A Cost-Cutting Proposal

[Mello Dude]

5 minutes ago, keystone3ply said:

So is it:

a) "Semis? We don't need no stinkin' food."

b) "Semis? We don't need no stinkin' instruments."

Or something like that. 😂  

No, a semi and a food truck (which could be a semi).  Food trucks tend to be semi trailers but they don't need to be.  I mean, cutting down to less vehicles will save a lot of money.  Seriously, if you are going to drum corps shows because of massive props you are missing the point. 

[keystone3ply]

8 minutes ago, Mello Dude said:

No, a semi and a food truck (which could be a semi).  Food trucks tend to be semi trailers but they don't need to be.  I mean, cutting down to less vehicles will save a lot of money.  Seriously, if you are going to drum corps shows because of massive props you are missing the point. 

I was thinking maybe combine the equipment & food truck.  We could set up the grills on the keyboards & use the timpani as a sink.  🤷‍♂️😆  

[rmurrey74]

2 hours ago, cfirwin3 said:

I understand.  But the bottom line doesn't lie.  Plenty corps exist outside of the top 4-5 perennial contenders, and they do just fine not winning the big show.  Bluecoats, for example, had a very strong business model for decades without even a glimmer of championship success.  If anything, it's the drive for championship success that is most likely to threaten their financial stability today... that's a high bill to pay, year after year.

Bluecoats also make a HUGE amount of money based on their success now and popularity. There’s no shortage in the activity of members that will pay $5000+ to march, but those same kids are selective and want to be at the top of the activity.  Over 1,000 kids auditioned for them last year. That’s a huge profit center based on the audition fee and audition materials purchased.  
 

 

[Mello Dude]

11 minutes ago, rmurrey74 said:

Bluecoats also make a HUGE amount of money based on their success now and popularity. There’s no shortage in the activity of members that will pay $5000+ to march, but those same kids are selective and want to be at the top of the activity.  Over 1,000 kids auditioned for them last year. That’s a huge profit center based on the audition fee and audition materials purchased.  
 

 

Ok, but it does very little to help the activity as a whole.  It does a LOT to limit any sort of inclusivity as well.  This situation we are in today is a direct result of DCI policy and rules.  I mean, sports even have spending caps and a draft because they recognize the issues to some point.

[ContraFart]

1 hour ago, Mello Dude said:

Ok, but it does very little to help the activity as a whole.  It does a LOT to limit any sort of inclusivity as well.  This situation we are in today is a direct result of DCI policy and rules.  I mean, sports even have spending caps and a draft because they recognize the issues to some point.

Salary caps are collectively bargained through labor negotiations. The leagues do not tell the franchises how to run their organizations i.e. parking, concessions, facilities, etc. 

[ContraFart]

2 hours ago, Mello Dude said:

I would limit it to one semi.  Every rig you add is huge money.

Dude did you even march? Even in the 90s corps needed 2 semis. 

[cfirwin3]

3 hours ago, rmurrey74 said:

Bluecoats also make a HUGE amount of money based on their success now and popularity. There’s no shortage in the activity of members that will pay $5000+ to march, but those same kids are selective and want to be at the top of the activity.  Over 1,000 kids auditioned for them last year. That’s a huge profit center based on the audition fee and audition materials purchased.  
 

 

Bloo spent decades in the black long before they were winning medals.  Kids that don't get in the contending corps want to march where they can rather than not march at all.  It's not like they have a lot of opportunity to finally get in where they want.  Most kids don't march because they can't afford it, not because they can afford it and they choose not too.  No 20 year old that wants to do DCI is selective enough not to march when they can't get a spot in BD, Bloo, Crown, Boston, Cavaliers... they will ultimately get in where they can (and they are often called based on camp lists).  I got called by Kiwanis when I couldn't make subsequent camps at Bloo in the 90s.  I was 16, and didn't have the necessary independence to commit at that time.  It wasn't about selectivity... and it wasn't about talent (because Bloo wanted me).

While we often equate this activity to the NFL, it isn't the NFL.  And among music achievements, it's a great experience, but true elitism resides with conservatories and  academic institutions.  Getting into BD is walk in the park compared to getting into Eastman, for example.

Edited October 15, 2023 by cfirwin3

[cfirwin3]

1 hour ago, ContraFart said:

Dude did you even march? Even in the 90s corps needed 2 semis. 

One for horns, flags and unis and one for chow.  Gotta have 2... but I contend that a working drumcorps needs no more than 2.  But they have to settle for a traditional program rather than a contemporary one.

[TOC]

27 minutes ago, cfirwin3 said:

One for horns, flags and unis and one for chow.  Gotta have 2... but I contend that a working drumcorps needs no more than 2.  But they have to settle for a traditional program rather than a contemporary one.

And how long before no one wants to audition there because the corps with these limitations ends up way down in the standings?

[cfirwin3]

1 minute ago, TOC said:

And how long before no one wants to audition there because the corps with these limitations ends up way down in the standings?

Never, because corps at the so-called 'bottom' exist.  See another post I replied to in the thread.  There are not just 5, or 10, or 14 drumcorps out there.  There isn't even just 1 association for drumcorps.  Kids that want to march will march where they can.