donincardona Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 there are not 2 years to think about another site... yes, it's Rochester for 2014 and 2015 but beyond that? maybe - maybe not - but I'm sure that discussions are currently in process on the subject as it's not like you can wait till the day after DCA 2015 to decide... it's at least an 18 month preparation to host the championship... As for travel, when will everyone wake up and smell the daisies? We fans are fortunate that the corps are willing to come to Rochester for Championships... the dollars and cents of travel is OUT OF SIGHT... A long and expensive show for most DCA corps would be Western NY... do you see a whole bunch of shows up here? NOT!!! Why? How much would the average fan be willing to pay for a ticket and how much would a sponsor be willing to pay for a corps... One used to be able to put on a great show in Upstate NY for 15K - DCA is still trying to hold cost down but when negotiations for shows find top corps with 3 bus minimum having a trip to Rochester or Buffalo come in at a budget busting loss... they are unwilling to travel without the sponsor kicking in a HUGE and unmanageable amount of money - so it just isn't happening... Fans fault? NO DCA's fault? NO Corps' fault? NO Obama's fault? ??? partially World Situation Fault? ??? partially We (Drum Corps) are one very small activity - we are being whipped around by society and the changes being wrought throughout the world... Once in a while, we need to just take a deep breath and be thankful that we have ANYTHING left of our long heritage... whether it's DCA or DCI... If you're a true fan, go out and support in any way you can... just maybe, the activity will survive, but stop shooting those who are doing all the survival work and realize that some change is inevitable and quite unavoidable... beyond our control... Hope to see you all in Rochester Labor Day Weekend - I have been involved with DCA for 49 of its 50 years and I cherish every memory... i agree with everything you said except one thing tom. it's obama's fault. you want to blame him for everything. keep that trash out of the conversation. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Again ... the OP was not asking about Championship weekend ... the question was posed as the possibility of having another Regional contest with all the top lineup competing ... is it even possible? ... without a major financial backer and/or a total community effort and a lot of volunteers, I don't believe so ... both Tom and I cited the cost of transportation as a killer ... and it is! ... even Alumni corps are having a tough time breaking even on shows where a bus (even one) is needed to transport members ... it's a bad situation ... even here in the East ... BS, Sky Alumni and PCP are all short on shows this year ... and they're all reaching an age where fewer and fewer members can march in a parade - especially drummers ... so ... what type of production company could possibly put a show together desired by the OP? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 (edited) Again ... the OP was not asking about Championship weekend ... the question was posed as the possibility of having another Regional contest with all the top lineup competing ... is it even possible? ... without a major financial backer and/or a total community effort and a lot of volunteers, I don't believe so ... You're absolutely right. No outside region will even be considered for Championships until they can run a *major* regional that attracts the top competing corps and puts a large local audience in the seats. And as you say, this will take a significant amount of money, as the top corps absolutely will not travel outside the northeast unless you back a dump-truck full of money onto their practice fields (Minnesota Brass excepted, obviously). Winston-Salem was on the right track in 2005, but they were derailed by horrible weather...which has to be considered. Money talks, and BS walks. Edited July 5, 2014 by Kamarag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSMarcher Posted July 5, 2014 Author Share Posted July 5, 2014 You're absolutely right. No outside region will even be considered for Championships until they can run a *major* regional that attracts the top competing corps and puts a large local audience in the seats. And as you say, this will take a significant amount of money, as the top corps absolutely will not travel outside the northeast unless you back a dump-truck full of money onto their practice fields (Minnesota Brass excepted, obviously). Winston-Salem was on the right track in 2005, but they were derailed by horrible weather...which has to be considered. Money talks, and BS walks. Well, as you said, nothing will be considered without a successful regional. That is the point of this thread. I get it... the northeast corps don't have any money to travel outside their area. With that being said, every other corps that I have listed will have traveled a similar amount this season (or in recent seasons). So, it would mean that no-northeastern corps could come. It would still give a line-up of 8 or so groups and that is a good regional. I personally feel the currently "regional" is a joke. All it is currently serving is another Northeast show... not sure how it is much different than what they are already doing. I am hoping the director of Cincinnati Tradition looks at this thread and gets the idea to make this happen with DCA. I realize there are plenty of naysayers that say this cannot happen. My point is that most of these corps do at