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

[E3D]

13 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

because DCI HQ and the manufacturers market them that way! I believe there is often better at the bottom of the rankings, and my ### is in the seats to watch them....but the place is half full til INT. No one markets those first corps on like they do the corps at the end of the shows, and you get that straight on DCI's site, Facebook, DCP, Twitter, Reddit...pick your poison. let me know when Vic Firth in the Lot covers Surf ok?

and the corps with the power continue to make it stay that way, as opposed to working for the good of all. without the other corps, the top dogs will wither and die, but they still don't believe thats the case. granted Phantom and Cadets aren't exactly lighting the world on fire these days. But DCI themselves allow this to happen, at the expense of those corps not at the top. You'd think marketing would see thats not best for business. They claim they want more corps...but do they actually do anything to promote that? Nope. Soundsport kinda gets lip service, but mostly towards finals week. Open Class is shuttled off to a high school stadium an hour away, the tour goes outside of major markets, and of course you have more people selling food than buying it at 9 am on Thursday in Lucas Oil.

 

because the top dogs want it that way. and this is why the corps themselves need less say, because their track record on member safety alone dictates it....here we are two years later, not active in a pandemic, and still stuff comes out...stuff reported by kids pre-Hopghazi...that now gets addressed.

 

"Those who think they know it all have no way of finding out they don't."  Well ummmm until the video is out there. 

[JimF-LowBari]

Here’s a corps fan dream. Day after DCI in Denver in 1977 was American Legion convention Nationals in... Denver.

33 corps in AL Prelims. Finals had Crossmen first and Cadets 2nd (a switch from Prelims). Scores courtesy of dcxmuseum.org

 

Edited August 16, 2020 by JimF-LowBari

[mjoakes]

2 hours ago, N.E. Brigand said:

You are a nonprofit arts/education organization and you have the resources.

Haha. I get it. But I'm in Bloomington. Some of us dream of big things, even if the surname isn't Cook.

Edited August 16, 2020 by mjoakes
is to if

[mjoakes]

1 hour ago, garfield said:

NE Brigand beat me to the funny retort line.

You could surely go to all this trouble and fuss and then you'd be sadly disappointed.  For this to work, DCI would need to change a key component of their rules:  Any drum corps can do whatever it wants to raise funds, including performing at civic events and independent performance fundraisers.  But, to the last of my knowledge, there is a provision binding all corps to not perform publicly with any other DCI member corps unless it is at a DCI-sanctioned event.

DCI will charge you, the event-promoter, a fee per drum corps and you would pay that fee directly to DCI.  DCI would then subtract its expenses and add the remainder to the payout "pie" to be paid out according to the already-agree-on payout schedule at the end of the season.

So, yes, you could go to all this trouble.  But no, you wouldn't get any corps to come and, of course, then you have no gate to pay all the production expenses.

And, like trading options, you'll learn to never do that again.  🙂 

 

Thanks @garfield, and these details are not surprising. A few things:

First, I'm clearly suggesting a different model, and any new model will challenge DCI and old ways of operating. If right now DCI has some specific requirements for hosting shows, fine. But what if an organization was able to set up the shows in ways that meet or surpass any currently-set DCI stipulations? I don't particularly care that DCI right now doesn't want member corps to compete outside its circus ring. I'm wondering what would happen if there was an attractive alternative.

Second, if successful – and if corps really could be offered appropriate performance fees and also relieved of much of the logistical pain points – maybe a few bold corps leaders out there might take up the offer? The context for this proposition, after all, is that DCI and the current touring model will likely have problems in 2021 and beyond. (Plenty of subtext is that DCI and the touring model already have problems.) There is some level of fees and convenience – or there is some kind of overall package – offered to corps that will prompt different thinking about the role of DCI.

Third, if most of what I read and hear about DCI is true, then the current model stymies innovative thinking. One really good way to bring about needed change is a challenge from the outside. I can't imagine a successful challenge to DCI isn't very difficult. But if the leadership there isn't naturally, or incentivized to be, bold and innovative, then there are ways to defeat that leadership. And I say this generally, as a point of discussion, not knowing enough about the individuals involved to judge them here.

[N.E. Brigand]

1 hour ago, mjoakes said:

Haha. I get it. But I'm in Bloomington. Some of us dream of big things, even if the surname isn't Cook.

Dream big! I'm dreaming of crowds like this (taken earlier today in another country) outside stadium entrances trying to get in and see drum corps:

(A drum corps coincidence: in the background I have Youtube randomly playing, and it happened to pull up "Autumn Leaves", albeit by Vince Guaraldi not Bluecoats.)

[Brian Tuma]

1 hour ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Here’s a corps fan dream. Day after DCI in Denver in 1977 was American Legion convention Nationals in... Denver.

33 corps in AL Prelims. Finals had Crossmen first and Cadets 2nd (a switch from Prelims). Scores courtesy of dcxmuseum.org

 

It was interesting comparing prelims from both competitions. There were some corps that only competed in the AL competition. I’m way off topic, aren’t I? 

[JimF-LowBari]

17 minutes ago, Brian Tuma said:

It was interesting comparing prelims from both competitions. There were some corps that only competed in the AL competition. I’m way off topic, aren’t I? 

Interesting about some of the corps. Will have to go back to look for a pattern.... 

And following year in New Orleans, no where near DCI and different weekend - 7 Jr corps. (And 2 Sr - one a DCA full member).

Off topic on dcp? 🤪

Edited August 16, 2020 by JimF-LowBari

[IllianaLancerContra]

38 minutes ago, Brian Tuma said:

It was interesting comparing prelims from both competitions. There were some corps that only competed in the AL competition. I’m way off topic, aren’t I? 

Not off topic - Whether DCI Corps are allowed to compete in non-DCI competitions is a valid topic in how DCI may evolve in the post-Covid era 

[Poppycock]

21 minutes ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

Not off topic - Whether DCI Corps are allowed to compete in non-DCI competitions is a valid topic in how DCI may evolve in the post-Covid era 

Don’t expect all organizations to be beholden to DCI. Loyalty has legs! 

Edited August 16, 2020 by Poppycock

[JimF-LowBari]

10 minutes ago, Poppycock said:

Don’t expect individual organizations to be beholden to DCI. Loyalty has legs! 

Interesting quandary possible for some corps. If I do ..... I could urinate off DCI. On the other hand we could use the $$$$. (Reason why some corps did lesser circuit shows if they didn’t have a DCA invite for the weekend. Not as much money as DCA show but still better than $0.)