Just read this as part of an email from DCI:

Adjudication changes will save more than $50,000.

After directing a thorough review of operating budgets and enacting spending cuts in many areas, the DCI Board of Directors voted earlier this week to adjust the organization’s competitive adjudication system during the first part of the 2008 DCI Summer Tour, reducing the number of adjudicators to five for all World Class events prior to July 4. This decision is expected to save the organization some 20 percent of a projected budget shortfall. Open Class directors made a similar move at their annual meeting in January, also reconfiguring their judging assignments at several early-season competitive events.

The use of a five judge panel will happen at some 30 events being staged prior to July 4. The usual adjudication slate for a regular-season contest consists of eight judges, with major regional events utilizing an additional percussion judge, for a total of nine. New rules in force this season call for as many as 11 adjudicators participating in World Championship events.

“With an average savings of more than $500 per person for travel and expenses, we expect to realize a significant savings from this initiative over the first two weeks of the season,” Leide said. “Now we’re dealing with things like fuel, which affects not only the corps and their ability to get down the road, but our travel expenses for event staff, and for the expense to our fans as well. All of these variables impact our operation and are on the table for discussion at any time. We’ve done everything possible to ensure that we’re not going to affect the quality of service and support to the corps and the amount of money we generate on their behalf.”

Clarification. All this talks about is travel expenses for judges. What about savings in the fee they are paid? I assume they get a fee for judging. Would seem to me that that would be an additional savings.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone--Cadets 1959 through 1961 Imperials 1962 through 1966

Maybe now the judging will be better, with fewer of em to screw it up!

I think that DCI has done this before (using reduced panels). Yes, John, judges do get a fee but I don't know what it is.

Bill, I am not familiar with current judge selection, training and oversight procedures. These used to be very stringent, but seem to have been relaxed greatly.
More focus seems to be placed on the use of musical educators and professional musicians as judges. This, coupled with the increased use of more subjective evaluation systems, can result in surprising contest results.

I'm wondering if this is DCI's way to permanently reduce the judging panels. My guess is that the next move would be to combine horn and drum judges into "music" judges - again, like most band shows. And eventually one person could score the entire contest. Since they're looking much more at design than performance anyway, I guess it's possible.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Maybe DCI should follow the lead of those trash TV talent competitions. Have a celebrity panel of three judges (picked from the town hosting the event) and have the audience vote count for 30 percent of the score (one would have to actually live in the host town to vote--no aliens from Rosemont, Allentown, Madison, Rockford, etc.). Interesting judging panels. For the West Coast show at Stanford they could have "the Tree" (Stanford's mascot), Steve Young (49er's ex-quarterback) and Senator Barbara Boxer as judges. The audience voters would include yuppies, computer geeks, and old hippies.

Might be a better system than they have now.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone--Cadets 1959 through 1961 Imperials 1962 through 1966

Chicago-style judging would be worth considering, too... whoever pays off the judges the most, under the table, will win.

Tomorrow, I will be going to see drum corps for the fifth time, so far this season. I have yet to see a single judge down on the field. I hadn't heard about this change, had you? Why aren't they down there any longer... not that I miss seeing them running all over. It's better, visually, without them on the field. Is that why, tho?

As we get closer and closer to bands...

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

I am watching the DCI show from Denver, right now. Guess what... there are judges scooting around down on the field, just as in past years. I've not seen this yet this year, til now.

All the DCI shows I've been at this summer had five judges, all in the box. Must have been a first half of the season thing.

Just cutting expenses at the beginning of the year.

Speaking of Denver, Blue Devils gave Cavaliers their first loss of the season. And in another show, Carolina Crown beat the Cadets for the first tme ever, I believe.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

From the DCI website, tonight:

"This is the first competition weekend that used a nine-person judging panel, with the addition of a second percussion judge. Now, one percussion judge is in the stands and the other is on the field, the two scores are averaged together for the final overall score."

The Cavies ended up .525 behind the Blue Devils last night. The Cavies finished behind in these notable categories:

.4 in color guard.
.1 in brass.
And .05 in percussion.


I'm surprised that Carolina beat out The Cadets last night, in Orlando. I say this because after seeing both corps in person twice, this season, I thought Crown was better than Cadets both times. What I think rarely is reflected in the scoring... thus my surprise at last night's results.

It's a good night when both the Cadets and Cavaliers lose.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone

What years were you a Corps member? Cadets 1959 to 1961 Imperials 1962 to 1966

Not even on the same field, yet! When's the last time that that has happened? It's been a while. Worst 24 hours of my life... Sox and Cubs both got beat too! And to top it off, the Cardinals won too! Ohhhh, the hatred! god! During the summer, there might be only one thing that is more pleasurable than the Cavies topping the Devils....

Naaaah!

Next weekend they all go head-to-head in San Antonio. This should tell the whole story.

If they hold form, nothing will be settled until quarterfinals where all the unique revelations start to happen. Semis will solidify whatever strange result they have in mind. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Carolina in the top 4 this year and Cadets drop to 5th or below. I think they will be sent a message by the powers that be with regard to their monologue. Just another trick to keep them from playing an almost complete show.

How many people are happy with the fact that Blue Star seems to be on track to make finals? I sure am. I was never a big Blue Star fan, but it's nice to see one of the oldies make a comeback. Wish it were Troopers also.

What did you do in the Corps? Brass Instructor, Corps Manager