Why won't DCI follow this type of path?

[Jeff Ream]

Why won’t DCI follow this type of path?

“A few years ago skyrocketing costs began negatively impacting the quality of our racing activity. At that time it cost a single-driver team over ten million dollars each season to be competitive. Independent teams were going bankrupt, and the competitive parity fans desire at every race was greatly diminishing. So in an effort to curtail sharply increasing expenditures we started down the path of massive rules changes and competition overhauls. We did things from limiting the number of tires teams could use at each event to completely revamping car design structures; not only for safety reasons but so that fewer cars had to be built by teams for each track configuration. We limited the testing each team could do each season at various tracks, and severely cut back the time teams could spend at ultra-expensive wind tunnels. All of this has worked in a tremendous way not only to bring down the costs of operating a team but it has helped the parity of the competition; and this has helped single-driver independent teams to once again have an opportunity at placing their teams into the winners circle. Our next step is to revamp the rules concerning engine designs. We want the new engines to have less horsepower, develop less wear, and have greater longevity in order to bring costs down even further. If the rules changes had hurt the competition instead of helping, if the changes had created unintended consequences we would be here with a different message. But we are glad to say that by bringing the costs down over the past few years, the activity has actually improved.” - NASCAR

easy....drum corps performers don't get paid. NASCAR drivers do

[charlie1223]

That is the hope. And I want something like SoundSport of the WGI Winds thing to blossom so as to help small up-starts. But with as fluid of a structure SoundSport currently has it is sort of like trying to form soemthing solid out of wet oatmeal.

SoundSports' lax rules doesn't mean that the ensembles rules have to be lax.

[Stu]

easy....drum corps performers don't get paid. NASCAR drivers do

If ya check the 990's you will find that while DCI performers do not get paid, many corps directors and staff are not just altruistic volunteers; and some directors, while not becoming millionaires, are not getting that shabby of a compensation package. And it does not need to take close to a million dollars to set up a single year touring system for the corps; a vastly lower cost tour schedule could be put into place.

Edited April 4, 2014 by Stu

[Stu]

If they did do a regional tour before July 4th then it probably would mean DCI couldn't do their Cinema Broadcast on June 23rd of the June 21st show in Akron, Ohio. I wonder if the revenue gained is worth the cost of getting all the corps to Ohio in the early season (Bluecoats, Boston Crusaders, Carolina Crown, Cadets, Cavaliers, Madison Scouts and Phantom Regiment). I would imagine so since they have been doing this for a few years now.

Akron is actually within a regional situation for many of the corps you mentioned, so how would it hurt the cinema broadcast?

[Stu]

SoundSports' lax rules doesn't mean that the ensembles rules have to be lax.

True; but without focusing on the competitive rule aspects I am just wondering if the intense quality of performance will be manifested by many of the units. We shall see.

[fsubone]

If ya check the 990's you will find that while DCI performers do not get paid, many corps directors and staff are not just altruistic volunteers; and some directors, while not becoming millionaires, are not getting that shabby of a compensation package. And it does not need to take close to a million dollars to set up a single year touring system for the corps; a vastly lower cost tour schedule could be put into place.

Those directors are also doing tons of work year-round. They're the ones I feel are earning their pay, and then some.

[Stu]

Those directors are also doing tons of work year-round. They're the ones I feel are earning their pay, and then some.

I agree that they need to be compensated well; I was just reminding Jeff that not all in DCI are doing it out of artistic altruism and volunteering but many adults do get compensation.

[jjeffeory]

Why won’t DCI follow this type of path?

“A few years ago skyrocketing costs began negatively impacting the quality of our racing activity. At that time it cost a single-driver team over ten million dollars each season to be competitive. Independent teams were going bankrupt, and the competitive parity fans desire at every race was greatly diminishing. So in an effort to curtail sharply increasing expenditures we started down the path of massive rules changes and competition overhauls. We did things from limiting the number of tires teams could use at each event to completely revamping car design structures; not only for safety reasons but so that fewer cars had to be built by teams for each track configuration. We limited the testing each team could do each season at various tracks, and severely cut back the time teams could spend at ultra-expensive wind tunnels. All of this has worked in a tremendous way not only to bring down the costs of operating a team but it has helped the parity of the competition; and this has helped single-driver independent teams to once again have an opportunity at placing their teams into the winners circle. Our next step is to revamp the rules concerning engine designs. We want the new engines to have less horsepower, develop less wear, and have greater longevity in order to bring costs down even further. If the rules changes had hurt the competition instead of helping, if the changes had created unintended consequences we would be here with a different message. But we are glad to say that by bringing the costs down over the past few years, the activity has actually improved.” - NASCAR

...because everything is hunky-dory in DCI-land and the art/sport is in it's best years ever.... No need for cutbacks and no need for anything to change other than the rules of the trade...

These are DCI's Platinum, no, Titanium age...

[jjeffeory]

That is the hope. And I want something like SoundSport of the WGI Winds thing to blossom so as to help small up-starts. But with as fluid of a structure SoundSport currently has it is sort of like trying to form something solid out of wet oatmeal.

Yes; all-summer national touring is very hard on finances; especially with smaller WC corps. Not saying that DCI would agree to this because it is retroactive but at least it would bring down costs without destroying competition…. A DCI regional tour sysstem until independence day, and a DCI national touring system from July 5 ending at Championships certainly would bring travel and touring costs down drastically; and I contend it would not bring down the competition aspect, but it would increase the parity of competition by allowing smaller corps to use more of their current resources on the performances instead of operational expenditures.

Sounds like the ole first tour in DCE, DCS, DCM, DCN, or DCW; second tour at DCI shows model of drum corps to me.... Which I was totally fine with and allowed for more smaller, regional shows and a Mini-Regional format until after July 4th or so... If you think about it though, it only takes 10 to 15 days off a national tour compared to today because the 1 shows of the season have started later and later in June. Is that really going to save all that much money in fuel? Back in the day, Bluecoats would skip DCM for DCE shows, and DCS shows were sort of lumped with DCE shows... Really, there were a ton of DCM shows because there are so many Midwest corps. How would this help bring down costs?

Edited April 4, 2014 by jjeffeory

[charlie1223]

Akron is actually within a regional situation for many of the corps you mentioned, so how would it hurt the cinema broadcast?

I was using it as an example of corps not traveling within their region before July 4th. But if it isn't... then how are the corps not staying true to their region now/doing what you are asking? Are you fine with the current DCI 2014 tour?

Edited April 4, 2014 by charlie1223