craiga Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 19 minutes ago, lowend said: How much would it save to drop back to 128 members? Since the busses they use are 55 passenger busses, they would still need three. But at 128 members, the third bus would be half full, so no savings in what is the biggest expense. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 On 12/13/2022 at 1:20 PM, IllianaLancerContra said: Be aware, this proposal is a suggested starting point. It is designed to level the field a bit and mitigate some transportation and logistic costs. Yes - it is a far shorter competitive season. Drastic times call for drastic action. Your heart is in the right place. But none of this will ever get addressed unless the elitist operating model is completely transformed (which is unlikely, because the elites have all the votes, by design). There are two ways this could play out. Is SCV the canary in the mine, or a unique situation? The financial numbers recently compiled on reddit do not include the 2022 season, so it is hard to say. 1. If it is business as usual for the other corps, nothing will change. Eventually, someone will step up to start VMAPA on the path to a more diverse set of revenue streams, and eventually SCV will be back. The real casualty, as it always is since 1975, is a non-finalist program (Vanguard Cadets). 2. If even one more major corps runs into the ditch, the narrative will be that top corps are the ones in existential danger, all resources ($$$) need to be redirected preferentially to them, and all changes to the operating model should serve the G6, G16, or whatever number between the powers-that-be settle on after much bickering. Meanwhile, the bigger problems will be ignored. 3. Corps 17-40 have to plow through increasing headwinds. They must do that without the benefit of the sponsorships, endorsement deals, free stuff, increased souvenir sales potential, and preferential revenue sharing that the top corps have (and in many cases, also without access to nearly as many shows with which to create a logical tour). 4. Drum corps has an infertility problem. Has anyone noticed there are no new corps anymore? The youngest of those 40 corps started competing in 2015. Do I need to explain what happens as corps fold without any new ones to replace them? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri Schehr Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 3 minutes ago, cixelsyd said: Your heart is in the right place. But none of this will ever get addressed unless the elitist operating model is completely transformed (which is unlikely, because the elites have all the votes, by design). There are two ways this could play out. Is SCV the canary in the mine, or a unique situation? The financial numbers recently compiled on reddit do not include the 2022 season, so it is hard to say. 1. If it is business as usual for the other corps, nothing will change. Eventually, someone will step up to start VMAPA on the path to a more diverse set of revenue streams, and eventually SCV will be back. The real casualty, as it always is since 1975, is a non-finalist program (Vanguard Cadets). 2. If even one more major corps runs into the ditch, the narrative will be that top corps are the ones in existential danger, all resources ($$$) need to be redirected preferentially to them, and all changes to the operating model should serve the G6, G16, or whatever number between the powers-that-be settle on after much bickering. Meanwhile, the bigger problems will be ignored. 3. Corps 17-40 have to plow through increasing headwinds. They must do that without the benefit of the sponsorships, endorsement deals, free stuff, increased souvenir sales potential, and preferential revenue sharing that the top corps have (and in many cases, also without access to nearly as many shows with which to create a logical tour). 4. Drum corps has an infertility problem. Has anyone noticed there are no new corps anymore? The youngest of those 40 corps started competing in 2015. Do I need to explain what happens as corps fold without any new ones to replace them? I remember twenty years ago or more that someone said that we’ll have six “super-corps” and that will be it. Not G7. Before then. Maybe it was in the 90’s. That was their goal. I can’t be the only one remembers that. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 2 hours ago, cixelsyd said: And everyone complains about tuition being too high. Try suggesting anything to reduce that cost, though, and there is a loud constituency declaring that line item untouchable. How much does it cost to reuse uniforms that constantly need care and repair year after year? I imagine the safety pin budget alone could be huge 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 1 hour ago, craiga said: Since the busses they use are 55 passenger busses, they would still need three. But at 128 members, the third bus would be half full, so no savings in what is the biggest expense. Correct you pay the same no matter how many people are on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 1 hour ago, Terri Schehr said: I remember twenty years ago or more that someone said that we’ll have six “super-corps” and that will be it. Not G7. Before then. Maybe it was in the 90’s. That was their goal. I can’t be the only one remembers that. Nope. And of those I remember being named, some aren’t big dogs anymore 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 32 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said: How much does it cost to reuse uniforms that constantly need care and repair year after year? I imagine the safety pin budget alone could be huge $85 buys a lot of safety pins. (Plus, the top corps would get their safety pins for free.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 1 hour ago, cixelsyd said: $85 buys a lot of safety pins. (Plus, the top corps would get their safety pins for free.) Maybe. But I know just from teaching high school using the same uniforms year after year the maintenance costs weren’t cheap. The current trend allows for the uniforms to be fit specifically for the kid that wears it, and not a “ we have so many XL uniforms” situation 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said: Maybe. But I know just from teaching high school using the same uniforms year after year the maintenance costs weren’t cheap. The current trend allows for the uniforms to be fit specifically for the kid that wears it, and not a “ we have so many XL uniforms” situation I was not suggesting going back to olive drab wool and Sam Browne belts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arabica Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 (edited) 8 hours ago, craiga said: Since the busses they use are 55 passenger busses, they would still need three. But at 128 members, the third bus would be half full, so no savings in what is the biggest expense. What if staff were integrated into the buses, section staff with each respective section, and admin/support staff split across all 3? 3 55-passenger buses allows for 165 seats, and with a generous 40 staff on tour at any given time, this still allows for 125-member corps. Cut one whole bus, plus one whole semi (props) and we start to see some real savings in the transportation budget. AND hopefully better visibility and accountability to member safety/experience. Edited December 17, 2022 by arabica 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.