Note from Exec. Dir. of Music City

[cixelsyd]

let's say there are 7 open class and world class corps performing at a show

SoundSport XYZ is performing an exhibition prior to the show - wouldn't they be missing a good portion of the show getting out of their uniform, putting instruments away, etc. SoundSport I thought was a part of or under the umbrella of DCI, but I guess they wouldn't be considered a performing group at the shows in this case?

Maybe not. But that is up to DCI, and the show sponsor at sanctioned shows.

We really have no idea what organized performance opportunities SoundSport groups will have (other than possible DCI shows at the moment)...so let's say a group charged $250 per member to be a part of a SoundSport group... do they come back later and say "hey we got approved to perform at 2 DCI shows...the transportation will cost more and oh yeah we actually have to buy tickets at each show to perform, so we'll need an extra $100 from everyone now"? Is this really how we want to grow the activity?

By the way, I am not a DCI official, so I can only post what I know or believe as an observer. However, someone with closer contact to DCI has already indicated in this thread that SoundSport performers would not require tickets in order to perform. And that makes sense to me... they have marketed this as a low-cost performance option.

Additionally, there is supposed to be an avenue for groups to perform at their home base and submit/broadcast their performance via video. That avoids the transportation costs, and renders the ticket question moot.

I understand what some are saying about SoundSport not being an official member of DCI, etc. etc. I get that... I just think this is a VERY wrong step to take for a new outlet to potentially help grow the activity long term....just my opinion though. I could really see loyal DCI fans applauding for these groups when they perform knowing how hard it is in today's world to do something like this and for their effort and participating in the activity as a whole... no matter how big or small it is.

Well, as far as I know, no animals were harmed in the making of SoundSport. But let us know if you find out otherwise.

[dcibrando]

All I'm saying and I think we all could agree....more could be done to help newer groups and the overall activity as a whole for long term stability and growth

[Kansan]

They wouldn't pay to be in the SoundSport competition. There would be a reduced fee for tickets for the actual DCI competition.

And the members of the SoundSport teams would be getting screwed over how?

Having the events concurrent with DCI contests brings in a lot more people to see the SoundSport events. The members get transportation not only to participate in SoundSport, but to see a DCI show as well. A reduced ticket price would make staying for the show more attractive, and many members would likely want to see a DCI show anyways.

All too often, DCI gets slammed for trying to do something nice...but it's not as nice as giving everyone a free foot massage and candy.

We have played the opening ceremony at Brass Impact in Olathe, KS for the past two years and our members have bought tickets to ensure they had seats to watch the show because we were fans before we marched and still fans after we perform plus we support our local show and want it to keep coming back.

Edited September 13, 2013 by Kansan

[Kansan]

if SoundSport is truly a way for old corps to come back or new groups to form (and potentially become corps), and is a way to grow the activity as a whole, then why charge each member a "discounted ticket price" to actually perform an exhibition (or whatever) at the beginning or end of a drum corps competition??? This makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever and in my opinion would make people think twice about even starting a group

Regardless of when they perform (beginning or end) they will be missing a lot of the competition anyways from getting ready or putting equipment away, etc. so they would likely only see a portion of the show anyways...but DCI is nice enough to charge each performing member a "discounted ticket"... so this is what it has come to...more desire for $ then promotion and growth of the activity as a whole?

It's hard enough for smaller corps to travel now and find performance opportunities (as confirmed by Keith's post as well), so why tie another hand behind the back of groups that could potential grow the activity??? I simply do not get why they would do this...

Examples:

World Class corps - usually funded well/ok, get paid highest amount to perform at shows

Open Class corps - some surviving day to day, get paid very little to perform at shows and have to travel far for performance opportunities

SoundSport groups - startup groups, likely little money as is and low dues, have to actually PAY to perform at DCI shows and actual SoundSport competitions by themselves are very much unknown at this time

does anyone else not see what is wrong about this?

I'm pretty sure SoundSport groups are not going to be forming just as a way to try to get kids into DCI shows for free.

I think the SoundSport idea could be successful as a way to get smaller groups going and more interest and participation in performing art opportunities like drum corps...but I'm not seeing them offer anything positive or beneficial yet other then a name for it...just my opinion

The benefits of participating in Sound Sport DCI are internet exposure, free advertising, an online performance venue and being associated with DCI.

After announcing our participation in Sound Sport 2014, our membership has increased from 8 members to 20. The last 2 joined after seeing our name on DCIs Facebook page last week. We also have a viable chance to accomplish constructing a video presentation and submitting it to Sound Sport DCI for evaluation and posting on the internet.

I was skeptical at 1st but after seeing the way Drum Battles and the two corps Star United and Jersey Surf sample shows I'm even more excited about Sound Sport DCI.

As far as charging Sound Sport Participants for seats at shows? Our local show will let us in for free to play the National Anthem and watch the show but if we want good seats we pay for them and it's not a big deal. I buy a ticket for myself and I'm usually manning our recruiting table. I buy a ticket because I like to support the local show and the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps.

[drilltech1]

.

As far as charging Sound Sport Participants for seats at shows? Our local show will let us in for free to play the National Anthem and watch the show but if we want good seats we pay for them and it's not a big deal. I buy a ticket for myself and I'm usually manning our recruiting table. I buy a ticket because I like to support the local show and the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps.

