Staff merry-go-round

[Sutasaurus]

13 minutes ago, FlamMan said:

But  unfortunately that isnt enough today. Organizations compromise qualifications and expectations in order to become more diverse, and it's a darn shame. Can you imagine what some of these whackjob crazy people would say if they looked at the demographics of the drum corp activity? 

I resemble that remark!. The only point I’m tryin’ to make is DCI has become elitist. Make it more affordable for people and the activity will grow.

[Poppycock]

1 hour ago, Sutasaurus said:

I resemble that remark!. The only point I’m tryin’ to make is DCI has become elitist. Make it more affordable for people and the activity will grow.

Staff drives a lot of the budgets. The tuition fees don’t put much of a dent in capital expenditures or overhead  

Operational cost of 1.8 and 2 million annually, some more. IMO tuition fees are pretty low for what is actually being provided to the MM. 

Unlike the pre DCI and early DCI year’s with a lot of regional circuits, the current DCI touring model doesn’t allow for or encourage new start up groups. Many organizations have recruiting challenges and it’s not always attributed to the incurred cost of membership fees. 

Edited September 13, 2019 by Poppycock

[Sutasaurus]

1 hour ago, Poppycock said:

Staff drives a lot of the budgets. The tuition fees don’t put much of a dent in capital expenditures or overhead  

Operational cost of 1.8 and 2 million annually, some more. IMO tuition fees are pretty low for what is actually being provided to the MM. 

Unlike the pre DCI and early DCI year’s with a lot of regional circuits, the current DCI touring model doesn’t allow for or encourage new start up groups. Many organizations have recruiting challenges and it’s not always attributed to the incurred cost of membership fees. 

Thank you for this additional information. My question now is: Why does a drum corps need a $2M operational budget? Is it keeping up with the Joneses? Why has it come to this? Ok, so tour fees don’t play that large a part in a competitive corps’ budget but the fact is that many talented would be students, designers, etc are getting priced out of the game because of DCI’s business model.

[Mello Dude]

Allowing everything without restrictions has killed a LOT of creative thinking and growth in the activity IMHO.

 

 

[Poppycock]

9 minutes ago, Sutasaurus said:

Why does a drum corps need a $2M operational budget? Why has it come to this? Ok, so tour fees don’t play that large a part in a competitive corps’ budget but the fact is that many talented would be students, designers, etc are getting priced out of the game because of DCI’s business model.

It's the cost of doing business as a competitive touring organization. If there are any statistics supporting the claim of tuition and fees preventing large numbers of potential MM's from participation, believe it would be known. Each organization have criteria to meet before contracts are offered.

[MikeD]

4 hours ago, Sutasaurus said:

I resemble that remark!. The only point I’m tryin’ to make is DCI has become elitist. Make it more affordable for people and the activity will grow.

How so? Corps already turn away many who audition, at today's costs. A summer of DCI is a very good deal as opposed to activities like Interlochen summer music camps. 

Soundsport groups are springing up, and they cost much less than WC competitive corps. That plus the occasional new Open class corps. World Class corps are there for the elite. That is true. But, it is supposed to be the very top of the marching/music food chain, with thousands of bands at varying levels making up what used to be hundreds of smaller class 'B' corps.

 

[MikeD]

1 hour ago, Sutasaurus said:

Thank you for this additional information. My question now is: Why does a drum corps need a $2M operational budget? Is it keeping up with the Joneses? Why has it come to this? Ok, so tour fees don’t play that large a part in a competitive corps’ budget but the fact is that many talented would be students, designers, etc are getting priced out of the game because of DCI’s business model.

 

 

 

World Class corps have large budgets because that is what it costs to run a world class s organization. What you call  "keeping up with the Joneses" others see as the cost of creating and maintaining a truly world class organization that provides an amazing summer experience for the members.

 

[Mello Dude]

11 minutes ago, MikeD said:

 

 

 

World Class corps have large budgets because that is what it costs to run a world class s organization. What you call  "keeping up with the Joneses" others see as the cost of creating and maintaining a truly world class organization that provides an amazing summer experience for the members.

 

No, that is money used to transport a ton of stuff around the country.  I suppose if you are resume padding you could add "professional prop mover".  It's the cost of remaining competitive  or as I say it more plainly, "buying your way to more points".  Seriously, it's being WAY overdone anymore.

 

[Jeff Ream]

12 hours ago, Spatzzz said:

Of course I'm right.....

even a stopped click is right twice a day.

[Jeff Ream]

12 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

None of you are "right".  Money is fungible, so you cannot make absolute proclamations of fact about which corps expenses cause member dues to rise vs. increasing other sources of corps income.

You are all entitled to their opinions, though.  (So am I.  My opinion is that regardless of who pays, additional truckloads of props make the activity more expensive.)

tax returns don't lie.