New DCI survey and its comments

[ibexpercussion]

Was anyone else half tempted to close with "If you'd like to discuss these comments further, I can be reached at...."? Or was that just me?

I actually did that, and gave my address where I they could send my requested field passes for prelims. I'll be waiting by the mailbox for those to come in the next few days!!!

[ibexpercussion]

I meant to say "reduce TOC to 6"

I can go with that, as long as at each show there are 1 or 2 of the 7-12 groups as well. That would make for some more variety as well.

[Bruckner8]

I can go with that, as long as at each show there are 1 or 2 of the 7-12 groups as well. That would make for some more variety as well.

No. then it's just another show. I don't want 7-12 there. I want the top six from last year. It's a reward show for the corps and the fans.

[ouooga]

I actually did that, and gave my address where I they could send my requested field passes for prelims. I'll be waiting by the mailbox for those to come in the next few days!!!

Crap, now I'm regretting not putting contact info. DCI, if you read this, I'm the guy who talked about fuel prices a lot. Please feel free to PM me here.

[MikeN]

I'm getting jaded as I get older, but I couldn't care less about this survey. I'm sure DCI would say the same about me. I'll let them do what they're going to do and let the market sort it out.

Mike

[xandandl]

Crap, now I'm regretting not putting contact info. DCI, if you read this, I'm the guy who talked about fuel prices a lot. Please feel free to PM me here.

and furthermore in disagreement with Bruckner whose tinnitus ears must be blocking out the sounds of reality as he dreams of Harloff hornlines,Cipriani serenades and other fantasies,, corps and DCI have to duel with---

HOUSING AVAILABILITY and COSTS. It is already tough enough for the TEP's to find suitable schools and practice fields for the 150 MMs and busloads of faculty, staff, and volunteers.

Corps do not have the football budgets that some universities used to fling their hippopotamus bands across the country for their weekend road tour orgies.

To read that Duke University spent $85000 to fund one game with Maine at Cameron Gym draws ethics to a new low. And that's only pep bands. http://www.pressherald.com/2016/12/02/for-umaine-its-mens-visit-to-duke-is-more-than-just-a-basketball-game/

Who knows what corps like SCV, BD, Cadets and others must pay for the unavailability of Indiana schools during Championships week, the unavailability of practice fields during the pre-football season Swamp Tour down South, and the caviar-and-champagne appetites some of the faculties are developing after living the autumn-winter seasons in the extravagance of the diploma set. Though the top corps may have better budgets to handle these hurdles, many of the other corps do not. All-year use of school buildings. liability and malpractice insurance costs for districts, and other administrative factors have diminished the number of suitable places willing to house 150. One corps, legendarily known to have several times camped outside under the stars of J. Birney Crum has investigated what it would cost to haul around 15 or so 10 man tents. No, Bruckner's "Let them eat cake" perspective won't mesh with the reality of food truck costs and housing.

[ouooga]

and furthermore in disagreement with Bruckner whose tinnitus ears must be blocking out the sounds of reality as he dreams of Harloff hornlines,Cipriani serenades and other fantasies,, corps and DCI have to duel with---

HOUSING AVAILABILITY and COSTS. It is already tough enough for the TEP's to find suitable schools and practice fields for the 150 MMs and busloads of faculty, staff, and volunteers.

Corps do not have the football budgets that some universities used to fling their hippopotamus bands across the country for their weekend road tour orgies.

To read that Duke University spent $85000 to fund one game with Maine at Cameron Gym draws ethics to a new low. And that's only pep bands. http://www.pressherald.com/2016/12/02/for-umaine-its-mens-visit-to-duke-is-more-than-just-a-basketball-game/

Who knows what corps like SCV, BD, Cadets and others must pay for the unavailability of Indiana schools during Championships week, the unavailability of practice fields during the pre-football season Swamp Tour down South, and the caviar-and-champagne appetites some of the faculties are developing after living the autumn-winter seasons in the extravagance of the diploma set. Though the top corps may have better budgets to handle these hurdles, many of the other corps do not. All-year use of school buildings. liability and malpractice insurance costs for districts, and other administrative factors have diminished the number of suitable places willing to house 150. One corps, legendarily known to have several times camped outside under the stars of J. Birney Crum has investigated what it would cost to haul around 15 or so 10 man tents. No, Bruckner's "Let them eat cake" perspective won't mesh with the reality of food truck costs and housing.