I am glad that you made the distinction between seating for the remainder of the contest and preferred seating for the best view of the contest. For many decades, the custom for exhibition groups and units completing their performances was for those units to be admitted without charge and to sit on the back side of the stadium. This you probably already knew. As the shows became more TV presentable with everything masked to the judging box, sitting on the back side of stadium fell into disfavor and kids began bleeding into the preferred seating to sit in open seats. (I understand their desires but recognize the problems and the loss of income for the show sponsor when all seats are full but not all seats are paid for.) Now that we no longer have retreats except for Championship finals and since corps are already prepped after performances to head off several hundred miles to their next show site, the backfield seating custom has died in most instances. In fact, it is impossible at Championships as LOS drapes off the backfield because of considerations for best sound and acoustics.

That you are an individual capable of affording buying tickets even when you exhibit in this down economy is lucky for you. Most in this economy, particularly the youth for whom the activity is supposed to be a growth forum, aren't that fortunate. Please look at the larger picture beyond the width of your own wallet. Thank you for what you do and contribute.

[Jeffe77]

Like I said many times in DCP, DCI has to go back to regional model for touring. Break up the corps by regions and compete in your respective regions for the first half of the season like it was before, have a regional championship, then go national. This would create an environment where smaller corps could thrive and not be forced to go national to give kids the “tour experience” at the expense of the corps' future.(Refer to Teal Sound or Music City perhaps).

We see it here in California where there are enough shows in California for small upstart corps like City Sound to put a unit on the field every year. (7 shows this season) Pacific Crest started out that way as well and worked their way into a World Class corps.

The more shows you have regionally, the more shows you could potentially have, the more viable it is to have corps form and compete. This could be simply solved by starting the season a week early. Then have the regional championship 1st week of July and kick off the national tour after that. At least smaller corps can tour for one month and not be forced to travel thousands of mile to compete.

[Kansan]

Like I said many times in DCP, DCI has to go back to regional model for touring. Break up the corps by regions and compete in your respective regions for the first half of the season like it was before, have a regional championship, then go national. This would create an environment where smaller corps could thrive and not be forced to go national to give kids the “tour experience” at the expense of the corps' future.(Refer to Teal Sound or Music City perhaps).

We see it here in California where there are enough shows in California for small upstart corps like City Sound to put a unit on the field every year. (7 shows this season) Pacific Crest started out that way as well and worked their way into a World Class corps.

The more shows you have regionally, the more shows you could potentially have, the more viable it is to have corps form and compete. This could be simply solved by starting the season a week early. Then have the regional championship 1st week of July and kick off the national tour after that. At least smaller corps can tour for one month and not be forced to travel thousands of mile to compete.

I totally agree. Regional tours is the way to go.

[Stu]

Like I said many times in DCP, DCI has to go back to regional model for touring. Break up the corps by regions and compete in your respective regions for the first half of the season like it was before, have a regional championship, then go national. This would create an environment where smaller corps could thrive and not be forced to go national to give kids the “tour experience” at the expense of the corps' future.(Refer to Teal Sound or Music City perhaps).

We see it here in California where there are enough shows in California for small upstart corps like City Sound to put a unit on the field every year. (7 shows this season) Pacific Crest started out that way as well and worked their way into a World Class corps.

The more shows you have regionally, the more shows you could potentially have, the more viable it is to have corps form and compete. This could be simply solved by starting the season a week early. Then have the regional championship 1st week of July and kick off the national tour after that. At least smaller corps can tour for one month and not be forced to travel thousands of mile to compete.

If you mean DCI corps having a regional first tour option to help corps stay in the financial black that I agree with. But if you mean DCI should 'force' all corps to stay within a particular region for a first half of the season that I do not agree with. I understand that WC directors, as voting members of DCI, should take care of the entire DCI activity; and they could do this by making sure at least the first half of the season has available shows in each region; but as the Directors of their individual corps, even the directors of OC corps, they all should be allowed to travel anywhere they want at any time they want if they feel it is in the best interest of their own individual corps. DCI should make shows regionally available, but DCI should not be a dictatorial Nanny.

Edited September 12, 2013 by Stu

[N.E. Brigand]

If you mean DCI corps having a regional first tour option to help corps stay in the financial black that I agree with. But if you mean DCI should 'force' all corps to stay within a particular region for a first half of the season that I do not agree with. I understand that WC directors, as voting members of DCI, should take care of the entire DCI activity; and they could do this by making sure at least the first half of the season has available shows in each region; but as the directors of their individual corps, even the directors of OC corps, they all should be allowed to travel anywhere they want at any time they want if they feel it is in the best interest of their own individual corps. DCI should make shows regionally available, but DCI should not be a dictatorial Nanny.

Do professional sports teams make their own schedules, or do their leagues decide where they will play?

[Stu]

Do professional sports teams make their own schedules, or do their leagues decide where they will play?

Depends on the sanctioning body and the type of competition. MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL: in all of those governing body cases you only have one single team playing another single team head to head in each contest. Since it is mono a mono it would be rather chaotic for teams to do their own scheduling requests in those situations. However, if you want to make this a type of sports analogy, the better governing body scheduling example would be sports where multiple independent teams are allowed to request entrance into various contests or stay home if they so choose based on their own independent financial capabilities such as PGA or NASCAR. DCI corps are are independent in the same manner where the governing body of DCI provides the weekly venues and the individual teams can apply to compete in what ever contests they desire (and in the case of DCI the governing body attempts to go above and beyond to try and accommodate those requests by Sue working her back side off trying to get show sponsors to accommodate the corps venue requests); but neither DCI, nor PGA, nor NASCAR 'force' any team to go to any particular venue; each corps, PGA player, or NASCAR team can apply to compete in those various venues based on their own financial decision capabilities not that of the governing body.

Edited September 12, 2013 by Stu