Jeff Ream Posted August 31, 2020 Author Share Posted August 31, 2020 5 hours ago, E3D said: Does DrumcorpsAF stand for drumcorps as ####? Whatever has happened to people and society. Next thing you know Drunk Corps International will be sticking it to Drumcorps as ####. the podcast in many ways is very positive towards the activity. sure, some shots are taken, and usually for the right reasons, but it's real fans, not getting a dime to do it, and doing it because we love it. In fact John has been very vocal since everything went 2020 to support the corps in any way you can during these crazy times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 10 hours ago, Jeff Ream said: Bain Capital isn't a fan of doing business with non profits 4 hours ago, Jeff Ream said: https://chieforganizer.org/2018/11/24/bain-capital-marketing-for-nonprofits-and-the-rich-in-sheeps-clothing/ http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2012/01/bain-66-billion-in-assets-firms-charity.html token write offs So, your research that Bain "isn't a fan" is based on two blogs, both of which are written by SJWs and angrily claim that 1. Bain has a charity for their convenience, and 2. It's nothing more than a "playground" for the 1% to "hide" money Bain isn't af fan of "doing business" with non-profits? They STARTED ONE to run charitable events around Boston. This isn't "research". It's angry opinion wrapped in biased, self-supporting, hand-picked evidence. If non-profits are, in fact, the playthings of the wealthy, shouldn't your claim be that Bain loves sheltering profits in charitable endeavors so much that they started their own? I'm hoping there's more than this, and the three or four posts linked in the show notes, that is the foundational research behind the podcast. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, Jeff Ream said: the podcast in many ways is very positive towards the activity. sure, some shots are taken, and usually for the right reasons, but it's real fans, not getting a dime to do it, and doing it because we love it. In fact John has been very vocal since everything went 2020 to support the corps in any way you can during these crazy times. ...and NOT support DCI, the platform started by the drum corps themselves. Great. Seeing the "we" reveals your bias, Jeff. I see nothing at all, not a single word, in this podcast to support your claim that it's "positive" toward the activity. Furthermore, I hear several unsubstantiated and angry claims made against DCI and it's policies. I'll wait for corroboration beyond just opinion before placing any validity at all on them. Mr. Weldy's anger at DCI is only demonstrated in his cast, not proven by it. Edited August 31, 2020 by garfield 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 (edited) 17 hours ago, Jeff Ream said: the podcast in many ways is very positive towards the activity. sure, some shots are taken, and usually for the right reasons, but it's real fans, not getting a dime to do it, and doing it because we love it. In fact John has been very vocal since everything went 2020 to support the corps in any way you can during these crazy times. And, with focus, these podcast sources are making contentions against Bain, not Varsity. The non-profit, charitable platform (Bridgespan Group) at Bain is not related to Varsity. Since Varsity is a portfolio holding for Bain, and especially because the "business" of cheer is largely arcane to most people (similar to drum corps, ahem), I'd lay odds that Bain's practice is to leave Varsity management in place and fund their ventures so long as they return profits smartly. SS and, so goes the guess, drum corps will be "playing ball" with Varsity, not Bain. So Bain's charitable ventures in Boston are of no value to this discussion. Edited August 31, 2020 by garfield 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 Question for the herd: If Bain Capital's charitable arm, Bridgespan Group, is providing, or would provide, funding in any way to any drum corps located in the Boston area, would those dollars be tainted by the contention that such charitable arms of such investment firms as Bain Capital are the playground of the 1%? And, thereby, should any and all such support (purely hypothetical and without substantiation on my part) of local drum corps, or the activity as a whole be disavowed? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 12 hours ago, cixelsyd said: What problem? 12 hours ago, garfield said: Drum Corps consistently and continuously becoming smaller, more expensive, and less relevant in a growing competitive marketplace for participant dollars. That one. Varsity cannot help DCI with that one. DCI, guided by their member corps, made that bed and now they have to lie in it. Sounds like you know that, based on another post of yours: 11 hours ago, garfield said: Pre-Covid DCI had no solid direction to solve the key problem and members were left to consider only a shrinking pie and getting their piece of it. There is only one way for DCI to evolve from the current mentality (how to slice the pie) to one that even entertains the possibility of growth (a bigger pie). That would be for the member corps to pass the reins of control/governance to the board of directors. But they are not willing to do it. All this "strategic plan" brainstorming was supposed to result in some transformative "new governance structure". But all we got was higher barriers to entering the member corps private club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 (edited) 18 hours ago, MikeD said: My thought is they are trying to provide a framework for scholastic music ensembles to perform, not go into schools and start groups. The school music staff would be responsible for that. iIf they sign up for events set up by DCI/Varsity, by definition they would be Scholastic SoundSport participants, be they percussion, winds, maybe even choirs and/or string ensembles. Who knows what they are thinking at this point. Hmm... I'm not on the inside of the SS business vision, but I just saw a FB post of a DLB contest between the FreePlayers and