A Modest Proposal

[jwillis35]

9 hours ago, MikeN said:

These suggestions keep coming up, but I have to ask, how do these onfield changes save money?  Charter companies are using 55 seat busses - unless you drop to 110, at 128 you're leaving empty seats on busses, which actually will cost the corps more per person.  Digital uniforms are generally either heavily discounted by manufacturers or passed on to members, and even on a three year cycle are cheaper than the old wool and/or FJM stuff.  Most of the "one off" instruments aren't even owned by the corps - they're begged and borrowed.  Almost every high school corps-style band in America uses a sound system these days; it's just part of what a halftime is.

At the end of the day, the tour itself is what is the problem.  Too many days on the road, too many vehicles chugging gas, too many days of food and nights of housing needed, and event management eats up virtually all of DCI the Show Promoter's revenue. 

I don't even know if there is a workable solution long term, but off the top of my head, I'd propose a redesign of the tour where the unpaid-by-DCI, local tours culminate in regionals that determine a champion and only a certain number of qualifiers move on to the national tour "playoffs," with *that* travel subsidized by DCI, maybe with corps travelling and housing together.  

Mike

Very true. Back in the day it made sense for 128 members because the tour buses (and city buses) were smaller. With the larger Charter Buses holding 55 seats or in that ballpark it makes sense to keep things at 155. If you're paying for it you might as well use the space. 

You are also right about the uniforms. I think Bluecoats members paid something like $85 for the uniforms they wore in 2016 but I am not positive. Most of these one-time use uniforms are fairly cheap and are usually built into the tuition the members are paying. With the leasing system in place for instruments (and with many corps getting free percussion or at a reduced rate) keeping up with quality instruments is not the expense it used to be, though it is still an expense. 

[2muchcoffeeman]

20 minutes ago, ContraFart said:

The differences are in name, not quantity.

I'm referencing the range in number of dollars, not numbers of people. 

[jwillis35]

17 minutes ago, ContraFart said:

Well to answer that, we would have to look who made the biggest staff upgrades in recent years. BAC comes to mind and from all accounts, they are fiscally healthy.

True. There are corps doing well. It's not all doom and gloom for the activity, but a broader view of staff and tour expenses activity wide would shed some light. As many have said, revenue streams is a big part of this too. Some of the current costs are unavoidable, such as gas, busing, food, housing. 

[ContraFart]

1 minute ago, 2muchcoffeeman said:

I'm referencing the range in number of dollars, not numbers of people. 

Do you even know what staff members make? I am not saying you are wrong, because I would assume that Matt Harloff makes more than most brass caption heads, but is there really a huge discrepancy in total dollars spent in payroll?

[2muchcoffeeman]

17 minutes ago, ContraFart said:

Do you even know what staff members make? I am not saying you are wrong, because I would assume that Matt Harloff makes more than most brass caption heads, but is there really a huge discrepancy in total dollars spent in payroll?

No; if I did, I wouldn't have expressed curiosity about the range of dollars spent on contracted services. That's why I would like to see the numbers. My hypothesis is that, while there may be limited range, corps to corps, in most operating costs, the range in dollars paid for contracted services (not talking about office staff here but design and other creative services), is greater. 

Edited December 15, 2022 by 2muchcoffeeman

[ContraFart]

22 minutes ago, 2muchcoffeeman said:

No; if I did, I wouldn't have expressed curiosity about the range of dollars spent on contracted services. That's why I would like to see the numbers. My hypothesis is that, while there may be limited range, corps to corps, in most operating costs, the range in dollars paid for contracted services (not talking about office staff here but design and other creative services), is greater. 

I disagree. I think the payroll numbers among WC corps is closer than you think. But I suppose we will have to look at the numbers.

[scheherazadesghost]

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Edited June 13, 2023 by scheherazadesghost

[Jeff Ream]

23 hours ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

Feed & house yes.  But limit spring training to 4 weeks vs 6-7 lowers days needed to feed & house. Less miles = less fuel.  Limiting competition to regions lowers miles traveled.  Shorter tour also lowers number of feed & house days, as well as miles (fuel).  
 

Something has to change or in 5 years all we will have is video’s & memories.  

oh i've long said spring training is too long at costly. and many schools now want you to use their food service as part of the agreement to rent. that adds cost. but if you charter, you're looking $1-2k a day, moving or not

[Jeff Ream]

16 hours ago, Terri Schehr said:

Here’s what I’ve figured out the last few days… everyone wants drum corps to survive but no one wants anything to change.

This is the game they all chose to play.   They’re the only ones that can change it. 

Raising the number of members per corps was never a good idea.  They were/are hurting the lower placing corps. I don’t know if it was deliberately.  But I understand that they’re completely self-serving so no surprise there. 

changes should be made, but there is no one size all fixes. it may need a little bit of this, a little bit of that. and as none of us are on the BOD, whatever we say here means nothing. 

[Jeff Ream]

8 hours ago, ContraFart said:

There is nothing wrong with the current product on the field. There are not too many kids, or too many props, or too much electronics, or new uniforms every year. There are 2 major problems 1. Housing costs and 2. Revenue streams. Making the tour shorter or more regional are not going to fix those problems. 

#### you being logical