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March or Die thoughts 2021....


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1 hour ago, Sutasaurus said:

Why do I feel there are two conversations going on here? DCI relies on many forms of partnerships to survive financially ticket sales included. The sponsorships are with companies who promote marching footwear, aero beds, mouthpieces, drum sticks…the list goes on. DCI chooses whom to do business with based on what the new members will buy. Pretty simple marketing. Today’s designers are consumers too and if they can get a deal from X prop company they will design a use for it in their next show.

Are we talking money going to DCI the organization or the individual corps? Wondering how much money DCI gets from companies filters down to the corps.

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19 minutes ago, Boss Anova said:

 I know you marched Phantom Regiment. Phantom Regiment placed 3rd in 1993, and they were my favorite Corps show that season. They played familiar music, with traditional Guard, and had fabulous solos throughout. It was not just me that loved the Phantom Regiment show that season ,but so didnt many fans from all across the country that year.

 Most fans in 1993 were not in love with the 1993 Star of Indiana show.  Many called it " boring ".... others " weird "... others " unexciting "... while others used words to describe that show that one could not utilize in polite company.

 When the Judges had this show winning the Semi Finals, and just a tenth out of 1st place on Finals Night, quite a few people in 1993 were not happy with the rewarding of this show by the judges with ( as said by more than a few fans ) " weird poles as props instead of real, genuine, traditional Color Guard equipment ". The music for many was considered " unappealing ", and for others " unrecognizable ". The 1993 Star of Indiana show/ music/ visuals/ was the ultimate " esoteric show " that few appreciated in 1993... including many of the young H.S. students that went to shows that season. I recall well the dislike in many quarters for this show. ( I was one of these " fans" in 1993 ).  One would be hard pressed to find much support among the ticket purchasing " audience " nation wide that this 1st/ 2nd placement show by the judges got it right.

 But fast forward to today, and I can understand now what the judges saw and heard in 1993 with this brilliantly conceived and performed masterpiece  I was frankly not ready for this type of " modern show " in 1993. The judges were however. To their credit.. Many of the generation of today sees and hears what many of us missed back in 1993. Thankfully, we still have some Corps show designers that dance to the beat of the different drummer, and choose to go the road less traveled in how they design a show. They dont go back. They forge ahead and hope that in time, we will catch up to what they produced for us that, while not appreciated at the time, might ultimately stand the test of time. The BEST judge of something's worth, imo.

I’m not deaf to what works. Star in 1993 was an incredible show. Absolutely loved it! They took unfamiliar, to some,  music and an amazing visual program and made it work! Kudos to them for blazing forward. It eventually ended with them leaving DCI to pursue their artistic ideals on their terms, not DCI’s. Fast forward to today’s DCI…what is being rewarded has really shifted away from the essence of what the drum corps activity was founded on. Maybe it’s time to create new categories and judge apples to apples, oranges to oranges? I appreciate this discussion…honestly! Good points being made by all members of the drum corps community.

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13 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Are we talking money going to DCI the organization or the individual corps? Wondering how much money DCI gets from companies filters down to the corps.

I don’t think the money DCI makes on partnerships filters down to the corps themselves, but ticket sales has a lot to do with appearance fees awarded to the corps who participate in competitions.

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21 minutes ago, Sutasaurus said:

I don’t think the money DCI makes on partnerships filters down to the corps themselves, but ticket sales has a lot to do with appearance fees awarded to the corps who participate in competitions.

Thanks wanted to make sure I understood what was meant by “DCI” in regards to partnership money.

And as a 70s marcher, appearance fee based on a corps just a whole different world from the awards money back in my day. Of course then everyone knew how much each corps made at a show. (prize money amounts usually listed in the program)

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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2 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Are we talking money going to DCI the organization or the individual corps? Wondering how much money DCI gets from companies filters down to the corps.

Pretty sure both accounts are true.  Some truly unfair advantages are in the activity from a lack of rules.  The stuff you see in DCI really doesn't exist in any other competitive sport or activity.  Face it, most of the corps calling the shots and making the rules have a LOT of pull AND those with strong voices get a LOT of grift to make things happen for their products.  The whole idea of self-regulating of members units is really a terrible idea.  It's caused so much nonsense and bad stuff to happen as we have talked at at length on these forums.  This "anything goes" atmosphere is silly and self defeating.  It's GREAT if you want to go off and do BLAST part 2 but not so much for a judged activity.  I'm surprised Exxon/Mobile isn't in on it pushing for more vehicles...

Edited by Mello Dude
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Again, thank you all for adding your viewpoints. I think it helps us understand where each of us are coming from and that only strengthens us as a community in this niche activity.

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Well, lookie there, we are one big happy family, after all. And...Uncle Jim is back! 

The Brady Bunch' cast: Here's the story of what they've been up to

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17 hours ago, Boss Anova said:

The DCI judging sheets reward freshness, and new things, ie, new music, being creative, progressive, daring, bold. The Corps voted and approved these sheets.  The Blue Devils dont do " current trend " or a redo of former shows. They push the envelope.. The Cavaliers did not do the " current trend shows " that BD was doing in the 1990's. The Cavs came out with new visual/ guard integrated shows that for a couple of years caught BD flat footed, as Cavs went right to the top via better visually designed shows. BD then responded to that, and created their own " new " trend.

You are 100% correct in this.  But it's kind of telling that the year that the judging bumpers were taken off the lane, corps as a block embraced nostalgia and "fan friendliness."  The corps are kind of tacitly acknowledging here that there's a disconnect between a show written for the sheets and what would be most appealing to audiences.

Mike

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39 minutes ago, MikeN said:

You are 100% correct in this.  But it's kind of telling that the year that the judging bumpers were taken off the lane, corps as a block embraced nostalgia and "fan friendliness."  The corps are kind of tacitly acknowledging here that there's a disconnect between a show written for the sheets and what would be most appealing to audiences.

Mike

What do you think the corps' response will be in '22, Mike? I tend to believe back to normal, but I'm a Debbie Downer if there ever was one. 

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Honestly?  I think we'll be back to 2019-standard shows.  Now that said, I think we've got a pretty good balance of technical showcase vs. "catchy" stuff right now.  But I'm almost 100% certain you won't be seeing old-style uniforms out there again.  

Mike

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