TastyWaves Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Yes. The season is waaaaay too long in my mind. I think it should be over a month earlier or start a month later. I marched 3 seasons there and while I value those experiences, by mid August I was so ready for it to be over. I love all the negative votes I got! lol. I am now somebody! In any case, I should have clarified my particular response. Im not sure what the OP was looking for, but for me, I answered in terms of the "Season" which as a marching member I define as day 1, to DCA championships. The last time I marched, day 1 for me was the open house thanksgiving weekend after which we went just about every weekend with a few exceptions until September. So for me, yes. Going from November to September was too long. Even if I was young enough to hang with those kids out there now, I don't think I would because that is a LONG time for me. I work full time and am a Band Director and direct an indoor percussion ensemble as well as having a relationship. Thinking back to having rehearsal 3 nights per week, shows on Saturdays and then driving to and rehearsing all day sundays during Indoor season was crazy. Then doing all of the marching band during the spring and summer all week before driving over an hour (or 4 hours depending on which season were talking about)was also a lot. So again, I am answering the question in context of my life and experience. If I had nothing going on except for marching on weekends, I would probably want it to go until October. lol. but I don't. Anyway, "negative" vote away! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 Not just less shows, but most of the shows that remain are presented by "in house" sponsors. Unfortunately, many hurdles are out there today, that were not out there 10-20 years ago. Money is hard to come by these days. Speculative, even discretionary funds are even more scarce. Depending what media information you follow, where you live, etc. you might dispute this. But, the view I see confirms economic pressures are hurting more pastimes than just drum corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 26, 2013 Share Posted August 26, 2013 that 3 day weekend over Labor Day is huge for travel gang. With DCA being truly more national, you can not take that day away 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOReason Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 And to think that I originally thought this thread was a goof! To long? Seriously?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 way back when i marched we started sometimes in mid may and ended after labor day. and some were 2 shows in a weekend. now that was long and some years i just wanted to put a gun to my head. but we loved what we did and we made the sacrifices with family and work and school. it just was what we did. we didn't complain we just did it. and we loved it.so no the season is to short as far as i'm concerned. but then i no longer am involved so it's easy for me to say. just my 2 cents. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 And to think that I originally thought this thread was a goof! Too long? Seriously?! I hear ya. As this summer winds down, I wish we had another month of drum corps. It goes by way too quickly these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 White Sabers going away???? my bad... and I'm one of their biggest supporters... sorry WS but they are 50 miles away... but still technically in Western NY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Sun Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 In my day the contest season opened with Fresh Air Fanfare ,Hamdan CT frist saturday in June ,Follow by the Conn,Yankees Show in Stradford Ct, thrid week Mission Drums ,Chestnut Hill, Boston ,Ma,4th week of June was the Brigs Show .Gee its not even July and we got 4 shows in all ready .Another 4 or 5 shows in July ,Same with August a Dlb, another sunday show added in Norwich CT,Plus the DREAM ON SUNDAY Finally DCA weekend and 17 shows later.Now corps are lucky if they have 6 shows all summer .Shorten NO get these corps ready earlier so they can complete a full season . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 get these corps ready earlier so they can complete a full season . Well, I agree that corps should at least have the framework of their show complete by, say, Wildwood, you do need to give credence to the fact that today's easiest programs are still ten times more complex than they were "back in the day". If today's top corps like Bucs, Cabs, etc. were to do a show like the old days, they'd learn the whole thing in a weekend. But nobody wants that. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diceman Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 a couple of things... one the college kids were a problem in the late 1960's when they moved it to Labor Day weekend... no different today... we worked it out then they work it out now... and.... as for the season being too long my complaint is it's too short... Most corps can NOT properly polish there programs and develop them to the highest degree with only 5 shows... Further, as a former corps director, I have a HUGE problem with that from a financial stand point... let's say your budget is $200,000 - which is about right for an all aged corps... like most DCA corps you do a few other things (parades and exhibitions) but in reality the only reason to exist is the summer competitions... if you do 5 shows... each show costs you $40,000 - you have to be kidding me... and the sponsors scream at paying from $1500 to $4000 to get you to their show... I thought it was bad when we had 13 shows a summer... bad in that it cost us too much money... so frankly... if I had a corps and only did 5 shows a year... I simply couldn't justify the expense... which is exactly why there will most likely be no corps in Western New York after next week. What was seen as the salvation for some corps has spelled the end of others... There is NO easy solution In 1968 4 out of the Top 5 and 5 out of the Top 10 Finalists were from New York State. Last year? 1 in Open Class and 1 in Class A. Sad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.