Cadets 2020

[exitmusic]

19 hours ago, TwoValves said:

Exceptionally detailed article that pretty clearly explains why it would be virtually impossible for Varsity to ever "buy" YEA or any part of it. 

The most key point is that money cannot flow from the non-profit to the for-profit.   Varsity could effective "control" YEA by appointing/electing a board that would do their bidding, but all that could come of that would be Varsity money being given to YEA/USBands to carry out their mission.  USBands was making money for YEA that was used, in part, to fund Cadets.  USBand could never legally use money it made to boost Varsity's revenue and bottom line. 

Why does US Bands have to stay non-profit?

[JimF-LowBari]

2 hours ago, garfield said:

So, the notion of Varsity running a "profitable" NP band circuit makes sense.  Uniforms, gloves, music, licensing... How long before instruments and Travel services.  

Hmmm...  It's like someone's thought this through...

Goes with my earlier post. Band circuit is NP but if the owner can make a profit by owning a NP..... why not...

[seen-it-all]

3 hours ago, Slingerland said:

US Bands is, right now, a damaged asset, both because of their connection to the whole Hopkins regime and because of their underperformance the last few seasons.

Then the Cadets would be as much of a damaged asset to any potential buyers, no? After all, the main reason for USBands underperforming the last few seasons was because they were floating enormous amounts of their revenue to help pay off the Cadets' debt, stretching their resources even thinner than usual.

But it's my belief that USBands can still come out of this in much better shape once the YEA split is announced. It won't be easy, they still have much work to do, but I feel there is a need in that region for a top quality competitive band circuit*, (which in a lot of ways they have been over the years). Being in charge of their own destiny instead of bending to the whims of a megalomaniacal CEO could be just what they need. And I have been very critical of them here and elsewhere, mostly because I've always felt they didn't follow through on their promises and took on more than they could handle as an organization (GH strikes again!) If they can scale it back to a more northeastern/mid-Atlantic regional operation and slowly expand as their organization becomes more stabilized, I think they can be quite successful in the way that more resembles how it was envisioned to be.

* the other circuits in that region have their positives and serve their purpose, but their best bands just don't compare as favorably to the best bands competing in USBands

FWIW, I agree that any ideas floating around about Varsity buying out any of the YEA properties is a pipe dream. An official business relationship of some kind can probably work out, but not ownership.

[Jeff Ream]

6 hours ago, Slingerland said:

US Bands is, right now, a damaged asset, both because of their connection to the whole Hopkins regime and because of their underperformance the last few seasons. And if the purpose of acquiring USB for Varsity would be to drive soft goods sales (which is their model in Cheer), the number of participants would be key to success, and I’m not sure band directors will have the same feeling raising funds for their band to turn around and put it into a program that is ultimately, a money-making scheme for a venture capital group whose sole interest in their members is because they’re prospects for buying Varsity made and sold apparel.

That being the case, the spectre of Varsity’s interest seems a little more wishful thinking than brass tacks, but we’ll see what we see.

 

 

USBands is hands down the most expensive circuit in the Mid Atlantic. would Varsity continue that, lower that or....raise it?

[Jeff Ream]

4 hours ago, Tim K said:

I have known “Cheer Moms” and I’ve known a good number of band moms. Let’s just say I’d be more concerned about getting on the wrong side of the  cheer moms. I’ve met many a high strung DCI parent. I’ve been told things get pretty heated at WGI. I’ve seen angry parents at local high school band competitions. The police have never been involved. I’ve seen cheer parents arrested for settling things in the parking lot, and not much was at stake at this show. 😀

you haven't been to ACC's at Scranton then

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, seen-it-all said:

Then the Cadets would be as much of a damaged asset to any potential buyers, no? After all, the main reason for USBands underperforming the last few seasons was because they were floating enormous amounts of their revenue to help pay off the Cadets' debt, stretching their resources even thinner than usual.

But it's my belief that USBands can still come out of this in much better shape once the YEA split is announced. It won't be easy, they still have much work to do, but I feel there is a need in that region for a top quality competitive band circuit*, (which in a lot of ways they have been over the years). Being in charge of their own destiny instead of bending to the whims of a megalomaniacal CEO could be just what they need. And I have been very critical of them here and elsewhere, mostly because I've always felt they didn't follow through on their promises and took on more than they could handle as an organization (GH strikes again!) If they can scale it back to a more northeastern/mid-Atlantic regional operation and slowly expand as their organization becomes more stabilized, I think they can be quite successful in the way that more resembles how it was envisioned to be.

* the other circuits in that region have their positives and serve their purpose, but their best bands just don't compare as favorably to the best bands competing in USBands

FWIW, I agree that any ideas floating around about Varsity buying out any of the YEA properties is a pipe dream. An official business relationship of some kind can probably work out, but not ownership.

FYI several successful bands in USBands also compete in other circuits....and do well both places.

[seen-it-all]

36 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

FYI several successful bands in USBands also compete in other circuits....and do well both places.

Of course they do. The competition isn't typically as strong, especially at the championship level, which is my point and I stand by it. (This is not to say that there aren't good and even very good bands in those circuits.)

[Slingerland]

5 hours ago, garfield said:

OK, then I'll buy Varsity from Bain and restart USBands by hiring Boston Crusaders' staff as adjudicator/clinicians, grow it into a success and THEN spin it back to Varsity for triple-cost.

The check cashes the same regardless of whose name is in the remitter's corner.

 

Feh - Big G, I suspect you know enough about how companies like Bain operate to know that once they've sold you the potato, they've puffed it up enough to make you overpay, while they move on to the next target, and you're not going to outgame them by getting them interested again.

.

Varsity themselves will be on the block in the next 3 to 5 years, if they're not already. 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Slingerland

[cixelsyd]

16 hours ago, fsthnds said:

Varsity or others could look at this as an expansion of their present competitive youth activities they are already involved with. A sale would allow US Bands to be on it's own with no connection to YEA! (similar to the Crossmen "sale")

Then YEA could dissolve their Board and use those funds to pay off any outstanding debt or declare bankruptcy.

The Cadets then create a "new " stand alone non-profit with their own mission statement for the Corps. Now you are back to a pre YEA Cadets and eliminate the Hopkins stigma that has tarnished the organization.

It will all depend on whose name any bills/debts are in (YEA vs US Bands or Cadets) It all becomes a shell game just like the corporate for -profit business world.

Of Course this is "ALL" hypothetical

Of course.  Continuing to speak hypothetically...

If this "shell game" causes the golden parachute retirement payments to a certain ex-director to be held up or lost in a bankruptcy proceeding - well played.

On the other hand, any debts owed to DCI or other corps need to be satisfactorily settled for me to feel right about the whole situation.  Compared to that, the shells, names, mission statements and what-not are secondary.  They can call the new org Kids Learning About Artsy Stuff (KLAAS) for all I care (with the associated fall MB circuit, "Band KLAAS".)

[2000Cadet]

What's this thread about again?