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Mr. Acheson--it's time.


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People are so anxious that they can’t wait until the last minute to take a decision. It’s like running to your owner on the 2th of the month to pay you next month rent because you can’t live a month with the pressure of knowing that you will have to pay you next rent on the following 1st...

Soon we will hear people asking for WGI to cancel the next season rightaway....

 

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2 hours ago, Gabe92 said:

People are so anxious that they can’t wait until the last minute to take a decision. It’s like running to your owner on the 2th of the month to pay you next month rent because you can’t live a month with the pressure of knowing that you will have to pay you next rent on the following 1st...

Soon we will hear people asking for WGI to cancel the next season rightaway....

 

The "people" most anxious about this are the drum corps directors, executives, staff, and instructors who are facing the liquidation of their livelihoods and their programs.

It's not about "the people" now.  "The people" are just riding the coattails of those on which the weight is heaviest.  When "the people's" anxiety is at its highest, magnify it multiple times to be able to describe the anxiety of "the people" who actually do - not just pay to watch; I'm pretty sure "the people" will make it past this.

Some drum corps, not so sure...

 

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9 hours ago, BoaDci said:

Contracted for my third season of World Class, pretty much everyone I have talked to wishes for the cancellation of the season.  I am fine with reevaluating another week or so, but they need to act.  Everyone understands the situation, that the season cannot go on under these circumstances.  It just is what it is.  The Olympics, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS- all have changed their schedules.  Any sort of a move to shorten tour will only provide worse show quality, and more importantly, a worse member experience.

Build contingency plans for corps' survival, get a refund out to everyone, and extend eligibility another year.  This needs to be done as quickly as they can to work out logistics.  No matter what they do now, we already know that attendance at DCI events will be down.

I'm open for discussion, it's been a while since I've been on here.

(CAUTION: snark and sardonic sarcasm are employed in this post.  Those sensitive to bright, flashing lights should look away now.)

Congratulations!  You didn't say it was your age-out so I'll presume that you're not 21 yet.

First, thanks for coming back to a discussion board and pronouncing that you're open to discussion!  That helps.  I want to try that - "Do not reply.  I am not open to discussion."  (I just want to see if that works (I'm dubious).

"Pretty much..." is not a sound basis on which to cancel a $20million activity with thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of fans.  I'm sorry the people you talk to wish something like this to end; in my (apparently much-longer) experience, finding a way to make things work will take you much farther in life than demonstrating your enthusiastic willingness to give up the effort.

And since when have the band kids ever chosen to do what the jocks say, anyway?  "...changed..." is NOT the same as them cancelling.  DCI can change its season, too; apparently, you're OK with that.

"...that the season cannot go on under these circumstances.  It just is what it is."  I don't think anyone even KNOWS what the circumstances will be under which a season could be salvaged.  Once again, "member experience" is revealing that you're approaching this from a very personal standpoint.  Sorry about your missing a season of competitive band, but this learning experience, that may take more than you think you can give (sound familiar?), can also teach valuable lessons to young people who listen to adults telling them what to do.  The only difference this time is that, if you succeed, it will likely be your corps' survival that your fans are applauding.  THAT performance may take a different kind of effort than you thought you'd expend this season. 

"Worse show quality."  I don't think anyone expects a show that is practiced for three months to be as "good" in our judged activity as one practiced for six months.  But, so what?  And, do you mean to imply that members' experience is only good when the season is full-length?  That "good" can't be as enjoyable as Box-5?  Funny, I've been hearing for years that lower-ranking corps provide a great experience for fans and MMs.  Hmm... but you're probably right being on the inside and all.

"Build contingency plans for corps' survival, get a refund out to everyone, and extend eligibility..."  No, no, and no.  DCI won't save drum corps - drum corps will save drum corps.  DCI knows its job really well, and it's not drum corps survival beyond providing a tour on which they can perform.  Refunds?  Pfft, forget it.  Force majeur.  How does DCI do ANYTHING to help if they refund all the ticket money and Friends membership fees?  You know what ticket-buyers have if they are magnanimous and allow DCI to simply keep the ticket money?  A charitable donation.  People who bought tickets can now get warm and fuzzy about helping to save the activity instead of going to a show.  Now, if an individual corps makes a decision to refund a portion of member dues, that's great.  I would hope that most members will find a way to donate some or all of that to the corp's survival, but maybe I'm still thinking decades ago when the activity (and its young members?) weren't so narcissistic. 

