Jeff Ream Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 My understanding is that DCA negotiates fees with each alumni corps, and the profits go to DCA - much like other event sponsors who secure the venue, provide the volunteers, sell the tickets, etc. DCA, like DCI, is an organization of/for its member corps - competing all-age corps. They are not in the business of providing charity to other entities. Alumni corps involvement with DCA began as selected exhibitions by individual alumni corps who were so singularly spectacular that the consensus "you gotta see this!" spread all the way into the DCA decision making apparatus. After nearly a decade-long series of such exhibitions, there appeared to be enough interest to spawn a separate event for the alumni within DCA championship weekend (plus, it was time for DCA to re-allocate the extra finals time slots to top class A corps). Alumni corps became enough of a draw to make the DCA Alumni Spectacular a profitable venture for DCA. Not only did it draw ticket revenue of its own, it also drew alumni corps members, family and friends to town, adding to the customer base for other championship events and for total impact to the host city economy. I&E is different from alumni corps. It is an activity that serves current members of the DCA corps. and really, how DCA makes money on it is the bundle package. you want the best seats for all shows? gotta buy the alumni show seats too. many people sitting in the good seats at the alumni show arent the people that sat there at prelims and finals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Thanks for more info as I was not following corps when the Alumni show started. And I was thinking about the added crowd from Alumni and Mini corps members but have no idea if that really did happen. And should we also point out that the group ticket plan for DCA includes Prelims, Finals and Alumni show. So for people like us who get the package but may miss the Alumni show are still providing $$$$ to this. As for I&E I was being a smart aleck as people seemed to be hung up on the money aspect of the Alumni show. And actually I&E serves current DCA, former DCA and current Alumni type corps members. As of 2013 (Check the Bari list) that was still the three criteria for being allowed to play. You probably already know that but pointing that out to others. but I&E charges no admission. so entry fees have to cover the bills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 No, the decline of the large base of corps forced DCI to migrate to the band world as a partner, as it was a vastly growing activity, so no, you do not state my view correctly at all. i'm not sure it was to be a partner. At first, i think it was to be a training ground, recruiting area. with time, it became a place to experiment. and because the activity is so inbred between band, corps, indoor, it just kind of merged into one big happy family that still can't fully get along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Warning: Central PA perspective Since 72 have seen soccer hit big time and fall back a good bit depending on side of the river. Football for youth got bigger and went back. Scouting was starting the free fall in the cities and building in suburbs bur burbs have gone back. Had a huge east side of the river Little League set up in the 60s but some are gone or having problems. Competitive marching band grew in number of bands as just starting out in 72. Again in the burbs as the city schools have seen the band drop badly in members and funding in one of the schools. Some schools might have implemented pay to play in sports but not sure if there yet. Again depends on the area.... competitive band grew because really, until the 70's no one did it. it had no place to go but up. As one school does it, another sees it, says "oh hey....cool", then they do it....and as more and more band directors coming out had involvement with drum corps, they too took their bands competitive. I really don't see how drum corps dying left and right grew competitive band. You just had more and more corps people going out, and seeing the opportunity, and then jumping on board, and as time went on, for many people, it became a way to make a living. Now, because corps did die, it kept many people solely doing band and not corps and band due to a lack of opportunity, but even in this area, the death of Westshore hit hard because the number of bands competing now isn;t as great as it was during the mid 90's when the corps was on top. Why? Most of us that were teaching have drifted off, and that next generation isn't there to replace us. Even then, in the Central PA region, or what is called TOB Chapter 6, just under 50% of the high schools have bands that compete. Several do more than one circuit, but go back 20 years and that number was closer to 70%. Why the drop? Easy. $$$$. Arts gets cut. travel budgets get slashed. keeping up with joneses for props, equipment, uniforms etc aint cheap.I know of two long time strong bands around here that have had success competing for decades that are going football only next year. too expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) but I&E charges no admission. so entry fees have to cover the bills IIRC $10 for individuals and $500 for Minis... I&E groups I can't remember - for the record.... As for few HS bands competing in the early 70s.If you thought some band directors were anti-DC then. Just bring up the added headache of competing and dealing with the parents.... s/ guy who graduated HS in 1975... Edited March 7, 2014 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 The two-day paid attendance total for Open Class World Championship events in Michigan City, Ind. (Aug. 6-7) came in at 1,415, an increase from the previous year, up from 1,308 in 2012. Oddly, the one-day attendance at the Open Class show in Avon Lake, OH, just three days earlier, where all but two of the same corps appeared, was 3,200. Looks like they should move O.C. championships to Avon Lake. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallipygianKing Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 DCA has an excellent alumni corps show as part of their championship weekend. Every year there's a showing of corps doing exactly this, dusting off the old uniforms and old charts and putting on a great show for the people who love old school drum corps. I highly recommend it if that's your thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perc2100 Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 DCA has an excellent alumni corps show as part of their championship weekend. Every year there's a showing of corps doing exactly this, dusting off the old uniforms and old charts and putting on a great show for the people who love old school drum corps. I highly recommend it if that's your thing. Great observation/point: fans of alumni corps-style shows seemingly DO have an arena to enjoy their niche of the activity. Just as I wouldn't expect DCA to program exactly like DCI shows, why would I expect DCI to program exactly like alumni corps?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 That had been discussed a bit in earlier posts in this thread. The alumni corps are by no means recreating original shows (not that I'm advocating for that myself), nor do I believe they are physically able to to so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsubone Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Oddly, the one-day attendance at the Open Class show in Avon Lake, OH, just three days earlier, where all but two of the same corps appeared, was 3,200. Looks like they should move O.C. championships to Avon Lake. It's not as nice of a stadium as Michigan City's Ames Field. There is history associated with Michigan City, which I'm guessing is why the corps directors voted to put and keep Finals week there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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