TomPeashey Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 A little common sense and "experience" to this question... I lived with this issue... from the other end... I was there begging sponsors to take corps into their show and then having the corps show up in 2 mini vans and expect "full" pay for their performance... I had to listen to sponsors say "your killing my show making us put them in".... and I was always there to offer that we appreciated their (the sponsors) joining in trying to build the all aged activity.... BUT ... Just what is wrong with worrying about what sponsors think? What is wrong with trying to guarantee a "minimum entertainment quotient" for the paying fans? I have absolutely no problem with setting a minimum number in the 3 competitive sections... 35 is as good a number as any... 20 horns, 8 perc, 7 guard? You come up with the numbers that work for you, but those certainly do sound like numbers which should at least give the opportunity to entertain... I'm sorry folks, but 35 is pretty darn minimal... you guys are talking like it was 60 or something... 35 for crying out loud... not even a bus load... Now what is really at stake? I am told from VERY reliable sources and confirmed officially that any corps with less than 35 members who convinces a sponsor to put them in the show will be allowed to be in the show... They will be judged... The only caviat is that the performance will be viewed from a "judged exhibition" standpoint for the record rather than as an official DCA appearance... That alone should allow corps who start in June with fewer than 35 to still make their schedule and work towards that minimum goal... All they will lose is their "share point" for any show in which they have fewer than 35 in the three competitive sections... and you know what - and remember I was on the committee that came up with the share point system - I was amazed from the start that the directors had the wisdom to accept that all corps would get equal share points for each show they participate in... corps A with 128 people gets the same as corps B with 8 horns, 5 drums and 3 color guard... just how fair is that????? So I say it's well within the prerogative of the corps to set minimum standards - to guarantee the entertainment quotient and try and give some of the smaller corps a little incentive to grow and prosper... and over 10 years later... (this did not just come up... it's a long standing issue) it just might be high time that we as fans and the paying public demand that the bar be set just a tad higher... DCA on a full football field is not mini corps... (or yeah... we should keep in mind that mini corps is a viable alternative if they are totally unable to recruit such a minimal number) why then should corps not be encouraged to have something slightly larger than a mini corps? I'm not going to get personal and start naming some of the many instances I saw where the corps on the field was an embarrassment to DCA... and I will freely admit that the corps are improving... but isn't that the point???? The bar has been raised and now the corps must achieve a minimal size to qualify as a full competing corps - I believe that some are blowing this way out of proportion and that a logical improvement is being twisted into something bad and "evil" ($1 to Lee Rudnicki) Give it a rest guys... wait and see... this could be something VERY good for all of us... "From the retirement home in Seattle" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_7 Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 I'm not going to get personal and start naming some of the many instances I saw where the corps on the field was an embarrassment to DCA... Thanks a lot, nice to know my $1,000 plus expense every year is so appreciated. 35 is a fairly high number. Given that it doesn't include the drum majors (2), the honorguard (5), the brass, percussion, colorguard instructor(s) (3), or the non-marching corps director (1). 11 seats out of a 47 seat bus. Except those traveling from far away need two drivers, so 13 seats gone, only 34 seats left, not even enough to compete in class A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kansan Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 Thanks a lot, nice to know my $1,000 plus expense every year is so appreciated.35 is a fairly high number. Given that it doesn't include the drum majors (2), the honorguard (5), the brass, percussion, colorguard instructor(s) (3), or the non-marching corps director (1). 11 seats out of a 47 seat bus. Except those traveling from far away need two drivers, so 13 seats gone, only 34 seats left, not even enough to compete in class A. Looks like those instructors need to get on the field and do something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idontwan2know Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 All this talk about show sponsors is nice, but I'm reasonably sure that the main issue here is DCA prelims, where the "show sponsors" really shouldn't have anything to say. Nor do I think the scenario of "convincing the show sponsor" will really help anybody out in the instance of DCA prelims. I really doubt if any of the corps potentially impacted by this rule give a flying flip about regular season DCA shows, as they're nearly all from regions where there aren't any regular DCA shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 Who decides which corps appear at shows? Does DCA dictate or can the show sponsor request certain corps. Wondering because of the "sponsors not happey with very small corps" comments. Got an idea after reading Toms comments but not sure how recently he is talking about. Seemed in the 70s it was the same corps at the same places year after year. Not sure about today as few shows in my area to check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 Tom; I understand what you;re saying , but myu major beef is that there appears to be NO avenue for those who have numbers in the 22-34 range....they're too big for mini corps and too small for the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkman Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 Tom;I understand what you;re saying , but my major beef is that there appears to be NO avenue for those who have numbers in the 22-34 range....they're too big for mini corps and too small for the field. Sam, In 2003 Dream only sent a Mini-Corps to DCA and not the Full Corps, Why? We weren't ready to compete on the field at Champs. So we send a Mini-Corps instead. I don't like the size rule either, but sometimes you have to play the game in order to get what you want. It may take a while, but then it's just that more sweeter in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 Sam,In 2003 Dream only sent a Mini-Corps to DCA and not the Full Corps, Why? We weren't ready to compete on the field at Champs. So we send a Mini-Corps instead. I don't like the size rule either, but sometimes you have to play the game in order to get what you want. It may take a while, but then it's just that more sweeter in the end. A differance, Mike...we had the OPTION of dropping members (like me, since i didn;t have the money to go) for that trip to get down to minicorps size. right now there IS NO OPTION....it's madatory that you either be 21 or less, or 35 or more....there is NOTHING for those in the middle who cannot recruit people or who are not willing to drop numbers. Raising minicorps to 34 would close that gap and make this issue more or less moot....I mentioned that several pages back. I'm all for playing the game.....but there are some who will not be ALLOWED to play the game....that's the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondgrant Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 If we run out of plugs, what's the street walker situation like around town ^0^ That would be funnier then hell a 25 member corps marching with 10 hookers in the pit holding triangles (or wips depending on the show). :lolhit: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkman Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 A differance, Mike...we had the OPTION of dropping members (like me, since i didn;t have the money to go) for that trip to get down to minicorps size.right now there IS NO OPTION....it's madatory that you either be 21 or less, or 35 or more....there is NOTHING for those in the middle who cannot recruit people or who are not willing to drop numbers. Raising minicorps to 34 would close that gap and make this issue more or less moot....I mentioned that several pages back. I'm all for playing the game.....but there are some who will not be ALLOWED to play the game....that's the issue. 2003 we didn't have that option, we as the board didn't think the corps would be ready. 2005 We didn't go because of the truck issue from 04. This is beating a dead horse... The rule passed. So now we have to live with for 2 years, and maybe we can get it changed. The same goes for Mini-Corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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