Housing: the corps killer?

[JimF-LowBari]

The education piece may be the only benefit for schools.

And some less musical/arts thinking board members might think that's too little of a percentage of the students who could get any benefit from this to go thru the effort/headaches. Biggest benefit I can see is a clinic which not all of the band members would get something out of. IOW - what clinic would WWs go to? And as the show itself I can just hear "What benefit do they get from watching?" and "If watching other "bands" helps, why don't they just go to other schools band shows in the fall?". And of course "Doesn't the band get enough? Now they want more. Maybe they should learn that you don't get everything you want in life....".

Playing devils advocate but there are board members and taxpayers who think along these lines. And not just in my commonwealth.

Edited February 23, 2015 by JimF-LowBari

[Fred Windish]

I'm thinking, if a show is sponsored by a school band organization, most of the schools within THEIR district will readily be available. In Allentown, the school district gets the stadium rental fees, stadium food sales revenue, and the custodians get a very nice paycheck. Interestingly, both Allentown public high school band programs are in shambles compared to when DCI first went to Allentown. The enthusiasm and excellence never bled over.

There is such a long track record in Allentown for bringing in millions of dollars to the community each year through DCI. Because of this, other local school districts help out, too. It will surprise many to learn, the Allentown Area has enjoyed about 150 million dollars of tourism revenue thanks to DCI and related events.

My guess is, most every independent sponsor of a drum corps event in some other community will have a difficult time finding willing school sleeping space. At least, initially. The key to success in housing could be a direct, and obvious, tie-in of proceeds going to a neighborhood school.

[GUARDLING]

I'm thinking, if a show is sponsored by a school band organization, most of the schools within THEIR district will readily be available. In Allentown, the school district gets the stadium rental fees, stadium food sales revenue, and the custodians get a very nice paycheck. Interestingly, both Allentown public high school band programs are in shambles compared to when DCI first went to Allentown. The enthusiasm and excellence never bled over.

There is such a long track record in Allentown for bringing in millions of dollars to the community each year through DCI. Because of this, other local school districts help out, too. It will surprise many to learn, the Allentown Area has enjoyed about 150 million dollars of tourism revenue thanks to DCI and related events.

My guess is, most every independent sponsor of a drum corps event in some other community will have a difficult time finding willing school sleeping space. At least, initially. The key to success in housing could be a direct, and obvious, tie-in of proceeds going to a neighborhood school.

I posted it earlier in the thread but will say again , The root ( although it's an excuse ) is not just over night sleeping it's the lack of schools willing to participate period and the ones that do, even just for a rehearsal facility what a boat load of money, beyond reason in many cases. The root as I said is so many schools don;t even support their own programs within the same school. ALWAYS a battle. This is not just one region of the country either. It's all over ( not all of course BUT in my experience MOST. MAny don't want to hear teaming up or educational this or that. I know many around the country who worked that angle with few having results.

I believe the root goes far beyond the obvious in this discussion.

[Old Corps Guy]

I'm glad to see that this conversation is now including the monetary risks of school housing a corps. When I brought up the subject a couple days ago, I knew it was Pandoras Box and I wasn't sure where it would go.

There are some interesting ideas regarding rain insurance for competition hosts and tie-ins with housing sites. Many band directors are FMMs with corps and will make solid attempts to host when possible. However, non-FMMs including board members, band boosters and tax payers don't see the educational benefit of hosting a corps in many cases. In fact, they look at it only as a courtesy that they are providing to the corps. Corps tour coordinators continue to work with competition host sites in many cases. However, direct contact with schools through FMMs may be the better way to go.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Old Corps Guy

[Eleran]

However, non-FMMs including board members, band boosters and tax payers don't see the educational benefit of hosting a corps in many cases. In fact, they look at it only as a courtesy that they are providing to the corps.

Well, since perhaps it would help people actually clarify the tangible arguments that should be made to local school boards, exactly what ARE the educational benefits to Grover's Mill Township that come with hosting Mid-Western Drum Corps, attending the July 15 Ginormous Championship Show?

(a) there isn't a single student from Grover's Mill playing for Mid-Western, or in fact ANY drum corps ...

(b) it takes place in July, so there isn't any feasible way to tie it into the local music program, since the students (and faculty) have all scattered to the four winds for summer break

© Mid-Western Drum Corps has no ties to the community other than coming through town for this show, since they rehearse and draw their members primarily from two time-zones to the west

(d) although there may be a local boost to the economy, that will primarily be realized by local restaurants, gas stations and hotels, who may or may not remember where those dollars came from next October when the high school marching band is seeking advertisements for its own competition book

And I'm not posting this because I'm anti-drum corps. But I seriously would like to hear good arguments that could be made to a school system that might persuade them to support non-local drum corps coming through town when school isn't in session.

