4 DAYS TILL DCI SCHEDULE RELEASE?

[scheherazadesghost]

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Edited June 13, 2023 by scheherazadesghost

[C.Holland]

1 hour ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

The ‘hidden’ cost of all the tarps/props/electronics is that now the Corps needs another semi to haul them around.  And this requires fuel, drivers (even volunteers need  to be fed), insurance, maintenance, etc. And I don’t believe that these costs are covered in exchange for promotional consideration.  

there are no volunteer drivers anymore unless its open class.  everyone else uses tractors and busses which are rented in one big lump sum.  drivers, estimated fuel, tolls, and insurance come wrapped up in it.  much like when a travel agency books a bus to Atlantic City for the weekend.  All costs included.    Once you've paid for 4 busses and 3 tractors, that 4th isn't much worse on the budget.  technically its more cost effective to rent more than it is to rent a single bus and tractor. 

[C.Holland]

1 hour ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Not picking just trying to understand this mess. You have travel twice, did you mean something else?

signed: guy from 70s who knew of corps and shows going under when gas went to $1 (aka price tripled)

travel, housing, food.   fixed it up above. 

[JimF-LowBari]

47 minutes ago, C.Holland said:

travel, housing, food.   fixed it up above. 

Thanks.. never would have thought of housing with my Senior/all age background. My sleep spot was a bus seat on overnight trips. 💤

[cixelsyd]

11 hours ago, craiga said:

For the record,  most of the top 12 corps do not pay for their "annual costume changes".  They are provided to the corps for free in exchange for promotional consideration.   The same is true for marching and pit percussion.   I don't know if amps are part of the package, but I'll bet they are.

Oh, no problem then.  So maybe 9 top corps get them for free?  Fantastic!  What do the other 34 32 corps pay?  Or if you are correct, the other 30 corps?

[C.Holland]

2 hours ago, cixelsyd said:

Oh, no problem then.  So maybe 9 top corps get them for free?  Fantastic!  What do the other 34 32 corps pay?  Or if you are correct, the other 30 corps?

It’s wrapped up into the tuition. Sometimes it’s less than $50. Sometimes it’s almost $80.  If you have a good designer and tailors, you can do a lot with $50 a person.  But buying in bulk is part of it, going outside the norm of band wear and instead to dance wear, and athletic wear are, the tailoring it are how you do it well. 
 

Here’s the thing. If you see the uniform on a stand at a booth in the expo, or at Midwest Clinic, or any other band show that a manufacturer has a display at.  It was free. So Academy, Troop, Madison, BD… pretty much all of the top 15 or 16 didn’t pay for their performance wardrobe. 

If it is an outfit that’s been tailored well to fit the body, it’s likely been covered by the sponsor.  If it’s got poor fitting pants and a standard size printed top (s, m, l, xl) and it’s kind of potato sack looking, it’s where the corps has to cut corners and say “ I guess that’ll do”.  And some kid paid for that crappy top that goes with their poorly fitted band bibbers. 

 

[Phantom56]

The kids who march today mostly come from upper-middle class families. Not a problem for their parents to shell out $6,000 for dues and other travel expenses. When I marched back in the 70's, it was tough for me to come up with the $175 dues. Had to pay it in installments ha. 

[cixelsyd]

8 hours ago, C.Holland said:

It’s wrapped up into the tuition. Sometimes it’s less than $50. Sometimes it’s almost $80.  If you have a good designer and tailors, you can do a lot with $50 a person.  But buying in bulk is part of it, going outside the norm of band wear and instead to dance wear, and athletic wear are, the tailoring it are how you do it well. 
 

Here’s the thing. If you see the uniform on a stand at a booth in the expo, or at Midwest Clinic, or any other band show that a manufacturer has a display at.  It was free. So Academy, Troop, Madison, BD… pretty much all of the top 15 or 16 didn’t pay for their performance wardrobe. 

If it is an outfit that’s been tailored well to fit the body, it’s likely been covered by the sponsor.  If it’s got poor fitting pants and a standard size printed top (s, m, l, xl) and it’s kind of potato sack looking, it’s where the corps has to cut corners and say “ I guess that’ll do”.  And some kid paid for that crappy top that goes with their poorly fitted band bibbers. 

Thank you for this very informative response.  And excuse me while I rage against the machine... it is not directed at you.

Is anyone else tired of this?  I know I am.  The top 6 get this; the top 9 get that; the top 12 something else; maybe even the top 16 can all get in on the free annual costuming deal.  Meanwhile, the other 25 corps pay cash, while trying to balance a budget on lower DCI pay (or none).  Now two corps are "broke"... apparently, two corps in that "other 25" category.  Still world-class, but in a steeply uphill battle to stay there.  Should we be surprised?

Never mind fairness... that ship sailed (sank) long ago.  Is this model even sustainable?

The irony is so thick.  DCI was created primarily because without it, touring was only sustainable as long as your corps was winning.  50 years later, and this has not changed.

[Tim K]

15 hours ago, C.Holland said:

there are no volunteer drivers anymore unless its open class.  everyone else uses tractors and busses which are rented in one big lump sum.  drivers, estimated fuel, tolls, and insurance come wrapped up in it.  much like when a travel agency books a bus to Atlantic City for the weekend.  All costs included.    Once you've paid for 4 busses and 3 tractors, that 4th isn't much worse on the budget.  technically its more cost effective to rent more than it is to rent a single bus and tractor. 

Even in Open Class, there are probably few if any volunteer truckers, at least for vehicles that require CDL drivers. It’s an insurance issue in many states. I know of two corps that own their own fleet have at least a few drivers who donate their salary back to the corps, which makes them volunteers in theory, but they are initially paid.

The days of Susie’s Uncle Joe and Aunt Lucille giving up their vacation to drive the bus are long gone. Bus driving is highly regulated as it should be. I went to a show in 1982 with some friends and as the busses of a well known corps pulled in, the driver was having a grand old time,  honking the horn, waving, and shouting hello out the side window. The driver went to college with someone in our group. The driver was a marching member, we were freshmen and sophomores. Maybe they figured where the guy went to school in Boston (he may have been his college’s stadium), he knew the way.🙂

[LabMaster]

3 hours ago, Phantom56 said:

The kids who march today mostly come from upper-middle class families. Not a problem for their parents to shell out $6,000 for dues and other travel expenses. When I marched back in the 70's, it was tough for me to come up with the $175 dues. Had to pay it in installments ha. 

Interested in knowing where you derived this factoid from “kids who march today mostly come from upper middle class families”. Is this accurate, or hyperbole?  And their parents shell out $6,000 for dues (dues?) and other travel expenses.  Such as?  What corps is charging $6k for dues?

Some Kids who march today pay their own way. They take advantage of reduced tuition and fee opportunities offered by corps and alums and sponsors.  They don’t all rely on upper middle class parents.  And some aren’t from upper middle class backgrounds.  We should not be generalizing all kids into the same box.  Many different kids and situations.  Yeah it’s not cheap to march but if a kids wants to do DC or a sport or theater, dance, etc., they find a way.  And many of those activities aren’t cheap either.