Why only 12 corps in finals?

[BRASSO]

Are we not ultimately looking to pare things back to seven finalists?

Sure, its possible. We could then find it reduced later to 4. Then it could even go to 0.

Anything is possible if the historical graph we have up continues in the direction it has been going in since DCI's inception.

[HornTeacher]

It is...because it is. And has always been so. One cannot deny the "mystique" associated with "Top 12." To me, it delineates DCI from all other activities. Top 12 is "the best of the best"...no matter how many others are in competition. To change it would be to take away what had been earned and respected by every applicable Drum Corps up to now.

[2muchcoffeeman]

I have no specific knowledge why the first DCI finals included 12 corps, but there were only 12 corps who comprised the initial membership of DCI in 1972. There were 39 corps who competed at the DCI world championship that year. Perhaps the plan was to have every member of DCI (then only 12 corps) have a chance at performing on the big-money finals night. Remember, DCI was borne partly out of frustration with the meager Legion/VFW payouts -- sound familiar? So, it probably was very important to every founding member of DCI to have a shot at finals-night money -- assuming they could qualify against the rest of the comers.

So, maybe if DCI had been created by 9 corps instead of 12, we might be talking about the "Top Nine" today instead of the "Top Twelve."

Though, I think the 12-corps-fit-on-the-field-for-retreat explanation is the most elegant.

[Ghost]

Though, I think the 12-corps-fit-on-the-field-for-retreat explanation is the most elegant.

Elegant?

[Slingerland]

I have no specific knowledge why the first DCI finals included 12 corps, but there were only 12 corps who comprised the initial membership of DCI in 1972.

Actually, there were 13 initial DCI member corps, But in awe of Warren, Jones', and the rest of the founders' achievement, none of them guaranteed themselves a spot at the next summer's Finals show (some non-original corps made Finals while a few founders didn't).

Personally, I'd prefer if DCI went to top 9 from World Class making Finals on Saturday night, interspersed with the top 3 from Open Class performing in the 12, 9, and 7 spots, so that both classes have their championships witnessed by the biggest crowd of the year on Saturday night. It'd help drive interest int he Friday night WC show and give the best OC corps a chance to shine on the biggest night in the activity.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Slingerland

[2muchcoffeeman]

Yep, 13. Thanks for the correction.

So, it was even more brilliant than I had considered: Thirteen founding members created a finals format where one of them was guaranteed to fail to qualify, even if none of the non-DCI members crashed the party.

But the rationale for the finalist field of 12 remains connected to the original size of DCI: Had there been 14 founding corps instead of 13, the finals would have been restricted to the "Top 13."

Edited June 6, 2014 by 2muchcoffeeman

[Slingerland]

But the rationale for the finalist field of 12 remains connected to the original size of DCI: Had there been 14 founding corps instead of 13, the finals would have been restricted to the "Top 13."

It was 12 in the VFW days too, well before DCI. The "number who can fit on the field at Finale" rationale makes more sense than any other explanation.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Slingerland

[BRASSO]

Actually, there were 13 initial DCI member corps, But in awe of Warren, Jones', and the rest of the founders' achievement, none of them guaranteed themselves a spot at the next summer's Finals show (some non-original corps made Finals while a few founders didn't).

Correct. Also, at least 2 DCI Foundimg Member Corps ( both once top ranked National Championship winning Corps in the 60's ) were so short of cash in '72 that they could not cobble together enough funds for their Corps to make it out to Wisconsin for the first DCI Championships ( the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights and the Boston Crusaders )

Edited June 6, 2014 by BRASSO

[BRASSO]

Yep, 13.

So, it was even more brilliant than I had considered: Thirteen founding members created a finals format where one of them was guaranteed to fail to qualify, even if none of the non-DCI members crashed the party.

Nope. It was nothing like you you think here at all. The Finals 12 was agreed to by the Founders on the basis that this was the 12 in Finals that the VFW's and the American Legions had for Corps at most of their Conventions, (provided the site and time was not distant or late in the season). They liked the number, and 4 Corps usually went on the 3 albums of he recording of the Finals for customers. There was no organized conspiracy by the Founding Corps to organize a permanent slotting system in competition that benefited the Founders alone. Anyone that thinks there was secret meetings to disenfranchise other Corps and set up a permanent slotting system that benefitted them alone (ala the G7) is entirely mistaken. If the Founding Member Corps wanted to, in 1971-1972, they could have easily organized a system that would have never allowed a Blue Devils Corps to emerge from out of nowhere in 1973, 1974.

Edited June 6, 2014 by BRASSO

[bill]

It was 12 in the VFW days too, well before DCI. The "number who can fit on the field at Finale" rationale makes more sense than any other explanation.

Actually, some years the VFW had 15 in finals, 1965 as one example.