[garfield]

I'm thinking, if a show is sponsored by a school band organization, most of the schools within THEIR district will readily be available. In Allentown, the school district gets the stadium rental fees, stadium food sales revenue, and the custodians get a very nice paycheck. Interestingly, both Allentown public high school band programs are in shambles compared to when DCI first went to Allentown. The enthusiasm and excellence never bled over.

There is such a long track record in Allentown for bringing in millions of dollars to the community each year through DCI. Because of this, other local school districts help out, too. It will surprise many to learn, the Allentown Area has enjoyed about 150 million dollars of tourism revenue thanks to DCI and related events.

My guess is, most every independent sponsor of a drum corps event in some other community will have a difficult time finding willing school sleeping space. At least, initially. The key to success in housing could be a direct, and obvious, tie-in of proceeds going to a neighborhood school.

One might think so but, in my school district (not the show district), and as is quite common throughout Ohio, each school in the district makes its own decision about leasing its space so, when I inquired last year, I was told I'd have to negotiate and sign separate contracts with each housing school then, once done, attempt to negotiate the stadium.

My plea regarding the lack of logic of this system was met with blank stares from the administration office.

[garfield]

Well, since perhaps it would help people actually clarify the tangible arguments that should be made to local school boards, exactly what ARE the educational benefits to Grover's Mill Township that come with hosting Mid-Western Drum Corps, attending the July 15 Ginormous Championship Show?

(a) there isn't a single student from Grover's Mill playing for Mid-Western, or in fact ANY drum corps ...

(b) it takes place in July, so there isn't any feasible way to tie it into the local music program, since the students (and faculty) have all scattered to the four winds for summer break

© Mid-Western Drum Corps has no ties to the community other than coming through town for this show, since they rehearse and draw their members primarily from two time-zones to the west

(d) although there may be a local boost to the economy, that will primarily be realized by local restaurants, gas stations and hotels, who may or may not remember where those dollars came from next October when the high school marching band is seeking advertisements for its own competition book

And I'm not posting this because I'm anti-drum corps. But I seriously would like to hear good arguments that could be made to a school system that might persuade them to support non-local drum corps coming through town when school isn't in session.

There is but one: profit.

In leasing facilities, in enriching the band program's coffers, in adding some sheckles to the pot that maintains the athletic field.

But forget hotel rooms in the "local show" circuit; the vast majority of fans travel from less than 100 miles away and return home after the show.

I've even tried the angle that "Your school could be host to the Major League of Marching Arts! One of only 3 in the state!". Blank stares and two responses: "What's DCI?" and "Don't we already have a band?"

[JimF-LowBari]

Mmmmm <devils advocate board member here>..... Added money from the show to maintain the field vs cost of damage done to the fields (practice and show) from corps coming in. And isn't Summer when the fields are being resod, etc and need to be left alone. Probably cheaper in the long run to leave everything the way it is and not have a show.

Didn't we lose shows due to field damage concerns?

[Eleran]

There is but one: profit.

In leasing facilities, in enriching the band program's coffers, in adding some sheckles to the pot that maintains the athletic field.

Which, as I think you said earlier, might not be guarantied if there is rain, or if DCI doesn't send enough top-rated corps their way.

Board of Education: "Wouldn't a car wash be safer?"

[garfield]

Which, as I think you said earlier, might not be guarantied if there is rain, or if DCI doesn't send enough top-rated corps their way.

Board of Education: "Wouldn't a car wash be safer?"

I'll likely spur disagreements with this statement, but we've never noticed any meaningful difference in attendance that is at all attributable to our lineup.

According to DCI's own sampling results, something less than 4% of all sampled fans attend shows to see a particular corps, and our results match that conclusion.

We looked at rain insurance a couple of years ago and it wasn't worth the expense. Further, there is disagreement regarding what is actually "cancelled" due to rain. Our insurance quote included that, if DCI holds a "performance" (even on a wet track) then the show isn't cancelled and a claim for rain proceeds won't be honored.

Bottom line is that, for rain insurance to be useful, it has to pour so hard that the corps can't get off the buses. Anyone who lives in the midwest knows that waiting 30 min or an hour will bring a change in weather so, even if the stands are empty, DCI's incentive is to postpone for an hour, do a standstill, and collect the contract. In doing so, they void the purpose of weather insurance altogether.