Small Market Corps

[Granny Smith]

I had some time this afternoon since the trip to the flea market was cancelled, so I was thinking of the recruiting challenges that some corps have. In particular I was thinking of the Troopers since there are more people in Milwaukee proper than then entire state of Wyoming.

Anyhow, here are the populations of the World Class corps and their metropolitan population that they can draw directly from.

The chart at the bottom is based on the metro areas.

• Academy (Tempe, AZ) 166,842 (Phoenix Metro Area=3.25 million)
• Blue Devils (Concord, CA) 124,711 (San Francisco Metro area=4.4 million)
• Blue Knights (Denver, CO) 635,265 (Denver Metro Area=2.86 million)
• Blue Stars (Lacrosse, WI) 51,647
• Bluecoats (Canton, OH) 72,683 (Akron Metro Area=703,200)
• Boston Crusaders (Boston, MA) 636,479 (Boston Metro Area=4.55 million)
• The Cadets (Allentown, PA) 118,974
• Carolina Crown (Ft. Mills, SC) 11,387 (Charlotte Metro Area=2.49 million)
• Cascades (Seattle WA) 634,535 (Seattle Metro Area=3.50 million)
• The Cavaliers (Rosemont, IL) 4,230 (Chicago Metro Area=9.52 million)
• Colts (Dubuque, IA) 58,155
• Crossmen (San Antonio, TX) 1.383 million (San Antonio Metro Area=2.23 million)
• Jersey Surf (Mount Holly, NJ) 10,728 (Philadelphia Metro Area=6.02 million)
• Madison Scouts (Madison, WI) 240,323 (Madison Metro Area=568,593)
• Mandarins (Sacramento, CA) 475,516 (Sacramento Metro Area=2.52 million)
• Oregon Crusaders (Portland OR) 603,106 (Portland Metro Area=2.22 million)
• Pacific Crest (Diamond Bar, CA) 56,363 (Los Angeles Metro Area=18.23 million)
• Phantom Regiment (Rockford, IL) 150,843 (Rockford Metro Area=348,360)
• Pioneer (Milwaukee, WI) 598,916 (Milwaukee Metro Area=2.03 million)
• Santa Clara Vanguard (Santa Clara, CA) 119,311 (San Francisco Metro area=4.4 million)
• Spirit of Atlanta (Atlanta, GA) 443,775 (Atlanta Metro Area=6.1 million)
• Troopers (Casper, WY) 57,813

Edited July 2, 2014 by Granny Smith

[NR_Ohiobando]

As much as I appreciate the chart (and this ongoing novelty account) unfortuantely it's not very relevant in today's drum corps world.

* Kids with talent are willing to travel, and are probably from areas of the country where they (or their parents) can afford to drop 2-3k on a summer of drum corps.

* Corps have large normalized out-of-state camps (Bluecoats taking over Texas, Madison in Indiana)

* The metro-area of the hometown is a bit misleading. Cadets have a tiny area, but recruit pretty much everywhere (even back in the 80s)

[MotorCityMusician]

and the next thing that changes all of the data

• Boston Crusaders are pretty much out of Florida. Camps are held in florida.
• Blue Stars headquarters are in LaCrosse but all camps are at the Indiana State Fairgrounds near Indy
• Madison Scouts also head headquarters in Madison but do spring training and camps in the Indianapolis area.
• correct me if im wrong but Troopers also practice close to Indy some times and moves in were in the area?

Then the next thing you have to take into account is the variety of audition camps. Almost everyone does a camp in california and texas now along with thecamp at their usual location. Alot of Blue Stars drums come from the California area (almost the whole drumline last summer).

[BRASSO]

Love the effort, Granny, but the World Class Division Corps memberships have little bearing to the locale printed on the sides of their busses... naming rights in today's DCI Corps go primarily go to the community region where the Corps get the majority of the revenues to run their operation. So these metropolitan stats are essentially meaningless. ( there's nobody from "Rockford, Il. " that marches in Phantom Regiment anymore , for just one of dozens of examples we now can could use in modern day DCI Drum Corps )

That said, it would seem to me that the simple logistics of national campers must be more challenging to get to the Troopers camps as Wyoming probably doesn't have a lot airport and flight access to prospective campers compared to most other Corps... thats but one reason why I admire and respect the Troopers, as the marchers there have to really want it, and are dedicated to it.

Edited July 2, 2014 by BRASSO

[N.E. Brigand]

(There's nobody from "Rockford, Il." that marches in Phantom Regiment anymore, for just one of dozens of examples we now can could use in modern day DCI Drum Corps.)

While I agree with your larger points, I think this year there actually is someone from Rockford in Phantom Regiment. One of the post-performance interviews during this year's Akron cinema screening was of a member who was in fact from the town where her corps is based, and I think it was Phantom.

[Granny Smith]

Right. To put this in context there there was a question on another thread as to why the Troopers had very few kids marching from Wyoming. Whereas, in the distant past they had a pretty good percentage of Wyoming young people that marched.

If my office is located in a large metropolitan area with many quality high school and college music programs it should be significantly more efficient to recruit. Whereas if you're in the middle of the state of Wyoming or Iowa, you're going to have to exert more energy to draw kids (hence the reason the Troopers do a lot out of Indiana and therefore have few Wyomingites).

Having said that, I also realize that this chart isn't as relevant as it once was.

Move along folks...there's nothing to see here.

[Granny Smith]

Oh...and by the way...I would think that a corps pool of donors (should they pursue their community) would be impacted by the population centers they are in.

[garfield]

As much as your premise is full of holes, I think your point still stands, Granny.

And I LOVE your graph! The logos at the bottom instead of the silly sideways name I've used makes a huge difference.

But I think you've been working on this for more than an afternoon sans flee markets. Lots of data there.

I'm just not sure what it means.

[BRASSO]

While I agree with your larger points, I think this year there actually is someone from Rockford in Phantom Regiment. One of the post-performance interviews during this year's Akron cinema screening was of a member who was in fact from the town where her corps is based, and I think it was Phantom.

Fair point.. I don't think Phantom Regiment has had more than a dozen marchers in any given year in their Corps from Rockford, since the Rockford Files was on TV... and this is no special indictment of Phantom, as they are just doing what every World Class Corps do.. take marchers from all over the world now, not just the country. A few years back, Boston had more marchers one year in their Corps from the continent of Asia, than the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Crown had more marchers from Massachusetts last year than BAC did... yet Boston had more marchers from the South than Carolina Crown or Spirit of Atlanta did. How about that ? Most of the Bluecoats Drumline is not from " Canton ", nor " Ohio " either. They're from California. And on and on. Go figure. Memberships in Corps now come from all over. Its all changed..

Edited July 2, 2014 by BRASSO

[Pit_Girl_77]

I don't know the current numbers, but 2-3 years ago the Colts had at least 23 members that lived within 50 miles of Dubuque. I can name at least 5 current 2014 Colts that are either graduated or current high school students of Dubuque ISD, might be more as I have been out of the loop for over a year. I also bet that at least 70% of the Colt Cadets are within 50 miles of Dubuque.

Also...lots of local financial support for the organization. Might be a connection...