DCI All-Age Class moves to unified competitive format

[RiverCityAndTroopersFan]

https://www.dci.org/news/dci-all-age-class-moves-to-unified-competitive-format/ 
 

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INDIANAPOLIS – Entering its third season under the Drum Corps International umbrella, the DCI All-Age Class has announced a major shift in its competitive structure. Moving away from tiered sub-classes, the division will now compete as one unified field, mirroring the format of its World and Open Class counterparts.

“Since becoming part of DCI, our corps are growing, we’re having more and more interest in membership,” DCI All-Age Class Coordinator John Carr said. “We have more corps wanting to be part of DCI All-Age, so it was time to move on from sub-classes that were limiting the size and growth of the corps. So, now it’s open, it’s more equal across the board.”

The vote took place among All-Age Class member corps Friday, January 9, as part of the DCI Annual Meeting in Indianapolis.  

In the first two years of DCI All-Age Class competition, participating corps were divided into three competitive classifications — World, Open and ‘A’ Class — carrying over a system that was in place during All-Age corps’ years under the Drum Corps Associates heading.

In 2025, Reading Buccaneers (World), Cincinnati Tradition (Open) and Govenaires (A) were awarded class championships at the DCI World Championships. In the subsequent Finals competition, the Buccaneers were crowned the overall DCI All-Age World Champions.

For the 2026 season and going forward, it was important to the various All-Age Class corps and their leaders to unify the division under one competitive umbrella as it continues to grow into the future.

According to Carr, All-Age corps across the board have experienced an uptick in membership interested in each of their three seasons as part of the DCI community. Carr, and his fellow All-Age Class stakeholders, look forward to how the division will continue to grow — organizationally and competitively — in the years ahead.

“I think the report card for DCI All-Age is an A-plus,” Carr said. “It’s going well, the corps are doing well, they’re growing.”

 

 

[Jeff Ream]

i could see 2 classes based on size, but adding the third class after Covid never made sense.

[LucyGuy66]

I'm skeptical regarding the umbrella for competing in the all age class.  Corps with 10 or 12 horns competing against Reading and Hawthorne?  They won't be within 20 points of either corps.  I don't see how this incentives small or new corps to compete. I'm sure someone will tell me how I'm wrong. LOL LOL

[Jeff Ream]

On 1/12/2026 at 1:34 PM, LucyGuy66 said:

I'm skeptical regarding the umbrella for competing in the all age class.  Corps with 10 or 12 horns competing against Reading and Hawthorne?  They won't be within 20 points of either corps.  I don't see how this incentives small or new corps to compete. I'm sure someone will tell me how I'm wrong. LOL LOL

if they have 10-12 horns, odds are they aren't meeting the minimum membership requirements