Fred Windish Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Shawn, I am thrilled MN Brass and some others are able to travel long distance. Unfortunately, it's too much a financial strain for everyone else. If your net worth is small or underwater, it is foolish to extend oneself for speculative reasons. Heavy duty financial help would be required to place one long "feel good" trip ahead of, say, replacing uniforms, purchasing an equipment truck, etc. One corps appearing live outside its region could cause a somewhat small segment of new fans to purchase a DCA ticket someplace else but until most DCA corps have a comfortable budget cushion, the execution of that trip during a weekend is not only difficult, but a risky purchase of limited benefit. It could actually help drive a corps out of existence. A greater number of new fans can be achieved by working the new DCA Fan Network to full advantage. The potential audience size to impress is far, far greater and could generate new interest in the DCA product over many different regions of the country, not just the Midwest or South. Engaging someone new in Atlanta is not likely to cause them to try another show in Clifton, NJ. However, a new DCA Fan Network customer in Bridgeport might make such a trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphy00 Posted September 14, 2013 Author Share Posted September 14, 2013 Shawn, I am thrilled MN Brass and some others are able to travel long distance. Unfortunately, it's too much a financial strain for everyone else. If your net worth is small or underwater, it is foolish to extend oneself for speculative reasons. Heavy duty financial help would be required to place one long "feel good" trip ahead of, say, replacing uniforms, purchasing an equipment truck, etc. Fred the reason why I started this topic wasn't to say that any corps HAS to travel regardless of whether it's in their best interest financially. If any corps were to make a trip and forego repairing an ailing equipment truck or feeding their members on a long camp day, then they would have chosen very poorly. The reason I started this topic was to get people thinking about the fact that MBI doesn't have a magic wand to make these trips happen nor some mysterious financial genie. Other corps CAN make the trip and I think eventually they should, but in order for a trip to happen in 2016, they need to be talking about and planning for it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 You are absolutely right Morphy00. I have always believed most DCA corps will require more than 1 year lead in preparing for such an expensive weekend. They will also need a decent paycheck from the show sponsor, probably a corporate sponsor, and maybe even a boost from other DCA corps with cash from some kind of development fund built from championship revenues. If we took the top ten DCA corps, filled out two "long distance" performance sites with 2 finalist corps ( each appearing in one location) on a rotating basis, the challenge of such travel, per corps would not come every year, but maybe every 6-8 years. Lots of new questions and concerns with this plan, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reeses0316 Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 (edited) Shawn, I am thrilled MN Brass and some others are able to travel long distance. Unfortunately, it's too much a financial strain for everyone else. If your net worth is small or underwater, it is foolish to extend oneself for speculative reasons. Heavy duty financial help would be required to place one long "feel good" trip ahead of, say, replacing uniforms, purchasing an equipment truck, etc. One corps appearing live outside its region could cause a somewhat small segment of new fans to purchase a DCA ticket someplace else but until most DCA corps have a comfortable budget cushion, the execution of that trip during a weekend is not only difficult, but a risky purchase of limited benefit. It could actually help drive a corps out of existence. A greater number of new fans can be achieved by working the new DCA Fan Network to full advantage. The potential audience size to impress is far, far greater and could generate new interest in the DCA product over many different regions of the country, not just the Midwest or South. Engaging someone new in Atlanta is not likely to cause them to try another show in Clifton, NJ. However, a new DCA Fan Network customer in Bridgeport might make such a trip. It would be foolish to break the bank on one trip and the idea is voluntary for those corps that already do travel. I'm speaking from my personal thoughts and experiences (which does not reflect Brass) as to why I saw travel becoming important for Minnesota Brass to survive. There's been a lot of changes in the Midwest over the 11 years I've participated in the activity, (ending in 2010) DCA and DCI, particularly in the early 2000's show opportunities were limited. That has changed with DCA-C, more participation in DCI events, and the desire for the competition aspect of it has taken root. DCA Fan Network currently does have its limits. There are limited shows and it only showcases corps in the northeast other than finals. If I want to see corps outside the northeast prior to finals I have to have a DCI Fan Network account. A strictly DCA show in Racine with corps participating from other regions would be wonderful because of the fan base there. Racine does have the most potential for filling the stands at least in the midwest. Edited September 15, 2013 by Reeses0316 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 How about some rambling thoughts,........ It seems that DCA (the corps/organization as a collective) could use a strategic plan where ALL of the corps financial challenges and struggles could somehow be addressed for travel outside of region, (beyond a certain distance from home base), should the corps choose to make the effort themselves. I am thinking some sort of fund created by various means like: 1. Setting aside of a small portion of the share point fund prior to distribution, or something similar,........ 2. Maybe some sort of collective annual capitol campaign not affiliated with any particular corps, but rather a group of people who individually throw some cash in (people like you and me who might send money annually to the local orchestra, theater company, etc.) at levels small to big, in an effort to raise funds to turn arround into a travel expense grant sort of thing,........... 3. ? (insert your idea here) A sliding scale could be implemented in determining what the performance fee should be adjusted when travelling a brazilion miles, and then some offset/assistance from this fund. (certainly not all of it, but something) This concept could actually be used for ANY show, anywhere. As an example, it certainly cost empire more to go to the north east shows the last couple years, than in the past when 5 or 6 corps existed in the upstate area, and home on homes there were the norm. Well not anymore, and was a killer to empire IMO. The added costs forced less trips/shows per season, making it harder to recruit,....etc. etc. etc.,.... The notion of everyone (including the north east) needing to grow their own regions is understandable to a point, but that is certainly easier said than done, when you already have enough corps in the neighboorhood to schedule a full regular season of shows, do home on homes, etc. It just comes off to everyone else as somewhat territorial thinking,..... Tho the whole "region" concept is a perception thing when it comes to the individual corps,.......and something I don't think is a good idea to cement,......there is no reason to draw lines in the sand seperating regions, as the corps situations near the borders or not, no matter where, may be critically different. Maybe this is all pie in the sky stuff, maybe not,.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSMarcher Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 I think the only way you would encourage groups to travel outside the region is if a region championship system is created (like a Midwest and South Championship). One that encourages as many corps to participate as possible with competitive advantages to doing so. With that being said, I cannot begin to know what advantages those would be, but I imagine if groups realized a true advantage to doing this, they would consider it... for instance, if DCA only allowed for a regional on specific dates (like the weekend before championships), and it was the only show that weekend per DCA's ruling. Groups would be interested in traveling to have the opportunity to get that late season number. Perhaps the regional could rotate to those three regions each year. It would not make everyone sign-up to do it, but I think it would encourage several, without requiring any group to make the trip. In addition, maybe DCA could make a financial incentive to groups based on a percentage of total miles traveled? Just thinking out loud... it is getting late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 you have to have a regional happen where you're going to get the most fans. What region right now can provide that? tie ins with DCI can be good, as the two circuits work together a lot better than they used to. But remember, the DCI corps come first, so the DCA corps will be on in the daylight ( if you can see it through the roof of whatever dome it happens in), and DCi usually doesnt pay DCA corps to appear. it's tough to get DCA corps here in the NE at DCI shows as most of those are run by YEA, and if they are going to let any DCA corps appear,it will be C2. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BushDad1213 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 It's tough to get DCA corps here in the NE at DCI shows as most of those are run by YEA, and if they are going to let any DCA corps appear,it will be C2. This brings up a point that bothers me a little. I think DCA should make it a point to YEA that in order for C2 to be a member, they can't shut other DCA corps out of shows, AND they should also allow other DCA corps set up recruiting tables at YEA run USBAND shows as well. They don't stop it at local shows completely, but I've heard they don't approve of it either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 This brings up a point that bothers me a little. I think DCA should make it a point to YEA that in order for C2 to be a member, they can't shut other DCA corps out of shows, AND they should also allow other DCA corps set up recruiting tables at YEA run USBAND shows as well. They don't stop it at local shows completely, but I've heard they don't approve of it either. this,..............and/or they should host a DCA contest,................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 This brings up a point that bothers me a little. I think DCA should make it a point to YEA that in order for C2 to be a member, they can't shut other DCA corps out of shows, AND they should also allow other DCA corps set up recruiting tables at YEA run USBAND shows as well. They don't stop it at local shows completely, but I've heard they don't approve of it either. So, you want to create rules that restrict C2 that don't apply to other DCA corps? How is that fair? 2 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.