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Post by bandirectorman on Oct 24, 2022 21:48:52 GMT -6
BOA should worry less about the # of regionals and more about the quality of their adjudicators. I would rather attend fewer events that are larger and have a panel where there is enough flexibility to throw out the highest and lowest scores in each caption -- or at least in General Effect. And, on an unrelated note, can someone tell them to begin holding on to duplicate awards at each event? There are so many ties where they do only seem to be able to hand out one at the time of the presentation. If they're giving out participation trophies in exchange for the entry fee, they can be better prepared for ties & be able to at least hand out the trophy (and perhaps send the inscription/plate later). In a realistic world, that would be the ideal. However, the activity is reaching a point where several seasoned judges are beginning to experience issues that may not allow them to attend or judge. If you have noticed, there has been many more new chief judges than in season's pasts, starting with last year. The expansion of the BOA regionals last and this year is particularly important for not just for the financial health of BOA, but also to bring up a new generation of judges. Before the expansions, there were very few chances for new judges to be able to get their feet wet aside from local invitationals/state circuits, of which vary wildly in quality. BOA is at the very least consistent and will allow the new judges to be able to rub elbows with the elders and receive mentoring in terms of being able to give out accurate numbers. I'm not saying this as a defense, but more on a realistic basis. I understand the frustration with the feedback in the meanwhile. The activity is going through some major growing pains at the moment as the new generation take over for the retired (not to mention how different the economic setting is now compared to then...). I'll pass the feedback onto BOA for duplicates. I'm not privy to the accounting, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is a non-priority for the organization, therefore no need to toss money that way. Give me Alfred Watkins on a music or effect panel & I am happy. Best feedback that we have ever received as a program was from Alfred.
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Post by dbalash on Oct 24, 2022 22:48:20 GMT -6
In a realistic world, that would be the ideal. However, the activity is reaching a point where several seasoned judges are beginning to experience issues that may not allow them to attend or judge. If you have noticed, there has been many more new chief judges than in season's pasts, starting with last year. The expansion of the BOA regionals last and this year is particularly important for not just for the financial health of BOA, but also to bring up a new generation of judges. Before the expansions, there were very few chances for new judges to be able to get their feet wet aside from local invitationals/state circuits, of which vary wildly in quality. BOA is at the very least consistent and will allow the new judges to be able to rub elbows with the elders and receive mentoring in terms of being able to give out accurate numbers. I'm not saying this as a defense, but more on a realistic basis. I understand the frustration with the feedback in the meanwhile. The activity is going through some major growing pains at the moment as the new generation take over for the retired (not to mention how different the economic setting is now compared to then...). I'll pass the feedback onto BOA for duplicates. I'm not privy to the accounting, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is a non-priority for the organization, therefore no need to toss money that way. Give me Alfred Watkins on a music or effect panel & I am happy. Best feedback that we have ever received as a program was from Alfred. Agreed 100%. When I see his numbers on a recap, along with the late Joe Allison, you know he didn't mess up and he's going to provide you with a great tape.
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Post by dww256 on Oct 25, 2022 12:52:21 GMT -6
I think there's totally capacity for a solid Colorado regional.
The challenging thing about BOA out west is that there are good bands in most states, but all the population clusters are so spread out that getting them all on the same field on the same day is nigh-impossible. I think it would really help if WBA and SCSBOA hadn't basically engulfed California and southern Nevada in entirety.
On that subject, why is it that more CA bands used to attend BOA in Las Vegas and St. George ~10-20 years ago? What fell apart? And is there anything that could be done to get them back?
What I really wish is that it were easier to get the big dogs from CO, NM, and UT to all go to the same competition. I want to say that it might be fun to have a Grand Junction Regional here ( www.google.com/maps/place/Ralph+Stocker+Stadium/@39.0764543,-108.5537351,17z), since it's close-ish to the center point between Utah and Colorado's band clusters, but that would run the serious risk of not attracting bands from either state, since the Utah championships obviously can't be held in Colorado. Right...?
Also: I noticed that Utah Tech has booked their stadium for a football game the week of BOA this year. Is this expected to be an ongoing issue? If so, a Utah BOA relocation starts to make a lot more sense. But where?
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Post by jonathonmills3 on Oct 26, 2022 9:44:08 GMT -6
I believe there should be a Super Regional in Oklahoma. The Tulsa or OK State stadiums would work well to host. So many high level bands like Edmond SF, Stillwater, Bixby, Piedmont, Collinsville, Coweta, Sapulpa, the Moores. All these bands either go to a BOA every other year or never go. These bands need a closer place to compete, and putting the BOA on a contest instead of renegade or mustang invitational would draw in some Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and North Texas bands. Broken arrow would maybe go, which might get some big bands from Texas like FloMo or Hebron to go compete with BA. A regional could work too but I think there’s enough pull for a Super regional.
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Post by dbalash on Oct 26, 2022 9:49:42 GMT -6
I think there's totally capacity for a solid Colorado regional. Also: I noticed that Utah Tech has booked their stadium for a football game the week of BOA this year. Is this expected to be an ongoing issue? If so, a Utah BOA relocation starts to make a lot more sense. But where?
Looking at the 2023 WAC schedule here (https://fbschedules.com/2023-utah-tech-football-schedule/), the usual weekend before GN is expected to be available next year. Granted, things can change.
