2muchcoffeeman Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) Prompted by the thread on the annual meetings in Indy last week, and by hopes that the governors of DCI can unite around a common challenge, I am reminded of a comment made to me recently by a DCI corps executive. This person said that the single most ominous danger to the drum corps activity is housing -- specifically, the rapid evaporation of it. It's not fuel costs, this executive told me. It's not intramural tensions between the DCI haves and have-nots. It's not the tuition levels charged to members. It's not rules, or electronics, or competitive stagnation, or copyright hassles, or ticket sales, or the evolution of drum corps away from a community-based melting pot toward the equivalent of club sports for music-ed majors. It's housing. The lack of it. Schools are less willing/able to rent out their gyms and fields to drum corps. Other sources of temporary shelter and rehearsal facilities are putting up the "no vacancy" sign. I'd be interested to see evidence for this claim. Please share. And, what are corps doing to address the problem? Is it a regional issue (i.e., affecting mainly northern-based corps during the winter offseason) or universal? Is it much of a problem at all? Edited February 9, 2015 by 2muchcoffeeman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 Prompted by the thread on the annual meetings in Indy last week, and by hopes that the governors of DCI can unite around a common challenge, I am reminded of a comment made to me recently by a DCI corps executive. This person said that the single most ominous danger to the drum corps activity is housing -- specifically, the rapid evaporation of it. It's not fuel costs, this executive told me. It's not intramural tensions between the DCI haves and have-nots. It's not the tuition levels charged to members. It's not rules, or electronics, or competitive stagnation, or copyright hassles, or ticket sales, or the evolution of drum corps away from a community-based melting pot toward the equivalent of club sports for music-ed majors. It's housing. The lack of it. Schools are less willing/able to rent out their gyms and fields to drum corps. Other sources of temporary shelter and rehearsal facilities are putting up the "no vacancy" sign. I'd be interested to see evidence for this claim. Please share. And, what are corps doing to address the problem? Is it a regional issue (i.e., affecting mainly northern-based corps during the winter offseason) or universal? Is it much of a problem at all? I can personally vouch for this. It is very difficult not just to obtain a space but the cost is crazy. Gone are the days when schools supported activities. Even small winter programs for a space ( not even a gym ) can cost upward of 15 grand for a little winter guard or percussion line to practice. That's even if they can get it. It is a very big problem for sure. Programs have tried to team up with schools on things but still have issues MANY, sometimes it's the school itself, sometimes athletic directors, sometimes parents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpaul Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 There are several issues contributing to the housing situation. The education community is gradually moving toward longer school years with shorter summer breaks. Depending on where you are, it's not uncommon for schools to be in session until mid or late June and others start as early as August 1. Of course the early start date pushes things like band camps and football practices back into July. School districts are much less willing to take on liability for outside groups. In many cases, they don't mind corps using the facilities but the fact that they sleep there overnight is a deal breaker. Everybody is looking for more money. There are schools that charge up to $1,000 per day to house a corps. It's a pretty hefty sum when you multiply it by the 80-90 days of a typical season. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 There are several issues contributing to the housing situation. The education community is gradually moving toward longer school years with shorter summer breaks. Depending on where you are, it's not uncommon for schools to be in session until mid or late June and others start as early as August 1. Of course the early start date pushes things like band camps and football practices back into July. School districts are much less willing to take on liability for outside groups. In many cases, they don't mind corps using the facilities but the fact that they sleep there overnight is a deal breaker. Everybody is looking for more money. There are schools that charge up to $1,000 per day to house a corps. It's a pretty hefty sum when you multiply it by the 80-90 days of a typical season. all very true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldsoprano Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) From my experience helping my wife run two and sometimes three DCI shows a year for several years, I can tell you that securing housing for all of the competing corps is by far the most difficult part of running a show. By a long shot. And that was from 2003 to 2010, before we "retired" from show biz so to speak. I imagine it has gotten even worse in the past five years. Edited February 9, 2015 by oldsoprano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandandl Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 (edited) About three seasons back I was approached by a corps director who served on a think tank committee for this subject. As a former school administrator who also knows the inside of touring drum corps, I felt for those struggling. Even 10 person tents that corps would bring with them have been considered but showering, etc. still remains as a problem. With corps needing/demanding 3 practice fields, increasing their size of membership and staff to average over 200 to be accommodated, practicing late into the night while neighbor's prepare to relax, and the increase of insurance costs for both school and for corps, it does become a major problem. Look at the costs of championships in Indy for each corps as schools can only be used on the weekends and motel/hotel rooms must be rented until then. Add this to the nationally growing problem of homelessness for so many and the luxury activity of travelling drum corps is pushed to a backburner issue. In my suburban, somewhat tony New England county, the permanently homeless (many who are vets) is over 7,000 persons. I agree it is a killer issue, for some quite literally. Edited February 9, 2015 by xandandl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 There are several issues contributing to the housing situation. .................There are schools that charge up to $1,000 per day to house a corps. It's a pretty hefty sum when you multiply it by the 80-90 days of a typical season. More times than not, 1k @ day is the low end. Typically show sponsors are obligated under contract to provide corps' housing either (if I recall correctly) within a 24 hour time period before or 24 hour time period after the event-------that type of cost can be a deal breaker for a potential show sponsor when dealing with multiple corps; along with the fact a "gym floor" is just the tip of the iceberg as far as housing contractual obligations. Can be quite challenging. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2muchcoffeeman Posted February 9, 2015 Author Share Posted February 9, 2015 About three seasons back I was approached by a corps director who served on a think tank committee for this subject. Thanks for the response. I'd be interested in reading whatever report/proposal came out of that think-tank committee. Any idea where I could find it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 $1000? Jeesh, I wish we were that lucky! Our costs approach $24,000 for 8 schools, all in the same district, for slightly more than 24 hours, based upon public rental rates. And that's for one show. We do, typically, have one or two corps that stay longer than 24 hours but that cost is a minimal add-on. What's important is how the housing costs are actually handled by DCI/TEPs. In most cases, housing and practice facilities are required in the TEP contract - it's the TEP that is responsible for providing the minimum requirements for corps. That cost is born by the TEP, not (usually) by the corps although a TEP will usually charge for extra days at a layover site. The TEP has to price the show tickets to accommodate the housing costs, where ever he can find them. Whether the corps stay at the housing site, across town, or miles away, those arrangements are usually made by the housing coordinator for the show. This doesn't address the availability of housing except to the extent that neither DCI or the corps are in a position to pay what it might take to free up the available space to sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted February 9, 2015 Share Posted February 9, 2015 What does DCI do for the events that they manage directly? San Antonio, Atlanta, etc? I got the impression from talking to folks (admittedly 10 years ago) that it was up to the corps for those. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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