Note from Exec. Dir. of Music City

[Kansan]

I think you're looking at DLB and SS from the standpoint of the performers, but you're missing a key element in the rationalization of the DLB/SS project: revenue.

Is it a goal to organically grow competing units? Yes, definitely.

Is it reasonable to think that SS/DLB units will sprout drum corps across the country? Not in my opinion.

Is it an expectation that some kids who do DLB/SS will go on to march in existing corps? Yes, certainly.

In the aggregate, however, DLB/SS are vehicles to produce revenue for DCI. The altruistic reasons are all good ones, but all such success of DLB/SS results in increased revenue for DCI.

In order to have an "official" SS/DLB competition, it will be required to purchase the "show pack" from DCI. That will include paying a fee to DCI. (Nothing that I'm aware of says you can't have a brass or drum group at a show and not have it be an "official" DLB/SS competition.

A local TEP who wants to have a DLB/SS competition during his show will require payment by the performers in order to pay the DCI fee and generate a profit for the show. This profit will allow DCI to charge more for the corps they are providing to the TEP. The DCI show contract fee has been going up every year recently (my suspicion is because of pressure by the BOD to get paid more per performance). A TEP could make a little profit on SS/DLB to help pay that fee in two, primary ways: by attracting fans of the DLB/SS performers who might not otherwise come to the show, and by charging a fee to DLB/SS groups for the chance to perform before a crowded drum corps audience. Not charging the DLB/SS performers eliminates one of those revenue sources.

At our DLB contest this season, we charged each performer the cost of our cheapest ticket ($15), but we secured sponsors to give away free, cool chotskies (drum keys, t-shirts, hats), to all performers, got each corps souvie booth to offer a discount on purchases, and gave away $100 cash plus gift certificates to local music stores to the winners. We even gave each a coupon for a free hot dog, chips, and drink at the concession stand. Total cost per performer: about $15. Total value of what each performer got: more than 3 times that amount plus the winner's prizes. We had three drum lines perform - about 60 kids total - and identified about 130 group tickets sold that were directly attributable to those three groups. So 70 full-price tickets were sold to the DLB groupies (parents, etc). Average ticket price: about $23, so we sold about $1,600 more in tickets, the performers were well-"paid", and they got to perform in front of a sizable audience filtering in to see the drum corps show.

Revenue is the reason for DLB/SS, not altruistic visions of new corps popping up (although we all want that to happen). To think "free" in any part of the DLB/SS process misses the point.

Next year the plan is to hold the DLB earlier in the day as "prelims", with the final two appearing before the packed stands while scores are being tabulated. That's the big draw for the performing kids and asking them to save up $15 ($25, $50) over the next 10 months for the chance to perform in front of that crowd is not asking much, IMO, even from the "skinny wallet" crowd you claim is the norm. (And, for the record, the parents of the kids I saw this year would happily pay that fee to keep their kid involved in the activity, so I doubt your claim that a paying a fee to perform is asking too much.)

The gift bag of goodies idea for DLB/SS performers is a great idea. I bag of goodies from local music stores is pretty cool. Much like what they do at shooting contests and even golf tournaments. I like it.

Looking at the Drum Battles on youtube it appears like the contests would work well at a town or county fair as well as Drum Corps show.

[Kansan]

Sue Kuehnhold, David Eddleman, et al at DCI corporate attempt to accommodate corps show and touring requests 'to the best of their ability'; I have even seen Sue work her heart out to help. But it all boils down to who is going to pay for the show sponsorship at each venue on what shows get what corps. For specifics on how this is accomplished you might ask an event partner like Garfield. Nevertheless, DCI is not going to, nor should they, 'force' any corps to stay local if a particular corps Board desires their corps to travel extensively. And while DCI might help youth to get home who are in trouble due to an irresponsible drum corps staff, DCI will not, and should not, be responsible for the mismanagement of any individual corps who overextended their own abilities like Teal, Glassmen, Forte, Revo, reincarnated VK, etc... Accountability not to overextend thus falls on the individual corps Boards not on the DCI Corporate level. This is why I have so much respect for Mark Richardson and the Board of The Academy; they have never overextended themselves for the sake of punching into the WC top 12, and they have at times actually limited their touring schedule to stay in the financial black which competitively hurt them. And 'that', imo, is way more important than going $300,000 in the red for the sake of competition like the Glassmen did.

So are you saying DCI will try to accommodate an Open Class Corps as far as not requiring an all out National Tour? If we got a Junior Corps going again in Kansas we could take advantage of Shows in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Indiana and have a pretty good size tour that would keep the corps fairly close to home. That would roughly be 12 shows total plus any other gigs such as grand openings of businesses and parades.

If there is some rule saying Open Class Corps can only perform at Open Class shows then that blows my idea out of the water.

[Stu]

So are you saying DCI will try to accommodate an Open Class Corps as far as not requiring an all out National Tour?

I am saying that Sue, David, and Bob at DCI will do what they can, when they can, and as much as they can to help any OC Corps Director and Board who are willing to be ultra responsible in running their corps.

[Kansan]

I am saying that Sue, David, and Bob at DCI will do what they can, when they can, and as much as they can to help any OC Corps Director and Board who are willing to be ultra responsible in running their corps.

Sounds reasonable.

[Toby]

If there is some rule saying Open Class Corps can only perform at Open Class shows then that blows my idea out of the water.

There is no rule like that.

[N.E. Brigand]

If there is some rule saying Open Class Corps can only perform at Open Class shows then that blows my idea out of the water.

There is no rule like that.

Right. In fact, several Open Class corps performed at as many or more World Class shows than Open Class shows this year, including Colt Cadets, Legends, Spartans, Music City, and Vanguard Cadets.

[Kansan]

There is no rule like that.

Then that makes things much easier.

[Kansan]

Right. In fact, several Open Class corps performed at as many or more World Class shows than Open Class shows this year, including Colt Cadets, Legends, Spartans, Music City, and Vanguard Cadets.

Very Good.

[Stu]

Very Good.

Kansan: Since you are posting these questions and comments in the DCI OC section, are you thinking about taking Prairie Sound the DCI OC route?

[drilltech1]

I am surprised that no one in this thread, today Monday 9/23, has yet to mention the announcement on the DCI.org webpage, right column, under FB, just after photo of Mandarins and the little kids from Ireland, regarding the financial fundraising attempts to put Music City back on the DCI competitive field.