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Class A corps outside NE - what happened?


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In twelve years, the number of corps at DCA Championships doubled from 13 (1993) to 26 (2005).  Notably, the all-age activity in the Northeast hardly grew at all, going from 11 corps in 1993 to 12 in 2005.  The growth was nearly all from other regions, who went from 2 to 14 in that same time period.

So what happened?  Jim, you are asking the wrong question.  You should ask what did not happen.

DCA is, and always has been, a NE circuit.  When the all-age activity grew organically in the run-up to 2005, these corps from other areas came to DCA hoping that could change, and DCA could become something bigger.  Turns out they could/would not.  Anyone could see that the travel-to-NE-every-year model would kill precisely the same corps that generated this growth.  The opportunities were there to create sustainable, regionally-focused participation models in the South, Midwest and California.  Instead, the focus remained on get-to-NE-Labor-Day-weekend-or-die-trying.

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23 minutes ago, cixelsyd said:

In twelve years, the number of corps at DCA Championships doubled from 13 (1993) to 26 (2005).  Notably, the all-age activity in the Northeast hardly grew at all, going from 11 corps in 1993 to 12 in 2005.  The growth was nearly all from other regions, who went from 2 to 14 in that same time period.

So what happened?  Jim, you are asking the wrong question.  You should ask what did not happen.

DCA is, and always has been, a NE circuit.  When the all-age activity grew organically in the run-up to 2005, these corps from other areas came to DCA hoping that could change, and DCA could become something bigger.  Turns out they could/would not.  Anyone could see that the travel-to-NE-every-year model would kill precisely the same corps that generated this growth.  The opportunities were there to create sustainable, regionally-focused participation models in the South, Midwest and California.  Instead, the focus remained on get-to-NE-Labor-Day-weekend-or-die-trying.

And what happened that regional dc did not occur?

And responses seem to be pointing to a DCA Weekend or nothing mentality. Did these corps just say “we can’t afford to go to Rochester” every year and fold. Or did they try or think of other options than yearly huge expensive trip? Was the entire reason for starting a corps just to go to DCA?

Again I’m little leery of accepting everything posted on this thread as gospel as no non-NE voices have been heard

 

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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13 minutes ago, cixelsyd said:

In twelve years, the number of corps at DCA Championships doubled from 13 (1993) to 26 (2005).  Notably, the all-age activity in the Northeast hardly grew at all, going from 11 corps in 1993 to 12 in 2005.  The growth was nearly all from other regions, who went from 2 to 14 in that same time period.

So what happened?  Jim, you are asking the wrong question.  You should ask what did not happen.

DCA is, and always has been, a NE circuit.  When the all-age activity grew organically in the run-up to 2005, these corps from other areas came to DCA hoping that could change, and DCA could become something bigger.  Turns out they could/would not.  Anyone could see that the travel-to-NE-every-year model would kill precisely the same corps that generated this growth.  The opportunities were there to create sustainable, regionally-focused participation models in the South, Midwest and California.  Instead, the focus remained on get-to-NE-Labor-Day-weekend-or-die-trying.

Exactly!

As time goes by, more will come to understand the significance of the Winston-Salem interest in hosting a Championship. The voting membership around that 2005 period was pretty-much a 50/50 split of NE/non-NE corps. The time to try a Championship a little outside the ‘Greater New Jersey Area’  was back then.  

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1 hour ago, dbriggs said:

well, Williamsport has 2yrs now, with another 2yr option, so talk to me in '24, if I'm still around

But I’m sure they got a good deal on the place. 🙄

 

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6 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Sure that’s been said somewhere by people in the non-NE corps but I can’t find it. So far on this thread it’s been NEers saying how non-NEers felt and that’s not first hand and best guessing at worst. 

IOW I can’t tell if you and CH are passing info you learned from somewhere or giving a theory on what happened. 

based on talking to people in those regions and stuff posted here and elsewhere. Look the NE was established, they didn't have to work at it, the outer regions did. Most of those areas had no clue what DCA was. That was my concern abiout Winston Salem....the market had no clue what DCA was. You can't just say you're going to move your championships to an area that has no clue what DCA is, it's not a nationally known and touring entity like DCI is. And given finals has a higher ticket price than your average local show, it's not going to entice people with no idea for the cost. Like I said before about the WS experiment in 05....3500 or so people in a 70,000 seat stadium ( thats what they say the attendance was, i'd be highly surprised from my vantage point it broke 2000), at $40 a seat....or the 18,000 seat arena across the street sold out for a monster truck rally at $15 a head. It's not algebra, it's not new math, it's not rocket science.

Edited by Jeff Ream
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4 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

And what happened that regional dc did not occur?

And responses seem to be pointing to a DCA Weekend or nothing mentality. Did these corps just say “we can’t afford to go to Rochester” every year and fold. Or did they try or think of other options than yearly huge expensive trip? Was the entire reason for starting a corps just to go to DCA?

Again I’m little leery of accepting everything posted on this thread as gospel as no non-NE voices have been heard

 

what's the point of being a member in a corps that at best gets 2/3 performances before championships....and then not go to championships? There was never a DCA South Championship show or a DCA Midwest Championship show....there was a few shows. then either come here, or...watch online? hang out with the family?

 

I know the Open Class stuff  DCI does on the west coast seems to be working, but they did create a championship type event for them out there. DCA had nothing. It was come to Scranton/Rochester/Annapolis/Wiliamsport or nothing.

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30 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

what's the point of being a member in a corps that at best gets 2/3 performances before championships....and then not go to championships? There was never a DCA South Championship show or a DCA Midwest Championship show....there was a few shows. then either come here, or...watch online? hang out with the family?

 

I know the Open Class stuff  DCI does on the west coast seems to be working, but they did create a championship type event for them out there. DCA had nothing. It was come to Scranton/Rochester/Annapolis/Wiliamsport or nothing.

I can understand problems with the competing side of it. But the corps either disbanded or are so far underground no one has heard of them since. So when I’m asking what happened I’m also thinking of activity outside of DCA or even competing.

Kind of sounds like the only reason to start a corps is to go to DCA Weekend. And if you can’t do that then turn your corps stuff back in so we can shut the doors. Annnnd that makes little sense for non NE corps..... And REALLY sounds like a northeast biased way to look at All age corps.

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said:

what's the point of being a member in a corps that at best gets 2/3 performances before championships....and then not go to championships?

You do not know?  Well, I know who you can ask.  Lots of people you can ask.  Try the Columbians, a corps from Washington state that does exactly that every year, and attracts 110 members each year to do it.  Or how about Battalion in Utah?  Their 150 members have found a point in marching a corps that does not attend championships.  Try anyone who marched with Guardians in 2014 (two shows) or 2015 (three shows) - each year had 100 members, and they only competed in their home state of Texas.  Golden Empire of Bakersfield, CA, stayed out West their first three seasons, with corps of 90-120 members.  Louisiana Stars had 100 members in their not-going-to-championships phase.

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1 hour ago, JimF-LowBari said:

I can understand problems with the competing side of it. But the corps either disbanded or are so far underground no one has heard of them since. So when I’m asking what happened I’m also thinking of activity outside of DCA or even competing.

Kind of sounds like the only reason to start a corps is to go to DCA Weekend. And if you can’t do that then turn your corps stuff back in so we can shut the doors. Annnnd that makes little sense for non NE corps..... And REALLY sounds like a northeast biased way to look at All age corps.

if members don't want to stick around and you have less than 35 members...you can't play in the sandbox. let's face it, full time commitment drum corps without an end game has little appeal. And even parade corps don't appeal like they used to. Look how many alumni corps are no longer around. 

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