How Does the Activity Expect to Survive.

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, craiga said:

And, sure enough, they'll be some people here blaming tour, dancing and prancing, costumes and props..etc.

Tour does play a part. Housing fuel and food plus 4-6 weeks of cash hogging spring training 

[RetiredMusTeach]

I know it's not world class, but I think it's apropos for this subject.  From Gunner Vowell on Facebook:

I’ve received many, many messages from students and colleagues asking about this season of Louisiana Stars. Although I’m not an executive or administrator of the corps, I feel that there should be some official memo from the organization about the plan going forward and the state of operations.

 

To the best of my knowledge, the corps will not be taking the field in 2023.

 

I owe my growth through the last decade of teaching to the Louisiana Stars and the opportunities and experiences it has given me, and I know there are hundreds of alumni who feel similarly about the corps’ impact. After 2022 I felt proud of what we were able to accomplish given the circumstances, but I knew that offering the same experience (or anything less) for the next season would be wholly irresponsible. You cannot have a healthy drum corps without a commitment to a healthy member experience, and a further commitment to continually improving operations. The only way for Stars to get there currently is to stay off the field and rebuild the foundation. Whether that happens or the corps folds for good, I will always look back on the first 9 years as some of the best chapters of my life. The sweat, tears, and memories made with all involved will keep me smiling for a long time.

 

Stars- if I taught you, taught with you, or put a scoop of pastalaya on your plate, I want you all to know that I love you and am proud of you.

 

Scott, when I meet you on the shore I hope you will share a drink and cuss me just like you used to.

 

Love,

Gunner

[Tim K]

Years back I was taking a workshop on school budgeting, and one of the things we had to do prior to the workshop is track our personal spending. The purpose was to show how many of us spend money on what we may not need. Some were careful spenders, others robbed Peter to pay Paul, most like me paid our bills but spent a little bit here and there without realizing how much we spent.

We can and should be looking at how corps can best survive, but my guess is that the rising costs are not killing corps as much as the bit here a bit there spending or worse, robbing a Peter to pay Paul. I know of two corps that have what I consider elaborate shows that are rumored to be frugal. My guess is that corps with a mission and specific goals other than winning are probably in better shape, and most likely win or are on the track to winning. It can all be done though I’ll admit, I’m not the one to ask.  Now as I write this, I am waiting for a meeting to begin—a finance committee meeting.🙂

[scheherazadesghost]

19 minutes ago, Tim K said:

My guess is that corps with a mission and specific goals other than winning are probably in better shape, and most likely win or are on the track to winning.

💯

[Brian Tuma]

1 hour ago, RetiredMusTeach said:

I know it's not world class, but I think it's apropos for this subject.  From Gunner Vowell on Facebook:

I’ve received many, many messages from students and colleagues asking about this season of Louisiana Stars. Although I’m not an executive or administrator of the corps, I feel that there should be some official memo from the organization about the plan going forward and the state of operations.

 

To the best of my knowledge, the corps will not be taking the field in 2023.

 

I owe my growth through the last decade of teaching to the Louisiana Stars and the opportunities and experiences it has given me, and I know there are hundreds of alumni who feel similarly about the corps’ impact. After 2022 I felt proud of what we were able to accomplish given the circumstances, but I knew that offering the same experience (or anything less) for the next season would be wholly irresponsible. You cannot have a healthy drum corps without a commitment to a healthy member experience, and a further commitment to continually improving operations. The only way for Stars to get there currently is to stay off the field and rebuild the foundation. Whether that happens or the corps folds for good, I will always look back on the first 9 years as some of the best chapters of my life. The sweat, tears, and memories made with all involved will keep me smiling for a long time.

 

Stars- if I taught you, taught with you, or put a scoop of pastalaya on your plate, I want you all to know that I love you and am proud of you.

 

Scott, when I meet you on the shore I hope you will share a drink and cuss me just like you used to.

 

Love,

Gunner

The latest news on their website is from early October. That’s not a good sign. 

[ykw]

6 hours ago, craiga said:

Unless I am mistaken, and I don't believe that I am, the next corps to pull the plug was begging for money to feed their kids just three weeks into tour last year.  There is no excuse for that.

Would this be a WC corps which already is not planning to tour in Texas?

Edited March 1, 2023 by ykw

[cixelsyd]

8 hours ago, craiga said:

My point is that the performance/design/music/props/costumes etc is not to blame.  Rather, people fundraising for drum corps as if it is still 1975 IS the problem.   

Corps are canceling their seasons as if it is still 1975.  That year, 5 of the top 30 failed to field.  Should this one more corps announce as you predict, that is exactly our pace for 2023.

[greg_orangecounty]

13 minutes ago, cixelsyd said:

Corps are canceling their seasons as if it is still 1975.  That year, 5 of the top 30 failed to field.  Should this one more corps announce as you predict, that is exactly our pace for 2023.

Yup.  1975 was a painful year.  A corp that finished 3rd, 6th, and 1st the three years prior didn't make it on the field.  And it had nothing to do with "mismanagement" which I've read here is the "cause" of all corps folding.

[KVG_DC]

Aw.  That really does affirm my sense that Louisiana Stars was getting it pretty right as an organization though.  I hope they can reorganize and come back.  I remember seeing them one year at Ft. Wayne. I think it was their first show of the season and at their first hit, everyone in the stands was like, "OWO! Who is THIS making big noise and sounding good?"

[Tim K]

3 hours ago, KVG_DC said:

Aw.  That really does affirm my sense that Louisiana Stars was getting it pretty right as an organization though.  I hope they can reorganize and come back.  I remember seeing them one year at Ft. Wayne. I think it was their first show of the season and at their first hit, everyone in the stands was like, "OWO! Who is THIS making big noise and sounding good?"

I think Open Class suffered most during Covid. I enjoyed the Open Class corps that competed in Indy last year, but you could sense it was a challenge for many of them. Many had no choice regarding not participating in 2021, but of the corps that did not participate, only BDB and SCVC picked up where they left off in 2019. Gold, River City Rhythm, and Colts Cadets who did participate were about the same. Les Stentors did not make the trip to Indy in 2021 but did have a show were about the same. I can’t say for sure about Battalion since 2022 was the first year I saw them live, but it was evident for many Open Class corps they either lost ground or were rebuilding, which is a huge reason I admired the efforts of these corps but with so many uncertainties it is a challenge.