Will DCA be around in 5 years?

[Poppycock]

10 minutes ago, MikeN said:

Without questioning the talent or work of the existing corps at all, I do wonder whether this is as big as the all-age circuit is going to be.  The NE groups seem to feel no pressure or obligation to expand, and it feels like the rest of the country is infertile ground.  

Mike

Now that makes sense to me. It’s a niche activity in the NE that for the most part there’s no real interest in the rest of the country. Sure there are some start ups but most fold or will eventually fold. 

The question remains, why are there so few people interested in attending this NE niche circuit Championships when it’s held in their own back yard? 

[JimF-LowBari]

8 minutes ago, Poppycock said:

Now that makes sense to me. It’s a niche activity in the NE that for the most part there’s no real interest in the rest of the country. Sure there are some start ups but most fold or will eventually fold. 

The question remains, why are there so few people interested in attending this NE niche circuit Championships when it’s held in their own back yard? 

Niche activity of the niche activity... 

And can only guess at answers to your question. I see it going back to NE only with maybe 2 exceptions. And possibly everybody makes Finals which might solve part of the Labor Day problem because of no Prelims 

Edited August 21, 2019 by JimF-LowBari

[Jeff Ream]

2 hours ago, Poppycock said:

You’re very rude! History may be all that’s left. Tony Soprano said remember when is the lowest form of conversation. The point is essentially if they change nothing, nothing’s going to change. If I was making the decision for DCI, I would stay as far away from that hot mess as possible. I’m Done! 

Tony was a master of it...I watched every episode.

and yes they change nothing, nothing changes....thats what we have been saying all along! The problem is there's not exactly easy answers. In fact some answers begat more questions

Edited August 21, 2019 by Jeff Ream

[Jeff Ream]

1 hour ago, N.E. Brigand said:

You and Jeff are having quite the violent agreement.

i guess i wasn't clear enough

[Poppycock]

I remember the Renegades. Knew a few BD and Vanguard people who joined too. Me, Stephan and other friends were being encouraged to join but we didn’t. Could never understand what they were trying to accomplish. IMO most ruined a perfectly wonderful junior drum corps career joining them, many had won DCI World Championships. 

Edited August 23, 2019 by Poppycock

[JimF-LowBari]

2 minutes ago, Poppycock said:

I remember the Renegades. Knew a few BD and Vanguard people who joined too. Me, Stephan and other friends were being encouraged to join but we didn’t. Could never understand what they were trying to accomplish. Most ruined a perfectly wonderful junior drum corps career joining them, many had won DCI World Championships. 

Thought DCI eligible people were not allowed to join an All Age Corps in CA. Remember that discussion but not 100% sure.

[00Sop]

8 minutes ago, Poppycock said:

Now that makes sense to me. It’s a niche activity in the NE that for the most part there’s no real interest in the rest of the country. Sure there are some start ups but most fold or will eventually fold. 

The question remains, why are there so few people interested in attending this NE niche circuit Championships when it’s held in their own back yard? 

The hard truth is much of DCA's fan base that was there in the 90's and early 00's is dead (literally) or too old to get out much now.  I don't know that I ever saw a Championship crowd bigger than 5,000 - 6,000 and much of that crowd was made up of alumni and their families.  Few people with no direct connection to DCA were being pulled off the street.  DCI has the advantage of a limitless farm system of high school and college band kids with parents willing to do and pay whatever it takes to let Jack or Jill live out their DCI dreams.  And every town DCI goes to has high school bands who want to see what it's all about.  I remember being starry eyed when the Scouts, Bridgemen and Suncoast Sound came to my high school.  Which name would pique the interest of a high school kid more, Blue Devils or [insert name of DCA corps here]?  

[MikeN]

26 minutes ago, N.E. Brigand said:

And while I think your comments generally are apt, it's worth querying the other point of yours that I've bolded: weren't there once senior corps pretty much everywhere, just as there had been junior corps pretty much everywhere? And if so, the question may be: how did they persist for so long and so strong in the northeast?

I'm just theorizing into the wind now, but I suspect the rise of <and emphasis on> scholastic marching band changed the narrative in other areas.  As MikeD correctly points out regularly, they took the place of many a small drum corps for music education, and without a pipeline of kids brought up in that type of system, they might likely feel less need to participate later.

Mike

[Jeff Ream]

1 hour ago, Poppycock said:

Oh my! And DCA knew all about this and did nothing? Don’t believe DCI wants anything to do with that, DCI has some lingering issues to deal with themselves. 

neither circuit did anything about it when it was reported at the time it happened. 

[MikeN]

7 minutes ago, Poppycock said:

I remember the Renegades. Knew a few BD and Vanguard people who joined too. Me, Stephan and other friends were being encouraged to join but we didn’t. Could never understand what they were trying to accomplish. Most ruined a perfectly wonderful junior drum corps career joining them, many had won DCI World Championships. 

Ruined?  That seems harsh.  Can't fault a performer for wanting to perform.  

Mike