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Just an idea, SCV


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1 hour ago, OpenClassAlum said:

This topic has kinda moved on, but this has been stewing in my brain for months.

To my count, there's been at least 12 junior corps hailing from Texas. Two of those didn't originate from Texas, Sky Ryders and Crossmen, and at least one other was formed out of the ashes of a non-Texan corps (Forte was built out of Memphis Sound). With all the orgs that relocated, there was an assumption that being closer to the bulk of their membership could only help.

Of those 12 Texas corps, we only have 3 still active (and I would unfortunately not be surprised if at least one of those doesn't make it to 2025). Of the relocation corps, only Crossmen remains.

I bring these numbers up because they're the first thing I think of when folks bring a move to Texas up. Texas is the second largest state in the country, the largest central state in the country, and has incredibly well-established public high school and university music programs. Likewise, there are DCI shows galore throughout the state each year. Yet, there's only been 12 total junior corps and only has 3 left; the third largest state (CA) has had 76 junior corps(!) and there are 11 currently listed on DCI's website.

And what of that 3 remaining? Crossmen is the oldest in residence, moving in 2006. They are nothing to shrug at, but the org has yet to translate all the local talent and staff opportunities into a top 7 placement since the move. Genesis had a couple third place finishes in open class before moving to world class, but they've yet to not get out placed by open class corps since moving to world. And then there's Guardians, the current open class option for Texans, who are seemingly having difficulties getting housing sites for each monthly camp this year.

What's my point? I don't think moving a drum corps to Texas is the winning solution it's so often thought to be. There's something going on here that's making drum corps harder to start and sustain than other locations. What that is? No idea. Some Music History or American Studies researcher should look into that. But I think VMAPA needs to think long and hard about Sky Ryders, Memphis Sound/Forte, and Revolution before thinking things will be much easier if they just moved states.

 

my hunch is SCV to Texas depends on the Rennick ties to North Texas

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52 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

my hunch is SCV to Texas depends on the Rennick ties to North Texas

Moving to North Texas because the Rennicks are there is a dumb reason to move.   

Where a Corps rocates should be based on rehearsal facility availability, tax advantages, fund raising opportunities, local support, potential to recruit locally (for all programs offered (i. e., Corps, Winter Guards, Winter Drum lines,wind symphony, and others), location of nearest airport for out-of-town member, etc. (Cadets ticked many of these boxes in their move to Erie)   

Relocation site should not be decided because 2 instructors (who could be hired by some other Corps in future) currently live there.  

 

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11 hours ago, OpenClassAlum said:

Sky Ryders, Memphis Sound/Forte, and Revolution

All of these corps had issues that had nothing to do with the environment in Texas, IMO.  Even Crossmen's (relative) struggles have been more self-inflicted.  

In some ways, Texas has an advantageous environment for running a corps, but there's definitely no "easy button" you can press to replace the same infrastructure you would need for a corps anywhere. 

Mike

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I don't know why SCV would need to move its entire organization to Texas. BAC holds every camp in San Antonio, but the organization is still firmly based in Boston, where the corps organization is. Why can't SCV rehearse in Texas but stay in Cali? Am I missing something?

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1 hour ago, craiga said:

I don't know why SCV would need to move its entire organization to Texas. BAC holds every camp in San Antonio, but the organization is still firmly based in Boston, where the corps organization is. Why can't SCV rehearse in Texas but stay in Cali? Am I missing something?

Administrative advantages of being domiciled in Texas versus California.

 

I imagine that Mass is also administratively expensive compared to Texas, but in the case of the Bay area, it's definitely more expensive to have your business located there.

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7 hours ago, scheherazadesghost said:

Yo, a homegrown, Texan-run-and-based, efficient drum corps would be unstoppable. The geographical advantages alone would be killer. I'd happily help anyone with the stones to do that, just to get back at all the Midwest/East Coast/West Coast bs that Texans were never seriously a part of until the last decade.

Before he passed, my mentor was very close to getting a college based program going there. He was onto something I think.

Just... don't try to fit the SCV square peg into the Texas round hole. It's gross.

Agreed. I'm not saying a Texas corps can't succeed and I'd love to see a corps from DFW grow into a top-tier corps, but it seems like a lot of folks are convinced a move here would fix everything for a corps that's history and tradition is distinctly tied into the vibes and attitude of Santa Clara county.

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If I recall correctly, the last corps that was from the metro DFW area was Lone Star after they migrated around most of the state.

 

At different points in time, they were based in Waco as well as Wichita Falls.

 

In the modern era, they have sustained operations the longest in the metro DFW area.

https://lonestardbc.tripod.com/id58.html

 

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