"...attendance will be down".  Sorry, but that's not brilliant; if there are fewer shows in the season, there will be fewer fans attending shows this year.  And it's not prescient, either, so it's reasonable to think that DCI's member corps are already considering that in their discussions.

If you can't tell that there's plenty of snark in my reply then perhaps, with a few years' more experience under your belt (any maybe not going on another DCP hiatus), your perception will improve.  The older you get, the smarter the older generations get.  You'll see.

If you trusted your corps director (and the others, too) enough to build this whole thing for you to pay to do, I think you'd go a long way in trusting those same leaders to make a sound and reasonable decision about their programs, and by being ready, willing, and able to raise your hands up to help instead of raising them in exasperation that the adults aren't listening to you. 

Be ready to help.  They're going to need you.  We all hope you learned in drum corps what it takes to achieve a very difficult goal.

Edited by garfield
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11 hours ago, garfield said:

Bb horns and grounded tympani?

:whip:

Speaking of grounded tympani, I watched a little segment of one of the Hunger Games last night.  It the opening ceremony , they had what looked like 15-20 single tymps that were not the cheaper fiberglass version.  Looked like they were all 26" or 29" Yamaha Intermediate Smooth Copper series.  Cool stuff! 

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9 hours ago, Slingerland said:

MLB has postponed opening day until sometime in June, at last report. Given that their season runs until late September, not sure they'd be too quick to cancel the whole thing.

The owners will be trying to get some of the season played.

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Unfortunately, I'm inclined to agree with Garfield on this one. 

Let's say we get a mixed bag.  Things improve drastically in May.  DCI doesn't cancel the season.  Corps prep the best they can. 

BUT...

Let's say several states remain locked down or hard hit so many shows or even individual corps seasons are cancelled.  Many people stay home from shows and therefore make very little money.  Many school systems refuse to allow housing.  A corps or two get taken out mid-season by contracting the caronavirus, which would be a PR disaster.  

"Soldier on!" some might say. 

I'm not sure DCI could financially absorb a season like that.  MLB and the like could (they have TV deals n' junk, after all), but not DCI.    

I'm hopeful things change, but financially risking putting corps out there with small crowds and the potential for non-participating states or cities would be an absolute disaster for the financial health of the organization. 

OTOH, cancelling the season may also be a detriment to DCI's financial stability after 2020, I get it... I suppose I could be convinced either way.  Right now, though, I"m with Garfield.  😕

  

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19 minutes ago, ranintothedoor said:

Unfortunately, I'm inclined to agree with Garfield on this one. 

Let's say we get a mixed bag.  Things improve drastically in May.  DCI doesn't cancel the season.  Corps prep the best they can. 

BUT...

Let's say several states remain locked down or hard hit so many shows or even individual corps seasons are cancelled.  Many people stay home from shows and therefore make very little money.  Many school systems refuse to allow housing.  A corps or two get taken out mid-season by contracting the caronavirus, which would be a PR disaster.  

"Soldier on!" some might say. 

I'm not sure DCI could financially absorb a season like that.  MLB and the like could (they have TV deals n' junk, after all), but not DCI.    

I'm hopeful things change, but financially risking putting corps out there with small crowds and the potential for non-participating states or cities would be an absolute disaster for the financial health of the organization. 

OTOH, cancelling the season may also be a detriment to DCI's financial stability after 2020, I get it... I suppose I could be convinced either way.  Right now, though, I"m with Garfield.  😕

  

But you don't have to sound so disappointed about it!

:whistle:

The drum corps will need to do everything they can to increase revenue in any way this season.  Shutting things down and sending everyone home does little to help that.

 

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It comes down to available housing, parents and money.

Can't see a school system allowing 200+ individuals to stay in their gym for 1-2 days this Summer, not to mention 3-4 weeks in the late Spring

Can't see parents allowing their children to get on a bus and ride around the country for weeks on end.

Can't see corps organizations having the funds to do go on the road without housing or members or.......bingo. Wouldn't be surprised for BD or SCV to make the call to do what's right for their corps and then DCI to follow

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45 minutes ago, keystone3ply said:

Speaking of grounded tympani, I watched a little segment of one of the Hunger Games last night.  It the opening ceremony , they had what looked like 15-20 single tymps that were not the cheaper fiberglass version.  Looked like they were all 26" or 29" Yamaha Intermediate Smooth Copper series.  Cool stuff! 

Loaded drum truck for 5 years as way to ride to practice. All too familiar with the metal tymps as they had to be loaded first and then fit everything else around them. Wonder if those tymps had a corps background. Don’t know if bands used those bad ones BITD.

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