cixelsyd Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 15 hours ago, BigW said: I'll throw this out there: If it was sustainable, and it would be in certain aspects... is it a bad thing if all DCA is are... Bucs/Cabs/Bush/Hurcs/Fusion/Sky/Sun and any other geographic or new corps outlier who decides/is determined to run the gauntlet? That's kind of the way it's always been. Is it right? No, it would not be a bad thing. In fact, if the NE stays DCA because it is sustainable, and the other regions move on to find something more sustainable for them... that would be a good thing. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 35 minutes ago, cixelsyd said: No, it would not be a bad thing. In fact, if the NE stays DCA because it is sustainable, and the other regions move on to find something more sustainable for them... that would be a good thing. Agree not a bad thing. Anything that keeps the activity going in any form is a good thing. Figure all the society changes since DC really starting going 99 years ago and surprised we are still this good. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 (edited) cixelsyd - What an opportune time to read your thoughts on this. I believe you expressed something similar to BigW earlier. I concur. Actually, DCA maintaining a smaller, more effective, still compressed, All-Age league is the most likely outcome going forward. And, for good reasons, too! The time for working the 'expansion' objective is long past. That ended about a decade, or so, ago. I again call back to what I refer as the 'Winston-Salem Era.' Roughly, 2004-2006 .Looking at DCA membership then, finds a wide geographic assortment of participants. Plus, a Midwest Coordinator an a Southern Coordinator managing a small group of events in each region. The foundation for a bigger footprint was already in place. That was the moment to try something 'outside the box.' Didn't happen, unfortunately. Now, DCA is in a more tenuous position. Less participating corps, smaller membership per corps, and disappointing audience size. All leading to financial pressures that threaten even more decline. Let's call today, DCA's "Code Blue Era." The objective now is SURVIVAL. Feeding the patient, finding stability. Focus on attracting more performers to corps already in place. Do much better with marketing and outreach to potential fans. Get more aggressive filling the Championship City with curious locals. Even if that means discounting tickets. It is essential for the Championship to once again be a big, year-end payday. Every seat must become a revenue producer. Improve the Box5 broadcast and outreach to fans unable/unwilling to attend. There is money to be made from those not visiting the Championship City. Yes, a 10 corps DCA organization (for now) can be successful. But, first . . . 1. more full-size, earlier-prepared corps. 2. a season that ends before Labor Day Weekend. Edited September 19, 2019 by Fred Windish 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weaklefthand4ever Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 15 hours ago, Jeff Ream said: there's some hidden gems on the DCI side...and people in DCI do read it. I wonder if the same is true for DCA. I would love to think so. I started to think about it am shocked that I see more advertising for local HS marching band shows than I do for drum corps shows. I guess shocked is a bad word...let's say...disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Weaklefthand4ever said: I wonder if the same is true for DCA. I would love to think so. I started to think about it am shocked that I see more advertising for local HS marching band shows than I do for drum corps shows. I guess shocked is a bad word...let's say...disappointed. One example... this is from a website that covers Chester County, PA, with a link to a related article in a local paper. Nice PR for the upcoming show! https://vista.today/2019/09/excitement-that-is-competitive-marching-band-to-arrive-in-downingtown-on-sept-28/?fbclid=IwAR3HySL7wVdW4SN8THvHHEq_VCNc64-USFBnmIT4XBaLKT9MNbZe7--MXkE Edited September 19, 2019 by Fran Haring 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 3 hours ago, Fred Windish said: Focus on attracting more performers to corps already in place. Do much better with marketing and outreach to potential fans. Get more aggressive filling the Championship City with curious locals. Even if that means discounting tickets. It is essential for the Championship to once again be a big, year-end payday. Every seat must become a revenue producer. Improve the Box5 broadcast and outreach to fans unable/unwilling to attend. There is money to be made from those not visiting the Championship City. Good ideas, all! Regarding corps not yet in place, though, one thing DCI has done that I am amazed that DCA never thought of is the creation of SoundSport. There were a number of corps a few years back, we all recall, that got nuked by the 30-member limit. Show sponsors didn't want to pay big money for small returns, but small groups then had no chance to grow. Frankly, expecting a never ending cycle of fully-formed Class A groups to appear ready to compete and perform seems unrealistic. SS sidesteps the whole issue - no pay for performance (in fact, the groups themselves have to pay to enter), but gives them an opportunity to actually perform and catch some eyeballs. So what happened on the junior side? SS has become the defacto third division of DCI. Every Open Class corps that's entered for years started in SS, which has created some familiarity between the groups and DCI before the formal application process, and has also allowed for some guidance along the way. Now here's a low-barrier opportunity for DCA - SS does not require a DCI-affiliated show sponsor. Go ahead and add an official SS performance to the weekend, and then encourage both all-age *and* junior groups to attend. It creates an extra opportunity for fans, an extra performance for the junior groups (who will eventually be DCA-age) and finally gives that needed performance stage for new groups that want to perform but can't under current rules. And heck, give the performers the nosebleed seats to Finals while you're at it, and the crowd starts to get a little bigger, too! Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 Thought mini corps were to be the DCA version of SoundSport but never really worked out. Actually Minis had same problem as Class A. Bunch of non NE groups that went away. Had max of 12-14 minis one year and now just 6 or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppycock Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, cixelsyd said: No, it would not be a bad thing. In fact, if the NE stays DCA because it is sustainable, and the other regions move on to find something more sustainable for them... that would be a good thing. I believe that is exactly what was being described by Terri in regards to non N.E.. all age organizations. Don’t know if DCI is still an option for those non N.E. groups who wanted to begin and end their season the same as DCI World and Open Class do. Depended on a all age show in Indy, but DCA said they would have to commit to little league town in PA. if in the Indy all age show. Don’t remember the number of organizations considering the DCI only option. Edited September 19, 2019 by Poppycock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 (edited) “Little League town” in more ways than one.... lol For me better known as one of the ### #### one horse town speed traps to go through to go to the family reunion. ($1 to dad who hated going to see the in-laws) As for number of All Age corps at DCI. DC Midwest championship used to have from 2-8 all Agers and still made a go of it. Edited September 19, 2019 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 48 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said: “Little League town” in more ways than one.... lol For me better known as one of the ### #### one horse town speed traps to go through to go to the family reunion. ($1 to dad who hated going to see the in-laws) As for number of All Age corps at DCI. DC Midwest championship used to have from 2-8 all Agers and still made a go of it. Downtown is fine. Safe... and several great places to eat/drink/hang out. The stadium venue... well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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