On that note, and I've argued this on these boards many times, is that much of this should fall on DCI and not the individual corps. Imagine for a moment a revised tour model (no, I'm not going to mention West Coast, though you all know my feelings) where every corps begins in Indiana. This includes all days, so every corps member moves to Indiana on/around Memorial Day. DCI coordinates housing for this, taking the weight off the corps. With DCI in charge of this aspect, you can more efficiently double up corps at housing sites when needed.

From there, with all corps together, you move the entire unit of corps together throughout the country, splitting up regionally but always keeping the corps within a state or two of each other, and always in packs. Now DCI has multiple units moving together through the same area who all need to purchase fuel together. Were DCI to handle this aspect as well, they have buying power which gives them leverage to negotiate better prices.

Taking the same mentality, put the purchasing of food on DCI as well. The average corps feeds 200 individuals a day, which in the grand scheme is not enough for a corps to really negotiate with a wholesale food distributor in a region. But feeding 5,000 individuals all within a region, now that's buying power, and DCI can coordinate mass purchases of meats, produce, etc. on discount and distribute to the individual corps.

I could go on, but I think you get the point I'm making. Yes, this will require additional staff members from DCI and will theoretically increase member corps dues to DCI (that's a thing, right?) but it all comes down to costs. It makes much more sense for one organization to negotiate prices that impact 5,000 people than for 25 organizations each negotiating prices for 200 people.

[HockeyDad]

and furthermore in disagreement with Bruckner whose tinnitus ears must be blocking out the sounds of reality as he dreams of Harloff hornlines,Cipriani serenades and other fantasies,, corps and DCI have to duel with---

HOUSING AVAILABILITY and COSTS. It is already tough enough for the TEP's to find suitable schools and practice fields for the 150 MMs and busloads of faculty, staff, and volunteers.

Corps do not have the football budgets that some universities used to fling their hippopotamus bands across the country for their weekend road tour orgies.

To read that Duke University spent $85000 to fund one game with Maine at Cameron Gym draws ethics to a new low. And that's only pep bands. http://www.pressherald.com/2016/12/02/for-umaine-its-mens-visit-to-duke-is-more-than-just-a-basketball-game/

Who knows what corps like SCV, BD, Cadets and others must pay for the unavailability of Indiana schools during Championships week, the unavailability of practice fields during the pre-football season Swamp Tour down South, and the caviar-and-champagne appetites some of the faculties are developing after living the autumn-winter seasons in the extravagance of the diploma set. Though the top corps may have better budgets to handle these hurdles, many of the other corps do not. All-year use of school buildings. liability and malpractice insurance costs for districts, and other administrative factors have diminished the number of suitable places willing to house 150. One corps, legendarily known to have several times camped outside under the stars of J. Birney Crum has investigated what it would cost to haul around 15 or so 10 man tents. No, Bruckner's "Let them eat cake" perspective won't mesh with the reality of food truck costs and housing.

Do you fashion yourself an amateur Hemmingway? You like to wax don't you? Most of the time I have no idea what you're trying to say, but I bet you smile to yourself in the satisfaction of another witty tome as you type it.

Edited December 2, 2016 by HockeyDad

[xandandl]

Do you fashion yourself an amateur Hemmingway? You like to wax don't you? Most of the time I have no idea what you're trying to say, but I bet you smile to yourself in the satisfaction of another witty tome as you type it.

ya mean I'm not getting paid by the word...or pound?

But they promised!

I guess you Wisconsites are really with the President-elect reducing everything to Twitter.

[Lead]

I assume they have already talked at length amongst themselves, and one of them said "let's ask the public!" (recall that DCI *is* the member corps)

I wonder if it is not only that... but it could be that DCI is wondering if the answers from the member corps are the same as would 'jive' with what the public envisions, expects, and hopes DCI to be.

It could be that DCI senses the disconnect and wants to investigate exactly what both sides are saying.

It could also be that they are trying to appease fans :)