voting power in the corporation. It is driven by professionals chosen for their business acumen and ability to get funding dollars to their constituent funders.

"Impossible, you say?"

[dcikon2]

This topic has brought up questions for me. Aren't most meals these days served by the drum corps similar? I know the members were always fed fairly well when I volunteered on the Cadets food truck in 1994. However, I know they are eating even better now. I was envious at the time with Phantom's set up. They had a top-notch facility for food. I am just wondering if the days of pb&j are basically gone? I know this is still a staple at most lunches, but not the main item. Are the members of the Academy, Colts, and Pioneer eating the similar food as members of the Vanguard, Blue Devils, and Phantom Regiment?

[garfield]

I appreciate your efforts to think differently about the issue. Seems there are a lot of people who aren't even willing to consider that there might an issue, though. While I think there are a lot of logistical problems with a random draw, I do like the idea of doing something radically different. I think a majority of fans in any activity prefer to see elite competitors achieve at higher and higher levels while others struggle. On the surface, it appears to validate the idea that anyone can achieve if they try hard enough. True enough, it's a very attractive, romantic and American idea. I just don't think it's reality.

Personally, I'm much more interested in seeing everyone get an equitable shot at achieving, even if it means borrowing some ideas from that scary thing called socialism. That said, I know I'm in a very small minority. (I'm also pro-Obamacare. Shocking, right?)

I don't care about your politics. I believe your solution won't work. If you define how Pioneer's "shot" is different that BD's was in 1976, I'll listen.

[fsubone]

This topic has brought up questions for me. Aren't most meals these days served by the drum corps similar? I know the members were always fed fairly well when I volunteered on the Cadets food truck in 1994. However, I know they are eating even better now. I was envious at the time with Phantom's set up. They had a top-notch facility for food. I am just wondering if the days of pb&j are basically gone? I know this is still a staple at most lunches, but not the main item. Are the members of the Academy, Colts, and Pioneer eating the similar food as members of the Vanguard, Blue Devils, and Phantom Regiment?

Hell yeah the kids still eat PB&J. I had one with every meal. Every day. The solid protein of the peanut butter really helped stay full through the four hour blocks. I always ended up getting hungry right around 10 minutes before the block would end. It was like a nice little alarm clock since no one in my section wore watches for obvious reasons.

[RetiredJedi]

What is this "food" you speak of?

:smile:/>

[IllianaLancerContra]

No.

As long as they have the level of support that BD's organization provides.

Unequivocally.

Bigger question - why do you see it as the corps being "dumped on by judges" ???

Where should Pioneer be scoring and placing?

Maybe I should rephrase - If a corps w/ BD talent performed at a very high level a show without all the props and cutting-edge 'weird' (for lack of a better term) how would they score?

I suppose it would be execution scores high, demand scores not as high. Where would that place them?

[Jeff Ream]

Would Pioneer have overnight success? Of course not, did Star? But imagine they have the funds and savvy to pull in some top people across the board...build it and they will come! I agree too about the $3k thing...if I'm gonna live on a bus, sleep on a gym floor and work my butt off, I want to be competitive.

well, in a way Star did. quick...name me other first year corps that became finalists, especially after the number of corps in existence started to shrink rapidly (note....not blaming that on DCI).

But...parity in drum corps is kind of skewed. See now everyone tours together all summer, so surprises will be few and far between. Sure someone may jump a spot or two, but BITD, people usually only started to see each other at the very endof teh season, so while everyone tracked scores via DCW and DCN, once everyone was head to head, some real shockers happened.

That...and the tick system went away. Let's be honest, the tick system was EVERY BIT as subjective as what's in place now, but now, the criteria judges are looking for is far more fleshed out than it used to be.

[IllianaLancerContra]

This topic has brought up questions for me. Aren't most meals these days served by the drum corps similar? I know the members were always fed fairly well when I volunteered on the Cadets food truck in 1994. However, I know they are eating even better now. I was envious at the time with Phantom's set up. They had a top-notch facility for food. I am just wondering if the days of pb&j are basically gone? I know this is still a staple at most lunches, but not the main item. Are the members of the Academy, Colts, and Pioneer eating the similar food as members of the Vanguard, Blue Devils, and Phantom Regiment?

BITD I remember hearing of Bayonne having a few jumbo bags of popcorn for supper on several occasions as that is all they could afford. I also remember stories of other coros members taking pity and sharing their meals with them.

One thing that is much better today is the approach to member nutrition and well-being throughout the season.