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Chops and MBI


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So I hit the wrong tab on the DCA page and noticed Chops and MBI are no longer listed on the corps page. Are they no longer coming out this summer? Rumors of membership issues abound elsewhere. 

 

Is dca reaching a crossroads? What changes need to be made? 26 corps in 2006...... maybe 15 tops this year?

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I discovered the same thing yesterday.  Neither are listed at any shows this summer.  I believe Govies show had both of them listed as competing, but now neither are listed.  

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I am not sure what the answer is other possibly a lack of bodies, and rumors say several corps are struggling to meet the 35 minimum. 

 

Let's face it...DCA is in a hard place. calls for moving finals off of labor day are growing, because yes, it does affect attendance when a majority of the corps are kids in high school or college. Where's the marketing? Still seeing...and I'll admit, I have made some...snide comments about the Championships site ( remember don't unplug the live feed!) And Rochester had just as many complaints. Yeah DCA has always been up and down, but it seems like the down continues to slowly gain momentum, and no, it isn't just cause one corps wins 97% of the time. 

 

 

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No question DCA is at a weakened position right now. I can’t possibly know all recent developments that helped to bring DCA and its corps to this condition but do want to mention one lost opportunity that has troubled me for years. This is a failure to fully embrace THIS platform.

The willingness of John Donovan and Drum Corps Planet to provide DCA and its members certain abilities no All-Age body could ever produce and maintain on its own, was never adequately taken to full advantage.  To me, a factor worth considering.

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13 hours ago, totaleefree said:

 That leaves them with only 9 open class corps if those remaining don't declare A.

 

Or, any A class corps decide to move up to Open Class.

Edited by CHRISP
grammar
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So many things to consider here.

1.  Labor Day Weekend has been discussed ad nauseum.  But that could help a little, answer of course being when the change would be made to.  (Week after DCI, week before?)

2.  The activity has changed tremendously.  I recall when I did Sky a few years back, one of our members did Sky in 2000.  I may have my figures wrong, but he was in his early 40's, and in 2000, was the youngest in his section.  In a span of less than 20 years, 40 somethings are as rare as the yeti.  the activity has gotten extremely young, kind of like a DCI lite, and let's face it, today's kids are lazier than ever.  

3.  DCI has gotten more publicity and visibility thanks to flomarching and all technology for that matter, and DCA hasn't.  Though the activity is geared more for those ages, let's say, 16-25, the visibility for those who don't already know about DCA just isn't there.  

Yeah, there were only 13 corps in 1993 and DCA recovered, but it isn't 1993, it's 2019.  And look at the 15 corps we have.  Of them, two (Columbus Saints and Highland Regiment), are still fairly new groups.  Both flirted with 35 members last year.  Columbus suffered a terrible loss with their equipment trailer being stolen.  I certainly hope all is moving along nicely with both groups, but they are by no means veteran corps who have been around a while.

DCA may indeed be at a corssroads, and there may not be an answer.  I, for one, hope there is.   

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DCA is definitely at a crossroads. The idea that DCA is cheaper than DCI really only exists for those who live within a reasonable distance of a DCA corps. In 2008 during the gas price spike paying over 4 dollars a gallon to drive 3.5 hours 1 way to drum corps each weekend got to be quite expensive. Dues now are much higher than even when I stopped marching competitively. DCA has to find its identity. With Bucs making their partnership with Crown, and even the now defunct C2 I think you'll start to see more and more DCA corps making partnerships with DCI. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see DCA become DCI All Age in 5 years.

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1 hour ago, CHRISP said:

Or, any A class corps decide to move up to Open Class.

Might be worth it... there's a finalist spot there for the taking, if finals still includes 10 Open corps.

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