drilltech1 Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 (edited) Today I received no less than 3 requests to help fund DCA corps for championships; I've included one of the requests here. As the economy is still suffering, and hotel/transportation costs have gone up dramatically and not decreased as economic news fluctuates, I and others are saying, not this year. The attached link by one corps speaks of DCA championships being a full 20 per cent minimum of the annual budget of the corps. Yikes! Because there is a 40 plus per cent chance of rain and 80 per cent humidity, I will watch the vids. While we are privileged to have been welcomed to the ranks of Drum Corps Associates, performing at Finals comes at a significant expense to the members and the organization, with the added cost of hotel accommodations. Championships alone represent nearly 20% of the entire budget for the corps each year!. Just wondering if the activity is slitting it's own throat by these awful "packages" DCA and DCI get themselves into, or is this becoming an activity only for the rich, the subsidized, and the retired who made their "fortunes" in better economies? Edited August 28, 2013 by drilltech1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 You bring up an interesting question, drilltech1. Of course, the answer is a personal one, an answer that can change one year later. For today, and I suspect for most people, I would answer is "YES." But, little of it is the fault of DCA, or DCI. The economy has been very stagnant, expectations for any personal wealth growth hard to find. If anyone does see a rise in income, it is quickly swallowed-up by inflation, despite what the government numbers suggest. Those numbers are skewed, regardless of party. What matters is at the household level. I think people these days are more cautious with their money. Entertainment is low in priority for someone who recently took a pay cut, or worse. There is very little confidence about "tomorrow." If you are like me, when faced with 20% increase in the cost of health care insurance, gasoline, groceries, energy, etc., you make back some of it by trimming elsewhere. That usually means less restaurant meals and admission tickets. The recent availability of DCA Championship events on Pay-Per-View is the best response. I'm glad it happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Life is too expensive Life being too expensive trickles down to everything we do, including our hobbies. It's an individual decision to participate or not, and it's not DCA or DCI pricing themselves out, it's not like they are walking away with a huge profit (see professional sports). The activity is not absolved of those price increases in everyday living that we are incurring too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 The recent availability of DCA Championship events on Pay-Per-View is the best response. I'm glad it happened. Amen.... Doubt if we'll be at Ro-cha-cha for reasons other than $$$$$. Will probably buy into the whole PPV package in 2014 so we won't have to give up the outdoor shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkmummer Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I'd like to know who the other 2 are. I saw this request as well today, and thought why. This corps in particular has one of the highest "tour" fees in the DCA activity by almost double. I'm all for the yearly fund rasier to support an ADDITIONAL expense like equipment or uniforms, but something that should be part of the annual budget and accounted for in the operating costs is kind of a concern. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 After posting, I realized the OP might rather have been asking if DCA Championships are too expensive for the organizations. My suggestion to any corps who believes attending championships puts too much pressure on its operating budget . . . .don't go! At the very least, don't go every year. Had more DCI-wannabe corps taken this advice over the years, a number of them would still be around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I'd like to know who the other 2 are. I saw this request as well today, and thought why. This corps in particular has one of the highest "tour" fees in the DCA activity by almost double. I'm all for the yearly fund rasier to support an ADDITIONAL expense like equipment or uniforms, but something that should be part of the annual budget and accounted for in the operating costs is kind of a concern. I've seen requests from the Bucs on FB the last couple days. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle B Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 They aren't asking for money for finals, they were doing a fundraising challenge with MBI raising money for uniforms and Bucs raising money for hopefully a new truck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Anybody have a breakdown of these expenses? What does it cost to run a DCA corps, line item by line item? Details on expenses and revenues? I work in an arts organization that lately cut expenses significantly after comparing to budgets of our peers, and seeing what they each spent on, e.g., marketing, fundraising, production, etc. I don't know which corps are sending out the current appeals, but if they saw that the norm in the activity is to spend $25K for a particular item, and they were spending $50K, or that other corps typically make $20K from such-and-such a fundraising event while they've only been bringing in $10K, maybe they could get better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drilltech1 Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 (edited) Yes, Fred. My question was based on more than my own dire financial situation. Too many corps are in similar tough straits it seems and institutionally it may need a re-evaluation if the "old ways" are still the best ways. But let me continue. jkmummer deserves a response as well. Two of the units already mentioned are presumed to have some of the finest administrative support staffs and financing in the activity. The third does not and I am not sure of the other 3 units who sent requests to others but not to me. What I note is that 4 of the units are all within a not too long drive to the championships site. Even with the high price of fuel today, a tank fill-up is far below what the hotels are charging, even with the group discounts. The high price of food (whether homecooked or bought out) is also another searing price rise. Why would these units need so many of these hotel rooms, particularly (given the age group of the one corps) if the purpose of Championships is more than just getting together to kibbitz about the olden days and drink? With DCA no longer being Senior corps but All-Age, who is advocating for the younger members who make up so many of the DCA units today, not just one? Who is advocating for their family's costs and participation. Unfortunately, Fred, you have answered part of my questions. DCA is becoming only for the rich. Edited August 28, 2013 by drilltech1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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