Will DCA be around in 5 years?

[Jeff Ream]

15 hours ago, Terri Schehr said:

I think it was a mistake to not have some kind of real season last year.  A few weekends with shows like DCI.  The video season was disastrous, TBH.  it was so annoying that I stopped watching and attributed the $50 I spent on Box 5 to lessons learned. 

finding venues was a real issue up here last spring, when you had to make the calls and get stuff under contract

[JimF-LowBari]

13 hours ago, Poppycock said:

Tough sell to ask students to invest in virtual competition. Even tougher sell to ask people to watch that! 

And some of the videos were definitely home made products. Felt sad for the corps with lesser budgets or contacts. Name corps were at school stadiums with interesting camera work. And some fans spread out in the stands.

Other corps out in a field with traffic going by and no audience. Few had camera in the stands and a handheld within the corps. Problem was person with handheld was in Street clothes. So on the shots from the stands they stood out like a sore thumb 🤦‍♂️

[Fran Haring]

Like Jeff said earlier... knowing some of the venues involved, DCA's chances of having  live shows in 2021 were pretty much slim to none.

Thus, the virtual season. IMO, it saved the circuit. Not perfect, by any means... like Jim said. But another summer of no activity would have been the end of DCA. Again, my opinion. 

And the corps that handled the entire situation better than anyone... the Caballeros... came out on top, and deservedly so. 

 

 

 

[burdettsky]

If we go by number of corps, there were 12 in 2019, Skyliners and Buccaneers didn’t go out so that would be your 14 from 2019.

Of the 14, southern Knights and Sunrisers won’t be competing, so down to 12 at the moment.

So much to be said here, and let’s face it, it’s all speculation or opinions unless you’re on the inside.

I hope The other 12 corps make it out, but only if it makes financial sense to do so.

In 2019, many corps were pretty full with guard and percussion, but brass lines across the board (top 3 being the exception), were noticeably smaller than the year before.  I think The Wild popularity of indoor and WGI has contributed to this to some extent.  But again, that was three years ago now, and the three years that just happened were unlike any other.

good luck to the remaining competitors!

[CHRISP]

Any word on Skyliners?

[gunther]

The real question should be 'Is the DCA around & alive now"?

DCA has never been anything but a judging association, from DAY ONE (1).

They never acted as a marketing association for their members. They only gave a corps a parade referral if they were judging it.

The videos, except for '93, have not even been amateurish. That video was the best but DCA did not invest a nickel in it; it was all the producers' money. Then the DCA would not renew but went to another great mismanagement triumph with a product that had no color or sound. They don't have pride in their image and don't promote the corps members. Ever! In all their undertakings, they were striving to become ept.

DCA was begun in true reactionary thinking to control judging after a number of truly bad judging jobs of the best senior corps in '63. The chief judges were blatantly unwilling to get things right.

They have badly mismanaged their monopoly. Over the years, many competing corps have been treated badly to the point where the corps realized they were not going to get a fair shake and decided to do something else with their time and money. In the '90's, there was a widespread quote about them: This DCA is for when you don't have enough frustration in your life.

[Poppycock]

18 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

finding venues was a real issue up here last spring, when you had to make the calls and get stuff under contract

Believe that’s a bit embellished! Unless these corps were filming shows in a basement, I would think most, if not all had stadiums to perform in while being filmed. Perhaps due diligence was in short supply. 🤔

[Poppycock]

1 hour ago, gunther said:

Over the years, many competing corps have been treated badly to the point where the corps realized they were not going to get a fair shake and decided to do something else with their time and money. In the '90's, there was a widespread quote about them: This DCA is for when you don't have enough frustration in your life.

If I was a judge in a predominantly NE circuit I would protect the circuit first too! My mindset would be nobody is going to come in our house from outside the circuit and push these NE corps around. If they don’t like it then travel more or start your own circuit. I would put ‘em in the stands for the night show. 

Edited June 8, 2022 by Poppycock

[JimF-LowBari]

1 hour ago, Poppycock said:

Believe that’s a bit embellished! Unless these corps were filming shows in a basement, I would think most, if not all had stadiums to perform in while being filmed. Perhaps due diligence was in short supply. 🤔

Not all had stadiums… a few literally were in a grassy area (aka field) and any high shots were taken from scaffolding. One that struck me was one of the better Class A (smaller) corps whose field was part grass and part asphalt. And high shots were taken at an angle. 
No idea if couldn’t find or afford a stadium or what the deal was. I’d guess running things on a COVID shoe string budget 🤷🏻
And for one corps seeing cars drive down the road at the end of the field during the show is an image I can’t get out of my head 🤯

Edited June 8, 2022 by JimF-LowBari

[Poppycock]

14 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Not all had stadiums… a few literally were in a grassy area (aka field) and any high shots were taken from scaffolding. One that struck me was one of the better Class A (smaller) corps whose field was part grass and part asphalt. And high shots were taken at an angle. 
No idea if couldn’t find or afford a stadium or what the deal was. I’d guess running things on a COVID shoe string budget 🤷🏻
And for one corps seeing cars drive down the road at the end of the field during the show is an image I can’t get out of my head 🤯

Oh my! And you paid for that Jim? It’s like a bad haircut - ask for your money back sweetie.