a HS group. Isn't SS and DLB already "known" by band directors as a platform? I strongly agree that nothing will happen without band/music director approval and, so far, well... Wouldn't a growing number of HS groups and participating prove, or not, the success of SS/DLB in schools? I really appreciate the platform for the FreePlayers to perform. That's fantastic. If the platform won't interfere with existing programs, is it only summer participation that differentiates the Varsity/SS-DLB platform from other indoor HS groups? Band directors adopting SS/DLB for their kids' summer. Many I've heard from thinks summers are for band camp and DCI interferes with those camps. I'm not peeing on the Cheerios here, just trying to be realistic and repeating "Sounds crazy, might work". Edited August 31, 2020 by garfield 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 18 minutes ago, cixelsyd said: Varsity cannot help DCI with that one. DCI, guided by their member corps, made that bed and now they have to lie in it. Sounds like you know that, based on another post of yours: There is only one way for DCI to evolve from the current mentality (how to slice the pie) to one that even entertains the possibility of growth (a bigger pie). That would be for the member corps to pass the reins of control/governance to the board of directors. But they are not willing to do it. All this "strategic plan" brainstorming was supposed to result in some transformative "new governance structure". But all we got was higher barriers to entering the member corps private club. Yes, Varsity can because Varsity is already in the space that DCI has been trying to expand into for years. Of course, DCI member corps' leaders are not stupid and many are, in fact, greatly concerned about the strategic future while they also worry about their own orgs. And again I'll ask to all: When was the last time in our long histories enjoying this activity have a non-music program-building and deep-pocketed camel stuck its nose into the competitive MUSIC performance activity? Yours is NOT the only solution. That solution is the only realistic one that existed right up until the moment Varsity called DCI and said "Yes, let's talk." The presumption is that Varsity will demand control. That's crazy because that's the one thing the drum corps will never give up (same as pre-Varsity). So, that known, Varsity is still here and, maybe, the framework for a bigger and mutually-beneficial larger relationship will develop. Not that anyone listens to me, but DCI had better be ALL OVER Varsity offering anything possible to help make it a wild success. Does DCI have the relationship-building CV to be able to accomplish that? A partnership solution may not require the corps to give up creative control, but I can almost guarantee you that the member corps need to focus on making their own orgs lean, mean, and building reserves by taking advantage of Covid to do things differently and, presumably, better. Could DCI benefit from the venue negotiating power of a billion-dollar company? Hmm.. Sounds crazy... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 16 minutes ago, garfield said: Yes, Varsity can because Varsity is already in the space that DCI has been trying to expand into for years. Drum corps cannot expand into the scholastic space. The entire operating model of DCI is to work around scholastic programs. Quote Of course, DCI member corps' leaders are not stupid and many are, in fact, greatly concerned about the strategic future while they also worry about their own orgs. And again I'll ask to all: When was the last time in our long histories enjoying this activity have a non-music program-building and deep-pocketed camel stuck its nose into the competitive MUSIC performance activity? Cook Group? ESPN? The city of Indianapolis? (What difference does it make?) Quote The presumption is that Varsity will demand control. That's crazy because that's the one thing the drum corps will never give up (same as pre-Varsity). So you do understand! (Well, some part of you does.) Maybe Varsity is practicing vulture capitalism, and they just want to be close by to pry that control from the cold dying hands of DCI when that time comes. Sounds crazy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 (edited) 28 minutes ago, cixelsyd said: Drum corps cannot expand into the scholastic space. The entire operating model of DCI is to work around scholastic programs. Cook Group? ESPN? The city of Indianapolis? (What difference does it make?) So you do understand! (Well, some part of you does.) Maybe Varsity is practicing vulture capitalism, and they just want to be close by to pry that control from the cold dying hands of DCI when that time comes. Sounds crazy... Great post. You're thinking too narrowly about what DCI can and can't do. Do drum corps attract HS and college-aged kids? Don't those kids attend scholastic programs? Wouldn't it be great to have a presence - even a promotional presence - in that arena from which DCI can recruit? You're not incorrect that DCI has to build its tour around scholastics. You are incorrect that DCI can't "be" in that space to encourage kids to cross over into summer band. Cook Group? Umm... that wasn't activity-wide (EDIT: and Bill Cook himself said drum corps is a hole in the ground you throw money into. Do you think Varsity will find the same?). ESPN? Talk about demanding profit! We PAID to be there! That wasn't a partnership at all. Indy? Yea, OK, they're an example except they are a municipal government (non-profit) agency. Keep going though, let's list them all. McDonalds? The Chicken place? The Insurance Company and the Troopers? (Memories fade), let's get them all out there. How about We Scan Files? Are any of these presenting the same kind of hand in support that the Varsity companies are? Aren't those companies just making money off of drum corps marching members' and the organizers? SHAME! Vultures don't eat live meat. Edited August 31, 2020 by garfield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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