ScribeToo Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 I don't think it's arbitrary at all -- I think it depends on what an audition weekend costs the corps. (*gasp* auditions are an EXPENSE? WHAT??) It will depend heavily upon who the corps is and WHERE the corps is. Consider -- working for a top 5 corps "should" command a higher salary -- since the expectation is that you'll produce results that maintain or improve placement -- so 1. Staff expenses (salaries, housing, travel) It will also depend on WHERE the corps is. If you have to rent a facility for two days, it can be costly. If your corps expects 100 auditioners, clearly, you don't need a very big facility. If, however, your corps is expecting (realistically) 1000 or more auditioners, you're going to need a bigger facility with more privacy for individual or small group auditions, so... 2. Facilities expenses (rental, maintenance personnel *required by the school for use of their facilities, overnight pay for maintenance, paper goods for restrooms, locker facilities, insurance) Finally, you've got food and transportation. With a relatively small audition pool, corps can usually get away with expecting kids to eat at least some of their meals offsite and to provide their own transportation from the bus station/train station/airport or home to the audition site.. Either way, there's going to be at least SOME expense involved -- even if it's just two or three meals. With a larger audition pool, a corps almost HAS to provide meals -- because most of the kids auditioning are non-mobile (don't have cars) and can't go out to eat.. they also don't have storage for food brought along. Additionally, they really NEED to provide transportation (and tracking - since a lot of those kids are underage and some aren't travelling with parents) from the major transportation hubs to the audition site and back... so... 3. Food and transportation (supplies, fuel for travel and preparation or electricity costs charged additionally by the facility). I think you'd be shocked to learn the costs of these three things for a group the size of a standard drum corps.. not to mention how the numbers increase for a considerably LARGER audition pool. IMO, $100 is not a lot for a weekend audition for a Division I corps. I would expect to see a far different cost for a smaller corps and if I didn't, I'd expect them to explain why their expenses are so high for the weekend. Audition fees should cover expenses, not serve as a fund-raiser. Stef 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elphaba01 Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 I was browsing some web pages looking for stories to post and I was at a web page where this corps was asking for $100 for an audition fee. It got me to thinking. How do corps decide how much to charge for audition fees? "Audition Fees": This my pretties is appalling. I realize I am something of an old fossil when it comes to "Junior Drum Corps", but to CHARGE a person to "Try Out" for a spot (After having to pay for the cost of travel to and from) borders on the criminal. "In my day", we didn't have such things as "Audition Fees", "Tour Fees", and the other "Ancillary" costs associated with participation in "DCI Drum Corps". We had "Dues", usually a paltry (especially by today's standard) of .25 a week, collected at practice by an unpaid volenteer. Yes, again I can say: "Drum corps sure has changed", and again, "certainly NOT for the better". Elphaba WWW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubamann Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 "Audition Fees":This my pretties is appalling. I realize I am something of an old fossil when it comes to "Junior Drum Corps", but to CHARGE a person to "Try Out" for a spot (After having to pay for the cost of travel to and from) borders on the criminal. "In my day", we didn't have such things as "Audition Fees", "Tour Fees", and the other "Ancillary" costs associated with participation in "DCI Drum Corps". We had "Dues", usually a paltry (especially by today's standard) of .25 a week, collected at practice by an unpaid volenteer. Yes, again I can say: "Drum corps sure has changed", and again, "certainly NOT for the better". Elphaba WWW Audition fees have been a reality in DC for at least 15 years. Today, whne 400 kids are trying out for a corps and only 135 will become dues paying members, you need the $$. Are corps to provide the auditionees with housing and food for free..? I'm sure the food and facilites were not free.. Yes corps has changed..Diesel is $3.00 a gallon, Uniforms and horns and drums are not cheap..(and no, not all corps get EVERYTHING for free) The costs are there..nobody is gouging anyone.. Welcome to the 21st century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScribeToo Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 (and no, not all corps get EVERYTHING for free) Correction. NO corps gets ANYthing for free. Everything has a cost.. even sponsorships. Stef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kstahl Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Correction. NO corps gets ANYthing for free. Everything has a cost.. even sponsorships.Stef Actually, some percussion equipment sponsorships are 100% free equipment. It just depends on the corps and the company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssorrell Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 "In my day", we didn't have such things as "Audition Fees", "Tour Fees", and the other "Ancillary" costs associated with