VK Returns?

[tubawarrior]

i wonder if this is perhaps the most anticipated start-up group....maybe even ever?

[jonnyboy]

I say the following without knowing all of the details in the Velvet Knights case:

So the "Velvet Knights" went under due to poor financial management, owing back taxes, not reporting monies or whatever. In my opinion coming back as "VK" or "VK youth arts" or whatever just irks me. It smacks of the old building contractor who doesn't pay his bills and goes bankrupt, only to restart under a different name. I think we should let drumcorps that fizzle out.... RIP (rest in peace).

Don't get me wrong, I love nostalgia. And, it kills we that we have lost so many good drumcorps to modern drumcorps finance 101. I would love to see the Velvet Knights fix any problems they had and restart. But changing the name for a fresh start? Unethical.

A few hypotheticals not relating to VK: How about the food service that gets stiffed by a bad check for a food delivery, or a bus contractor that doesn't get his last payment, or a corps enjoying non-profit status but not filing lousy paperwork or paying taxes? And this happend to me as my corps was begging for money at a stoplight during a camp: A carpenter said to us from his car "Hey (insert corps name here), you owe me money how do I collect? The guy was hired to fixed our truck, and was never paid. This particular corps had a few fresh starts, and burned merchants and individuals along the way.

As a business person I think this kind of behavior should be unacceptable to the fans and DCI. What if the Troopers folded and skipped out on all of their obligations, but just came back as the "Troop". I wouldn't buy one item from their souvie trailer...EVER.

Sorry for going off topic here, these are just a few thoughts. Take them for what they are worth.

Jon

Edited October 12, 2005 by jonnyboy

[ravedodger]

I believe the people starting the new VK are marching alumni (not staff) and others who were never affiliated with VK at all. A better example would be "the contractor's workers started up a similar business after the contractor passed away."

[2CoolVK]

I don't think anyone in the new VK org was on the SS Velvet Knights when she sank.

[Ryan H. Turner]

GREAT analogy Dave!!! Nice to see you around by the way!

And personally, unless there are some lurkers around that know better, in all the years I've been personally affected by the loss of VK, I never heard of anyone NOT being paid EXCEPT for the IRS. And if they don't get paid and shrivel up and implode as an organization, it would be none too soon in my book. Screw the IRS. But I don't think VK actively "screwed" anyone else. So while the above example is definitely accurate in terms of how inappropriate it is, I don't think it applies to VK.

I received some communique from their board...they are DEAD serious about getting this going.

And it amazes me. Good luck to them--and good BUSINESS skills to them as well!

[crfrey71]

I think the area can support another corps. If VK can get back up and running...and god I hope they do. The would be able to pull members from all over the country and not just in their back yard.

Where do I send a check.

Good Luck to you all! Many of us would love to see VK back on the field!!!:)

I sure hope they don't pull members from all over the country. I want the corps to be almost entirely Californian. That would make this corps what it used to be.

[chadwick]

This is very exciting news, and hope for the best for VK....would be neat to have them back to DCI. I am probably stepping way ahead of the game, but does anyone know if they are aiming to start in Div I, II, or III?

Also, did someone mention that the Kingsmen are also planning on returning to DCI? Details?

2007 could be a very interesting year, with VK & Troopers returning, and maybe even Kingsmen. There are also a few Div II corps who might make that push for Div I status in 07.

[2CoolVK]

GREAT analogy Dave!!! Nice to see you around by the way!

And personally, unless there are some lurkers around that know better, in all the years I've been personally affected by the loss of VK, I never heard of anyone NOT being paid EXCEPT for the IRS. And if they don't get paid and shrivel up and implode as an organization, it would be none too soon in my book. Screw the IRS. But I don't think VK actively "screwed" anyone else. So while the above example is definitely accurate in terms of how inappropriate it is, I don't think it applies to VK.

I received some communique from their board...they are DEAD serious about getting this going.

And it amazes me. Good luck to them--and good BUSINESS skills to them as well!

There were plenty of people besides the IRS that never got paid on what was owed. Ask Mom Smith.

[Ryan H. Turner]

There were plenty of people besides the IRS that never got paid on what was owed. Ask Mom Smith.

Let's not turn this into a "they did, he did" thing.

[jbenburton]

I gathered this from reading the website from end to end so I am only speaking on what it looks like the plans are, I have no idea what they plan to do.

But it looks like they are using VK to get things rolling and to start bringing in funds and it looks like they plan on paying off everything that was owed to the IRS so that they can go back to the Velvet Knights name. They cannot use Velvet Knights to raise any funds until that name is paid off to the IRS. Again, that is just what I gather from reading the forums and the website, I could be way off, so someone from VK Youth Organization please correct me if I am wrong.

Give these guys credit, they are trying to get things going.

I personally cannot wait to see them back on the field.

Oh and I believe the DCI rules still state that you have to start out in Div II/III, even if you were an existing Div I corps, example - Magic. Not sure about what Troopers will have to do though, I do not know if there is a time frame for how many years you take off or not.

Edited October 12, 2005 by jbenburton