Drum Corps in the Post-Covid World - What Role Does DCI Have?

[Jeff Ream]

13 hours ago, MikeN said:

Cite your source?  Garfield said: "it was once shown by data that kids "want to march in DCI", not a particular corps. (Vaticinate study)"

Mike

ok....what corps get the most coming to audition? what corps get the good deals from manufacturers?

[Jeff Ream]

13 hours ago, garfield said:

Which one of those is the brand?  And is it PC, Mandarins, and Crossmen, too?

All of those are the same brand?  Do THEY feel that way?

 

see above post.

[Jeff Ream]

12 hours ago, garfield said:

The irony is that this is true because the payout scheme favors the biggest/most successful corps who, to even a small degree, they rely much more on the “gate” than do the lower-placing corps.

i read your 990 threads carefully

[Jeff Ream]

11 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

The names at the top of what?

Oh, you mean the names at the top of the DCI standings?  Okay, I follow you.

Now, what was that about branding?

see above post

[Jeff Ream]

9 hours ago, garfield said:

This IS the issue, IMO.

I disagree, but I want to know more of why some seem to agree with Jeff (and the G7 mentality, BTW).

What happens if it’s ONLY seven, not the G7, and they want to perform?

Compete?  Under what rules?  Next year.

for the record, I DO NOT support the G7 mentality. i'm the guy that leaked it to the world on here. However, go to a show....when do the seats fill up?...the big guns. Whose picture is out there on ads, the websites, facebook groups, twitter and more...the big guns. even DCI itself pushes the top more than even the middle or bottom. what brand of drums does say Academy use? Couldn't tell you ( cause i really don't pay attention)....but every drummer can tell you who SCV uses. Crown brass video shared the second they put one up by the world....where's the PC brass lot video?

it's there and everyone is so used to it, they don't even truly notice. I am the guy that sits thru every corps at every show...hell even DCA prelims which  can be brutal at the start of the show. But i'm there, not tailgating until INT

[cixelsyd]

15 hours ago, Poppycock said:

It would be a good start! A staff salary cap would too.  Does any organization really need five marimbas or eight towers of speakers and countless microphones? What more is achieved with 154 members vs 128? Is new instrumentation and costumes necessary every season?  What exactly is DCI marketing and to whom, and at what cost? There are guidelines and boundaries for the majority of competitive sports but for drum corps it’s an arms race. So yes a fresh face or independent organization to manage, promote and market may very well be a good thing. 

Much as I sympathize over the same change$$$ you list here, I do not believe that it was the DCI office that wanted them.  It was the corps, the designer/judge/band director continuum, and/or the marching music suppliers.  Simply putting a different agency in place of DCI would not alter that one bit.

Unless the DCI office had veto power over all those other entities, there is zero chance of ever having caps on budgets or salaries.

Edit:  I spoke earlier about mission-driven vs. member-driven.  Another applicable dynamic is money-driven.  Thanks for illustrating that for me.

Edited August 15, 2020 by cixelsyd

[cixelsyd]

20 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Yep, years back I asked why people didn’t try out for “lesser corps” if they didn’t make their dream corps. Most responses were “not worth the money” or “if I couldn’t march xxxx I didn’t want to march anywhere”. Never heard anyone say they wanted to march DCI just individual corps

I hear this all the time.  More and more over the years.

Ever been on reddit?  There have been countless examples of "So I want to march DCI, but... (angst).  Advice?"  Many have not picked any specific corps, yet are dead set on marching DCI.  Some flat out ask others to suggest a corps.  Even those who intend to eventually march with dream corps X discuss which other corps Y they should gain experience/training with in the meantime.

[JimF-LowBari]

3 minutes ago, cixelsyd said:

I hear this all the time.  More and more over the years.

Ever been on reddit?  There have been countless examples of "So I want to march DCI, but... (angst).  Advice?"  Many have not picked any specific corps, yet are dead set on marching DCI.  Some flat out ask others to suggest a corps.  Even those who intend to eventually march with dream corps X discuss which other corps Y they should gain experience/training with in the meantime.

Well there is hope yet.... 

[Poppycock]

9 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

Much as I sympathize over the same change$$$ you list here, I do not believe that it was the DCI office that wanted them.  It was the corps, the designer/judge/band director continuum, and/or the marching music suppliers.  Simply putting a different agency in place of DCI would not alter that one bit.

Unless the DCI office had veto power over all those other entities, there is zero chance of ever having caps on budgets or salaries.

Edit:  I spoke earlier about mission-driven vs. member-driven.  Another applicable dynamic is money-driven.  Thanks for illustrating that for me.

We all know Dan Acheson is nothing but a self-aggrandizing puppet collecting a salary to carry water for and do the bidding of the CEO’s and/or Director’s of its member organizations who make the majority of decisions. The DCI office managed by Dan is essentially a tour and housing scheduler, ticket retailer and event promoter, much similar to a carnival barker hocking wears from town to town. Very few people associated with this activity including the once cast of Ben Hur taking up space at DCI do anything for free and that includes drivers and “volunteers” in many instances. 

Don’t expect anything to change if or when the opportunity presents itself to get on the road again. A handful of elite organizations will continue to try and spend their competitors out of business and those with the highest revenues will continue to win championships. It’s the game they choose to play.

My philosophy is simple; if you change nothing, nothings going to change. BTW the only thing I missed about not having a 2020 season was the over and under on the number of sousaphones being deployed on the field. I took the over which is greater than two. 

Edited August 15, 2020 by Poppycock

[JimF-LowBari]

I’ll wait when this blows over (whenever) and see how DCI tries to puts the pieces together. Will it be “how do we go back to the way before” or “let’s see what is left and in what condition to determine the best way to still have corps and shows”.

Considering the economic hits and fear of reoccurrence (plus people not vaxxing) the second option may be more realistic.

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by JimF-LowBari