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Disturbing DCI rumors


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The next DCI Rules Congress is nearly upon us.  Caucuses and voting will take place at the DCI annual meeting in Indianapolis, January 9th through 11th, 2020.

Given how close we are to this event, it is curious that we have heard nothing official from DCI about the proposals that will be up for consideration.  Rule change proposals are processed per a set timetable from when they are submitted in mid-October to when the deadline for distribution of the final proposals occurs on December 15th.  Last time DCI had their biannual Rules Congress, they finished the refinement process a bit early and went public with the proposals on December 13th.  This time... crickets.

Rumors are rampant that the addition of woodwinds to DCI instrumentation is on the agenda.  Understandably, that will be a topic of passionate discussion in the drum corps community.  But regardless of where you stand on that issue, the manner in which this change is rumored to be implemented is disturbing:

  • The rule change would take effect for the 2020 season, even though nearly all corps are well into show planning/design and will have conducted auditions prior to the Rules Congress.
  • Another rule change raising the member limit to around 200 is also on the agenda, as a companion proposal.  Again, this would take effect after completion of auditions for most corps.
  • These two proposals were developed in one of the DCI strategic planning committees.  As rumor has it, member corps were polled and have pre-approved the ideas.  In a sense, the fix is in.  More importantly, member corps would therefore have had advance knowledge of this while they planned their 2020 shows and conducted auditions, while non-member corps... ?

Is this an attempt by DCI to defer the coming public angst over the change by delaying announcement of the proposals?  Are corps planning to use this change as an excuse to conduct another round of auditions and "experience camps", with associated participation fees, as a special 2020 fundraising ploy?  Or will cooler heads prevail, and propose 2021 implementation with fair advance notice?  (Or has the rumor train gone completely off the tracks?)

What do you think?

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If the rumored changes you describe are implemented for 2020, particularly the first one, I wonder if DCI will face demands for refunds from people claiming a bait and switch: "I paid for drum corps not marching band!" and so forth.

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Be a little late to change logistics and show design to handle 200 members.

And still think adding members would make it harder to find rehearsal and sleeping facilities. Getting harder each year without upping number of bodies using a place

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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I didn't think we generally get them this far out. I've heard rumors too, some that match what is listed, and some others. Of course the big rumor 2 years ago didn't actually go live until April.

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We used to blame these things on the grumblings and rumblings of one man, but I don't think these are new topics, are they?  

Maybe there's nothing out there because there's nothing out there?  Dunno.  Maybe it's more "Here we go again..." kind of reaction.

Maybe these things are less important than other initiatives drum corps is wrastling with, like recovering from some pretty significant punches to the stomach in recent years?

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Nothing would surprise me anymore in terms of drum corps’ evolution.  For a few years, I’ve been thinking a full-on merger with BOA will come.  Not intending to start yet another rumor, but such a move could easily be justified by those in charge these days.

More Inclusion of woodwinds is a given at this point, probably as soon as this Summer, I think. I’m willing to give anything a look, but am getting closer to my “drop off” point.

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