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Defending Champions Finals Performance


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Super quick question.

I've been racking my brain trying to find/remember the answer to this, so I'll just throw it out to the masses:

When and why did the defending champion stop performing last on Finals night? The furthest back I can remember the champions going on last was '88, but that was the year of the wacky drawings so it may have just been happenstance. At any rate, I leave this to you fine people.

Thanks.

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Interesting concept. I had no idea this was ever done. I think that would put a different spin on finals night.

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Do I correctly recall that the defending champion could choose not to go on last? It seems to me that I remember this being discussed in the Brass Roots video that was issued in the late 1990s, with particular reference to the finals from one year in the 1970s, when for reasons I do not recall fully understanding, the defending corps strategically chose to go on before the corps that had beaten them in prelims, which somehow made it easier for them to win, they thought--do I have that right?

Edited by N.E. Brigand
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Do I correctly recall that the defending champion could choose not to go on last? It seems to me that I remember this being discussed in the Brass Roots video that was issued in the late 1990s, with particular reference to the finals from one year in the 1970s, when for reasons I do not recall fully understanding, the defending corps strategically chose to go on before the corps that had beaten them in prelims, which somehow made it easier for them to win, they thought--do I have that right?

If I remember correctly, SCV did that in 1974, they chose to not go on last, letting Madison do it instead. I believe Madison then did it in 75, but I might be mistaken about that part.

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If I remember correctly, SCV did that in 1974, they chose to not go on last, letting Madison do it instead. I believe Madison then did it in 75, but I might be mistaken about that part.

Madison won the Prelims in 75 with SCV in 2nd. This time, SCV took their option to perform last.

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Super quick question.

I've been racking my brain trying to find/remember the answer to this, so I'll just throw it out to the masses:

When and why did the defending champion stop performing last on Finals night? The furthest back I can remember the champions going on last was '88, but that was the year of the wacky drawings so it may have just been happenstance. At any rate, I leave this to you fine people.

Thanks.

After the 1988 season, it was decided that the defending champion from the last year would not receive the automatic last performance berth, that it would be more fair to all corps in the present season to have a chance to earn it via the Semifinals competition. 1989 was the first year this new logistics was put in place, part of the restructuring of the Championships week and part of the changes made when DCI went from two shows at the World Championships to the three-show format we now know.

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There's something to be said for taking the wind out of the audience's sails before the group after you comes on. If you have the stronger show that's more crowd pleasing, you just may not want to go on last. :)

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This is just another format change that confuses me. I know we try to make the championships week exciting, but every few seasons DCI likes to change things. World used to be Open, Open used to be DIV 2, show order can be confusing, individuals was moved to earlier in the season and is now during finals week....tweek tweek tweak. Heck, i've been a fan for decades now, and I'm still confused about how finals week works. Opens can move on, there is prelims and quarters, the classes are at different sites, caption titles are earned over three nights....or not? Try and keep up.

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Madison won the Prelims in 75 with SCV in 2nd. This time, SCV took their option to perform last.

Thanks. I knew it was one of those two years that SCV went out of order because of the championship right before, but couldn't remember if it was '74 or '75

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