Why won't DCI follow this type of path?

[garfield]

My thoughts align with the economics of growth, while not necessarily the specific action taken.

There is a correction to my last, however, that bears pointing out. I'm checking on the details, but the economic fan value of a new marching member, beyond his tour fees, should be considered as well.

Presumably, each new MM will have family that make some effort to attend a show, buy a souvie, maybe go on the road with a corps as a volunteer. Simple presumption is sufficient until verifiable numbers are available to see this value.

A single Mom might go to a show and spend $50 or so on souvies, but not be able to afford much more. If all 1800 are those that's about $180,000. But there are also Moms and Dads and siblings and family that might also come to see little Johnny march. With four in the stands and $100 in souvies ($300 total, +/-), those 1800 new members might produce almost $600,000 in economic value. There's also that family that will go to a couple shows, but a couple-hundred in souvies, and maybe get tickets to Indy. I'd imagine a fair estimate would be $500 for tickets and some souvies for a family of four. If that's the case, those 1800 new members might be worth as much at $1million in addition to tour fees.

Filling those 1800 ranks, again presuming that 1800 is an accurate number, could be worth as much as $5mil all told.

And still, this presumes that the ratio of kids' demand to corps available stays the same.

What's interesting is that, unless the max-marcher rule is bumped higher, the impact of this "organic growth" increases the farther DOWN the performance ranks you go. BD's full (as are most top-12 corps) so they're benefit is limited to the additional shows (and their gate) made possible by more corps in the lower ranks. Academy, Colts, or any corps that struggles to fill the corps each year will get a bigger band of tour fees even as they get a smaller performance payout from DCI. All the way down to a brand new corps formed by some SS team or something; they might not get a payout from DCI for filling a spot in a show, but a full corps, charging $2000 per year, gets $300,000 in fresh tour fees and a substantial sum of support and volunteerism out of their family support base.

That's why I think one of the first things to happen soon will be a rules proposal to increase the max-marchers to 200 or something. Then the top corps will have some organic growth of their own, even as the smaller corps suffer from losing those potential marchers to corps above them.

But I also look at the growth potential in a new corps, too. If they can march 200, too, and they have a good program that can attract that many, that corps now has $400,000 in member dues, plus family support economic value.

The key is, and always will be, attracting kids and giving them programs that they can realistically make and pay for, and enough of them to soak up the demand.

"Organic" is what I think they had in mind with SoundSport and DLB.

EDITED to correct my math. Not all of the cost to go to finals is a direct financial benefit to DCI. Out of, say, $2000 to attend finals that a family might pay, DCI gets ticket money and souvie benefits, hence my change to $500 to go to DCI.

Hope to have more accurate fan economic data in the future.

Edited April 28, 2014 by garfield