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DCI WORLD CLASS EXPANDS TO 165 MEMBERS for the 2022 TOUR


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We’ve focused quite a bit on the increased size and some of the reasons for fewer drum corps today, but in the press release it also mentioned  how SoundSport is growing and becoming more popular. As someone who has attended all but two SoundSport events in Indy, it was news to me it was growing in popularity and in 2019, I thought I remembered far newer participating ensembles and even fewer in the audience except when Madison performed for the last time as an all male corps. A great deal of effort goes into SoundSport, no question, and Steve Rondinaro is more than an enthusiastic host, but my feelings on it are mixed at best. 

Instead of expanding SoundSport to include scholastic groups, DCI should have better outreach to the existing band circuits. One example, the week prior to finals, high school bands compete at the Indiana State Fair. It is an evening event because schools are already in session. Why doesn’t DCI reach out to the fair? It would be great for the evening before prelims. I go to the fair on the Wednesday prior to prelims and see tons of people wearing drum corps t-shirts, so people are already in town and are at the fair for entertainment. Some of the OC corps that will be participating in prelims who are not expecting to place in the top 25 might enjoy performing abbreviated shows. Since  prelims has so many unsold seats, Complimentary tickets to discounted tickets for prelims could be given to participating bands. 

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4 hours ago, Tim K said:

We’ve focused quite a bit on the increased size and some of the reasons for fewer drum corps today, but in the press release it also mentioned  how SoundSport is growing and becoming more popular. As someone who has attended all but two SoundSport events in Indy, it was news to me it was growing in popularity and in 2019, I thought I remembered far newer participating ensembles and even fewer in the audience except when Madison performed for the last time as an all male corps. A great deal of effort goes into SoundSport, no question, and Steve Rondinaro is more than an enthusiastic host, but my feelings on it are mixed at best. 

Instead of expanding SoundSport to include scholastic groups, DCI should have better outreach to the existing band circuits. One example, the week prior to finals, high school bands compete at the Indiana State Fair. It is an evening event because schools are already in session. Why doesn’t DCI reach out to the fair? It would be great for the evening before prelims. I go to the fair on the Wednesday prior to prelims and see tons of people wearing drum corps t-shirts, so people are already in town and are at the fair for entertainment. Some of the OC corps that will be participating in prelims who are not expecting to place in the top 25 might enjoy performing abbreviated shows. Since  prelims has so many unsold seats, Complimentary tickets to discounted tickets for prelims could be given to participating bands. 

Good Suggestions.

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13 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

True, and a reasonable enough description.

and as mentioned elsewhere...the world changed. i know i have said this before, but veterans groups have a hard enough time getting members and having the funds to do what their charter actually was set up to do. many of those inner city churches are closed and torn down...the drum corps would have been cut along the way DCI or no DCI. those still going are more worried about keeping their doors open to congregation for worship. same for the CYO's, PAL's etc. flight to the suburbs in the 60's and 70's. kids have way more options now. and DCI or no DCI, it aint cheap to start or run a drum corps, even if just for local stuff...finding rehearsal space at little to no cost? good luck! equipment....insurance...if you want to feed kids in any way...transportation in any fashion...all not cheap. the dollar went a lot farther and got you a lot more 50 years ago.

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9 hours ago, Tim K said:

We’ve focused quite a bit on the increased size and some of the reasons for fewer drum corps today, but in the press release it also mentioned  how SoundSport is growing and becoming more popular. As someone who has attended all but two SoundSport events in Indy, it was news to me it was growing in popularity and in 2019, I thought I remembered far newer participating ensembles and even fewer in the audience except when Madison performed for the last time as an all male corps. A great deal of effort goes into SoundSport, no question, and Steve Rondinaro is more than an enthusiastic host, but my feelings on it are mixed at best. 

Instead of expanding SoundSport to include scholastic groups, DCI should have better outreach to the existing band circuits. One example, the week prior to finals, high school bands compete at the Indiana State Fair. It is an evening event because schools are already in session. Why doesn’t DCI reach out to the fair? It would be great for the evening before prelims. I go to the fair on the Wednesday prior to prelims and see tons of people wearing drum corps t-shirts, so people are already in town and are at the fair for entertainment. Some of the OC corps that will be participating in prelims who are not expecting to place in the top 25 might enjoy performing abbreviated shows. Since  prelims has so many unsold seats, Complimentary tickets to discounted tickets for prelims could be given to participating bands. 

a lot of it may be due to what the fair's schedule usually is. a lot of fairs on such and such night every year is (insert show, activity whatever). changing the schedule for the fair may not be as easy as one thinks. a band i taught here always had to do the parade at the county fair. it was always on a friday, and before school started...and every band was short kids. the directors approached the fair about trying maybe Wednesday instead and they said "nope bands are always before the tractor parade, and thats that." so every year when there are complaints about smaller bands, the directors always bring up that conversation in 2001.

 

but the band i taught hasn't lost since 2000, so i am glad i was there for the start of the streak

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7 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

and as mentioned elsewhere...the world changed. i know i have said this before, but veterans groups have a hard enough time getting members and having the funds to do what their charter actually was set up to do. many of those inner city churches are closed and torn down...the drum corps would have been cut along the way DCI or no DCI. those still going are more worried about keeping their doors open to congregation for worship. same for the CYO's, PAL's etc. flight to the suburbs in the 60's and 70's. kids have way more options now. and DCI or no DCI, it aint cheap to start or run a drum corps, even if just for local stuff...finding rehearsal space at little to no cost? good luck! equipment....insurance...if you want to feed kids in any way...transportation in any fashion...all not cheap. the dollar went a lot farther and got you a lot more 50 years ago.

Then you can understand my concern each time the drum corps activity heaps an additional self-imposed challenge on top of that pile.

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On 10/2/2021 at 12:28 AM, Jeff Ream said:

i'm pretty confident based on history and the many solicitations for funds, the corps are hardly the best people to judge finances

Sorry for responding to this so late, but I was thinking about this. I support Bluecoats financially. I am sure that is no surprise, but I never felt badgered to give more. Yes, there are campaigns from time to time, but nothing excessive. I am aware of a certain former corps director, who shall remain unnamed, who shamelessly solicited funds every chance he got, but my experience with corps fundraising has been very positive.

Edited by Jurassic Lancer
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28 minutes ago, Jurassic Lancer said:

Sorry for responding to this so late, but I was thinking about this. I support Bluecoats financially. I am sure that is no surprise, but I never felt badgered to give more. Yes, there are campaigns from time to time, but nothing excessive. I am aware of a certain former corps director, who shall remain unnamed, who shamelessly solicited fund every chance he got, but I my experience with corps fundraising has been very positive.

Ditto with corps I've given to. Emails now and then telling me what's going on, upcoming events etc, but no gimme gimme solicitations at all. Every corps has been very professional about it. 

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11 hours ago, Jurassic Lancer said:

Sorry for responding to this so late, but I was thinking about this. I support Bluecoats financially. I am sure that is no surprise, but I never felt badgered to give more. Yes, there are campaigns from time to time, but nothing excessive. I am aware of a certain former corps director, who shall remain unnamed, who shamelessly solicited funds every chance he got, but my experience with corps fundraising has been very positive.

@inbetween, I am not sure why my personal experience is so funny to you, but I am glad I could brighten your day.

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On 10/5/2021 at 8:39 PM, Sutasaurus said:

I loved my “Squinto”. Yes, it was a POS

(A 1977 Sport model) but it was my very first brand new car.

All this talk of exploding Pinto's reminds me of both Spies Like Us and Top Secret

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