participation in "DCI Drum Corps". I didn't have to pay to audition either, but we also didn't have an "Open House" which lasted two days. That's pretty much the standard now for the audition weekend. And besides...this ain't daddy's drum corps no more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegimentContra94 Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 "Audition Fees":This my pretties is appalling. I realize I am something of an old fossil when it comes to "Junior Drum Corps", but to CHARGE a person to "Try Out" for a spot (After having to pay for the cost of travel to and from) borders on the criminal. "In my day", we didn't have such things as "Audition Fees", "Tour Fees", and the other "Ancillary" costs associated with participation in "DCI Drum Corps". We had "Dues", usually a paltry (especially by today's standard) of .25 a week, collected at practice by an unpaid volenteer. Yes, again I can say: "Drum corps sure has changed", and again, "certainly NOT for the better". Elphaba WWW When I auditioned for Regiment, they provided us with all meals and a place to stay. Who is supposed to pay for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScribeToo Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Actually, some percussion equipment sponsorships are 100% free equipment. It just depends on the corps and the company. Absolutely not true. NOTHING is 100% free for ANY corps. For their equipment, the sponsor company gets an agreement from the corps for the exposure and advertising they get using the corps' image.. among other things (see Glassmen example later in this post).. this all gets claimed on tax returns because it's considered exchange of goods/services.. it's not "legal tender" changing hands.. but there is value to what is exchanged.. and it's considered an even exchange by the parties involved. It would be stupid for a corporation to give ANYTHING away and get NOTHING in return. The sponsor programs would soon disappear if that was ever the case. Ask Glassmen about the shows they can't attend one weekend each summer because they have to haul it all back home to do a corporate performance for one of their sponsors.. You think there is no expense involved? It's an even exchange but what they get from their sponsors.. ANY sponsors.. is NOT FREE. Stef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kstahl Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Absolutely not true.NOTHING is 100% free for ANY corps. For their equipment, the sponsor company gets an agreement from the corps for the exposure and advertising they get using the corps' image.. among other things (see Glassmen example later in this post).. this all gets claimed on tax returns because it's considered exchange of goods/services.. it's not "legal tender" changing hands.. but there is value to what is exchanged.. and it's considered an even exchange by the parties involved. It would be stupid for a corporation to give ANYTHING away and get NOTHING in return. The sponsor programs would soon disappear if that was ever the case. Ask Glassmen about the shows they can't attend one weekend each summer because they have to haul it all back home to do a corporate performance for one of their sponsors.. You think there is no expense involved? It's an even exchange but what they get from their sponsors.. ANY sponsors.. is NOT FREE. Stef Well, maybe I've misunderstood, but I've read a few contracts in my time, and I've seen deals where the equipment is 100% free and the corps has had to do nothing but announce the sponsorship. The corps was not responsible for making any special appearances or performances. All advertising and photo opportunities were taken care of by the equipment supplier by using pre-existing photos of shows and rehearsals. Is there is something else, what am I missing here? Thanks, Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancerlady Posted November 11, 2005 Author Share Posted November 11, 2005 (edited) Dice... :P Actually..I would venture that it is based on the infusion of $$ that the corps need. You figure that at an auition camp, you are going to have to feed and house LOTSA kids. The fee collcted is in corelation to this. Yeah but a lot of these "division 1 corps" don't even offer food during the audition time they are "on their own" as I've read on different websites. So they have to pay $100 on top of their travel fees and on food for audition weekend, and then we wonder why kids need sponsors... I can understand having to pay for staff, but what has some of the staff done at this point but heard an audition? And since when does it cost $100 for a single kid to eat, especially when they have to buy the food themselves? And most places that I have encountered in my dealings don't make you pay to stay there, maybe only a $100 for the weekend and then you divide that by how many people audition, and those places, they only want the corps to clean up after themselves. And some of the charges if any have been very minor. Then if you don't make it, boom you lose $100...oh well. I personally can understand if it is a top 12 caliber drum corps asking for this but for some corps to try and charge more then the top 12 is just odd to me. It's just my opinion so don't go jumping down my throat for it and I have the right to have that opinion. I just wonder when are these inflations gonna quit.It just doesn't add up to me. Edited November 11, 2005 by Lancerlady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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