least one major travel like this each year anyway - with the exception of the northeast groups. I believe corps will travel where the competition is, and over time, some of the others from the northeast might try and make it happen. Now, I will go ahead and say that I do not believe this regional would work very well without MBI joining it, but I believe this is the step towards building a good fan base to create bigger picture opportunities in the future. Another poster stated that they would not want Cincinnati hosting this until they hosted a regular show. To be completely honest, I do not see how putting the title of regional on something is any different than hosting a regular show... it is just a title. They already have a local fan base for their corps, with connections on how to get the word out. If Sun Devils can host a successful show with three corps, then I am sure Cincinnati could do it with eight. Also, a regional does not have to be held in a massive stadium. I just needs to be a quality location. Just my opinion. I understand the idea of "just be grateful," but I also believe that staying stagnant will not get us anywhere. The economy is turning around, but if we fail to do anything to promote the activity, then the next recession could wipe out the remainder of the circuit. Continuing to host only small shows and attract only about 5,000 people to Championships is not it. Again, this is a discussion on how to make a regional or larger show happen that is NOT Championships. I believe that is the first step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOSMarcher Posted July 5, 2014 Author Share Posted July 5, 2014 Also, looking back at the groups that attended the WInston-Salem show, it would be great to see that happen again. Not sure how they got the Renegades that year, but somehow they were able to attract three northeastern groups. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishbugle Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Having a large regional show in the mid-west or mid-south would be possible if both DCA and DCI get together and put on a combo show. I know this isn't a new concept and there are combo shows every year, but not on a large scale. DCI has the audience base. The audience base will help entice the Eastern DCA corps to the show because there should be more money for their performance and more merchandise money. But DCA and DCI need to work on this together and both step up to the plate. With such a rich connection between the two circuits as far as membership in and out, a strong partnership just makes sense. DCA really needs an overhall as far as their marketing presence and mission scope. It's no easy task what the admin has to do and I give them credit. But I think things could be done a little better. One thing I said years ago, the Tour of Champions show format is widely entertaining. As an audience member you are hit right after you leave your car with an interactive experience. Small ensembles outside the gate, drumlines battling in the first parking lot, small ensemble performances in stadium during the down time. All the DCI corps buy into this. As a "younger audience member" in the 21-40 demographic, I found this format very entertaining and had me coming back for more. Felt like more of a dinner and a show concept than just grab some popcorn, sit in the bleachers, watch some shows concept. Just my .2 cents. I think a TOC DCI/DCA regional show would be great and a nice way to entice corps to attend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Sun Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Maybe Cincinnati Tradition should host the Southern Regional next year? You'd have 6 corps and sent an open invite to others to see if they'd be interested .,Who knows what kind of reply you might get from that . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Here's something for our thought exercise... New rule: All Open Class corps must travel to one "out of region" show per season. ...or maybe every two years. Yes, I know it would never pass if proposed...remember this is a though exercise. Discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Sun Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Now long has the Southern regional show been in Douglasville Ga, ? What size crowd does it get ? And whats the stadium like ? I would guess its a money maker if they keep taking it back there .And with DCI south in the Georgia Dome year after year the area certainly knows drum corps .Spirit ,Atlanta Corps Vets ,Alliance . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBD Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Also, looking back at the groups that attended the WInston-Salem show, it would be great to see that happen again. Not sure how they got the Renegades that year, but somehow they were able to attract three northeastern groups.The committee spent TONS of money paying the corps to travel to WS.It cost the Bushwackers over $ 14,000.00 for a 3 day trip, most of which was payed for by the sponsor. From what I was told, The Renegades expenses were over the $25,000.00 range. The audience in attendance was minimal at best. It was a fun trip, but in the grand scheme of things , it was a failure for the sponsors. The show was "test" to see if a Championship could be held out of the region. The committee did NOT bid for the next seasons championship. Hope this helps answer your question. Jay Bushwacker Director 1987-2010 Happily retired! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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