Jeff Ream Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 On 12/5/2022 at 7:30 AM, cixelsyd said: When it is time to defend corps spending, there are people who post about how drum corps is big business now. They cite the seven-figure annual budgets of the higher ranking corps, and contend that props, tarps, amp-the-whole-corps and annual costume changes are therefore relatively trivial expenses. it is a business now. it always has been, though too often it wasn't run that way. and if you look at the 1099's, everything you listed is not in the top 4 of expenses a corps has annually. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 On 12/5/2022 at 9:02 AM, 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. not entirely free.....there is some cost, but corps often recoup that selling items after the season. some corps even lease equipment to bands in the fall 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 22 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? again many, even at the top levels, resell stuff after the season. i know a few corps that have some cash doing consignment of old uniforms, flags etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scheherazadesghost Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 4 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said: it is a business now. it always has been, though too often it wasn't run that way. and if you look at the 1099's, everything you listed is not in the top 4 of expenses a corps has annually. Some of us knew that our bodies were objectified as part of a business decision a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 10 hours ago, cixelsyd said: 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. honestly...and not defending this...it was never supposed to change. it was set up that way from the beginning. and the only time the have nots have every truly stood up to the top dogs was the G7 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 6 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said: not entirely free.....there is some cost, but corps often recoup that selling items after the season. some corps even lease equipment to bands in the fall It depends on how the individual corps negotiated with the uniform manufacturer, but yes, some are completely endorsed and don't pay a penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 7 hours ago, LabMaster said: 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. Dues can approach $5k, and when you factor in travel to camps it can approach $6k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 8 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said: Some of us knew that our bodies were objectified as part of a business decision a long time ago. Sad but true 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 5 minutes ago, craiga said: It depends on how the individual corps negotiated with the uniform manufacturer, but yes, some are completely endorsed and don't pay a penny. Correct. The alternative is like the nfl where one company does the whole league. I can’t see that happening though Varsity is trying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 4 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said: it is a business now. it always has been, though too often it wasn't run that way. and if you look at the 1099's, everything you listed is not in the top 4 of expenses a corps has annually. Better not let your family see this post. That Christmas shopping bill can go pretty high with impunity, as long as it stays short of the top 4 household expenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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