Surf Organization Responds To Membership Challenges By Lowering 2022 Drum Corps Participation Expenses By $1000

[IllianaLancerContra]

We can (& probably will) argue all day about where Corps budget goes, but until we get the real income & cost data, in detail, from a range of Corps we really won't know.  

I know there is data that has to be filed as a non-profit, but this isn't detailed enough to determine where costs may be cut.  We would also need data on number of vehicles the Corps uses, as well as miles traveled.

I don't think very many, if any, Corps will volunteer this data.

[Jeff Ream]

On 3/26/2022 at 5:33 AM, shostahoosier said:

 I had actually already read this article.

It doesn't answer my question about the average cost of a sports camp - it just says that they vary wildly.

 

https://www.imgacademy.com/sport-camps/football-camp

https://www.imgacademy.com/sport-camps/basketball-camp

 

i found several others for football and basketball at $1000 for the week

[Jeff Ream]

On 3/26/2022 at 5:34 AM, shostahoosier said:

1. I think finding a way worked when corps fees were closer in relation to the minimum wage jobs that members could work during the off season.

2. I TOTALLY AGREE with you about spring training.

kids at the DCI levels have insane school demands too. weekends arent just for keggers at college now.

[Jeff Ream]

On 3/26/2022 at 1:00 PM, JimF-LowBari said:

Thinking of the number of staff…

Just got done watching Division II basketball (my team lost so done watching 🤬). Same idea of if you want to be considered the elite or Division I you need tons of assistants, special equipment, extra rooms, etc etc. Do you really need all the extras to play… nope but “everyone else does it”…. So corps shooting themselves in the … by keeping up to each other no matter what

do know even at the D1 level, many college assistants or people you see sitting on the bench not in uniform are grad assistants, and aren't making the Coach K levels of income

[Jeff Ream]

11 hours ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

We can (& probably will) argue all day about where Corps budget goes, but until we get the real income & cost data, in detail, from a range of Corps we really won't know.  

I know there is data that has to be filed as a non-profit, but this isn't detailed enough to determine where costs may be cut.  We would also need data on number of vehicles the Corps uses, as well as miles traveled.

I don't think very many, if any, Corps will volunteer this data.

Guidestar.org. look for the corps 990's

[Tim K]

1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said:

https://www.imgacademy.com/sport-camps/football-camp

https://www.imgacademy.com/sport-camps/basketball-camp

 

i found several others for football and basketball at $1000 for the week

I think your original post quote was a bit high, however sports camps are usually one, perhaps two weeks. Drum corps is anywhere from 12-14 weeks for WC, 8-12 weeks for OC and that varies widely. You’re looking at $350-$450 per week for drum corps. The only sports camps I know of cater to middle school to high school kids and run from $500-$750, maybe $1,000 for camps for high school students that promise college scouts. That’s often not including room and board for those not commuting. That would make sports camps more expensive than a week in drum corps.

[DrummerParent]

On 3/25/2022 at 8:18 AM, 2000Cadet said:

My point is while it may be ok for you that many people are paying 5k to have a great drum corps experience, it's unfair for those who cannot afford to do things like this because it can be prohibitively expensive, especially for those who come from poor areas but would still like to have the same experience. 

I’d love to see the cost of drum corps lower.   What would you cut out of drum corps to make it less expensive?  And how would your change make the corps experience more attractive?  Open class is, in many cases, 1/2 the price of world class yet they are the ones most struggling for members.  I’d love for some deep pocketed donor to subsidize corps to make it more affordable but to expect that is unreasonable.

[DrummerParent]

On 3/26/2022 at 1:54 PM, craiga said:

so while a corps may have 8 drill techs on their staff roster, they are probably scheduled so there are actually only 4 or 5 in front of the corps at any given time.  Also, when I was Marching 40 years ago, we did not have a doctor, nurse, physical trainers, and professional chefs

Correct.  Staffs look large but it’s because they rotate as few people can afford to practically volunteer for more than a week or two.  The corps I’m familiar with (top 6), the doctor and/or nurse is volunteer entirely, physical trainers are paid well below minimum wage and the “professional chef” is also practically volunteer.  

[DrummerParent]

On 3/27/2022 at 4:21 AM, Whiskey said:

 It’s the designers and certain caption heads that are making some good buck.

Which designers and caption heads are making “some good buck”?  How much are they making?

[JimF-LowBari]

1 hour ago, DrummerParent said:

I’d love to see the cost of drum corps lower.   What would you cut out of drum corps to make it less expensive?  And how would your change make the corps experience more attractive?  Open class is, in many cases, 1/2 the price of world class yet they are the ones most struggling for members.  I’d love for some deep pocketed donor to subsidize corps to make it more affordable but to expect that is unreasonable.

I’d love for DCI to treat OC the same as WC but…