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

[IllianaLancerContra]

10 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

Guidestar.org. look for the corps 990's

I know about these - not detailed enough for the analysis I am advocating 

[IllianaLancerContra]

2 hours 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 said in earlier post that one way to lower cost is to allow each Corps only 2 equipment tractor-trailers (food truck not included).  This eliminates rental cost of additional tractors, reduces fuel and insurance cost, & fewer people to feed.

5-point penalty for each tractor-trailer in excess of 2.

 

[2000Cadet]

On 3/26/2022 at 12:26 AM, Jeff Ream said:

my point is if someone wants something bad enough they find a way.

 

i've been saying here for months excessive spring training lengths are budget killers. 5-6 weeks renting a facility or two, 4 meals a day for everyone, travel costs getting people in and out.....and not making a dime.

You're right about that. 

[2000Cadet]

3 hours 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.

They can start with all the excessive props, then maybe all the different costumes every year, among other things. It may or may not all a lot more to the cost, but it still contributes to it. 

 

[DrummerParent]

22 minutes ago, 2000Cadet said:

They can start with all the excessive props, then maybe all the different costumes every year, among other things. It may or may not all a lot more to the cost, but it still contributes to it. 

 

That’s been mentioned ad nauseum.  The “costumes” are much less expensive that traditional uniforms- works out to about the same cost over time.  Costumes only last one year.  Some of us may prefer one over the other but cost isn’t the issue.

 Props can be significant and in some cases the transportation can be even more.  Still, corps that don’t use substantial props need more money to operate than member dues alone.

[DrummerParent]

1 hour ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

5-point penalty for each tractor-trailer in excess of 2.

Who uses more than two excluding the food truck?

[2000Cadet]

31 minutes ago, DrummerParent said:

That’s been mentioned ad nauseum.  The “costumes” are much less expensive that traditional uniforms- works out to about the same cost over time.  Costumes only last one year.  Some of us may prefer one over the other but cost isn’t the issue.

 Props can be significant and in some cases the transportation can be even more.  Still, corps that don’t use substantial props need more money to operate than member dues alone.

Well you asked what I would do, that's what I would do. Drum corps is becoming more and more exclusive, and if you think that's the right path for it, then we're forgetting a bigger issue. 

[DrummerParent]

4 minutes ago, 2000Cadet said:

Well you asked what I would do, that's what I would do.

So you have no ideas that would decrease the cost an amount that would substantively make the activity more affordable.  I’m not against your ideas, particularly props.  I don’t think there’s a savings in uniforms.  I just don’t think the reduction in tuition would be anywhere near enough to make any real change in cost.  With zero props, corps would still rely on money outside of member tuition to fund them for the year.

[MikeN]

1 hour ago, DrummerParent said:

So you have no ideas that would decrease the cost an amount that would substantively make the activity more affordable.  I’m not against your ideas, particularly props.  I don’t think there’s a savings in uniforms.  I just don’t think the reduction in tuition would be anywhere near enough to make any real change in cost.  With zero props, corps would still rely on money outside of member tuition to fund them for the year.

As a former DCI BoD member (at least in the suburbs of Open Class), transportation, food and salaries - in that order - were the big ones.  Most of our costs were supported by member dues; we just didn't have many secondary streams of income.  When I started for instance, we didn't have *any* merch sales.  I suspect you can count on one hand the number of corps that have figured out how to generate consistent extra revenue, honestly, and we all know who those are.

As for other expenses, once we went to digital uniforms, that cost (about $130) got passed on to the member, so it actually saved the corps money. Props weren't a massive line item, but then again, we weren't toting around Mandarins' 12,000 pound stage either.  We upgraded the battery while I was there to a one-year-old Mapex indoor set, it ended up costing us about $5k after selling the old falling apart Yamaha line.  We replaced the tubas four at a time each year, and we tried to replace one of the other three sections entirely each year so it would be a three year rotation for brass.  We never did replace out front ensemble, and our caption head let us hear about it in my final season as they were... um... very janky.

But the big costs were getting there, eating there and teaching them.  We rotated a bunch of staff in and out, like most corps do, and our caption heads were pretty much told "here's your budget" and they created their own schedules from that.  We also lucked out in that our bus company was owned by a DCI alum, who was ok with us not getting hotels for the drivers.  

Mike

[IllianaLancerContra]

1 hour ago, DrummerParent said:

Who uses more than two excluding the food truck?

Some of the more prop / electronics - heavy productions require more than 2 trucks total.

Drum Corps, esp. in the olden days,  had all kinds of restrictive rules regarding instrumentation, timing, boundaries, Flag code and more.  So it is nothing new to have restrictions on design.  

Implementing a tractor-trailer maximum would not only lower logistics costs.  It would also help level the playing field between the relatively few cash-rich Corps and those who are struggling to make ends meet while trying to remain competitive.  It would make the show designers work within logistical limits.  What is more important - 8 big speakers, or a scaffold prop, 20 tubas (vs a lesser number), or a pit with 8 marimbas?  Let each Corps address it as they see fit, versus a few Corps selecting 'all of the above', and others spending money they really can't afford to maintain their position in an arms race. 

Edited March 28, 2022 by IllianaLancerContra
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