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Post by TXHillCountryBands on Oct 26, 2022 10:27:29 GMT -6
I believe there should be a Super Regional in Oklahoma. The Tulsa or OK State stadiums would work well to host. So many high level bands like Edmond SF, Stillwater, Bixby, Piedmont, Collinsville, Coweta, Sapulpa, the Moores. All these bands either go to a BOA every other year or never go. These bands need a closer place to compete, and putting the BOA on a contest instead of renegade or mustang invitational would draw in some Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and North Texas bands. Broken arrow would maybe go, which might get some big bands from Texas like FloMo or Hebron to go compete with BA. A regional could work too but I think there’s enough pull for a Super regional. 💯
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Post by hewhowaits on Oct 26, 2022 11:31:51 GMT -6
I believe there should be a Super Regional in Oklahoma. The Tulsa or OK State stadiums would work well to host. So many high level bands like Edmond SF, Stillwater, Bixby, Piedmont, Collinsville, Coweta, Sapulpa, the Moores. All these bands either go to a BOA every other year or never go. These bands need a closer place to compete, and putting the BOA on a contest instead of renegade or mustang invitational would draw in some Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and North Texas bands. Broken arrow would maybe go, which might get some big bands from Texas like FloMo or Hebron to go compete with BA. A regional could work too but I think there’s enough pull for a Super regional. The bands are there for this to be successful but weather disruption concerns seems to dictate that SRs will be indoor competitions (San Antonio, St. Louis, Indianapolis, formerly Atlanta). No suitable indoor stadium in Oklahoma is the issue.
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Post by marchingmaniac on Oct 26, 2022 14:13:34 GMT -6
I've always wondered why there hasn't been at least a regional in Oklahoma. Oklahoma marching bands have always been very high quality and there'd be a lot of attendees at an Oklahoma regional from in state bands as well as possible out of staters from Missouri, Texas, etc. I also imagine BOA will try to venture into California again for a regional, but I think they did have attendance issues the last couple times they had a regional there.
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Post by 4score on Nov 7, 2022 22:55:30 GMT -6
Oklahoma could be great! I've always wondered why there hasn't been at least a regional in Oklahoma. Oklahoma marching bands have always been very high quality and there'd be a lot of attendees at an Oklahoma regional from in state bands as well as possible out of staters from Missouri, Texas, etc. I also imagine BOA will try to venture into California again for a regional, but I think they did have attendance issues the last couple times they had a regional there.
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Post by cybrunette on Mar 1, 2023 14:35:30 GMT -6
Hear me out guys... Somewhere around Toronto or Ottawa
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Post by dbalash on Mar 1, 2023 15:34:26 GMT -6
Hear me out guys... Somewhere around Toronto or Ottawa A A move that requires all US Bands that want to compete to have each student 16+ to pay $165 for a passport/all students under 16 to carry their birth certificate? Yeah, won't happen.
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Post by boahistorybuff on Mar 2, 2023 21:29:59 GMT -6
Hear me out guys... Somewhere around Toronto or Ottawa Are you proposing BOA go international? The Grand International Championships? In 1987 and 1988, several bands from New York state came to the Grand Nationals that were in Pontiac Mi. To save time and transportation costs, they cut through Ontario. Back then, all of the students on the bus only needed to carry their birth certificate on them going to and from Canada. I know this for a fact because my senior English class took a trip to the Shakespeare play in Stratford Ont. I dont know what the process for a bus load of students crossing into Canada is today. I do know that in Michigan we can apply for a special driver's license that also functions as a passport to Canada via automobile. However, since 911, the time it takes to cross the bridges to and from Canada has been a little more unpredictable.
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Post by philodemus on Mar 2, 2023 21:42:55 GMT -6
Even in the late 90s you could cross the border sans passport… just don’t sass the Canadian border guards. Corps used to go back and forth all the time. 911 changed that irrevocably, I’m afraid.
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Post by paddy on Mar 3, 2023 9:00:55 GMT -6
Hear me out guys... Somewhere around Toronto or Ottawa So...Buffalo?
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Post by paddy on Mar 3, 2023 9:02:10 GMT -6
Even in the late 90s you could cross the border sans passport… just don’t sass the Canadian border guards. Corps used to go back and forth all the time. 911 changed that irrevocably, I’m afraid. I have a number of friends who traveled to Toronto for concert band music festivals during HS before the change in travel document requirements.
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Post by cybrunette on Mar 3, 2023 13:17:19 GMT -6
Hear me out guys... Somewhere around Toronto or Ottawa Are you proposing BOA go international? The Grand International Championships? In 1987 and 1988, several bands from New York state came to the Grand Nationals that were in Pontiac Mi. To save time and transportation costs, they cut through Ontario. Back then, all of the students on the bus only needed to carry their birth certificate on them going to and from Canada. I know this for a fact because my senior English class took a trip to the Shakespeare play in Stratford Ont. I dont know what the process for a bus load of students crossing into Canada is today. I do know that in Michigan we can apply for a special driver's license that also functions as a passport to Canada via automobile. However, since 911, the time it takes to cross the bridges to and from Canada has been a little more unpredictable. Haha no nothing like that. I think we can all agree Canada is close to / just about the same culturally as us in the US to include them in the event (still within an American continent)... similar to how the NBA has Toronto. Also, since most of the population of Canada is within that area, it just seems like the best location. I'm sure whoever organizes these events could do callout / test to see how many schools would be interested in competing up there. I also thought about the passport situation before making that post and if there aren't any alternatives like there used to be before 9/11 as all of you have already talked about, there's no reason band programs wouldn't be able to budget & plan a GN trip or even somewhere like Orlando to fit Disney into the schedule every few years. While it might be $160USD for a US passport, a Canadian one has different tiers & is a bit cheaper. Age 0-15 is $57CAD ($41USD), 16+ for 5 years is $120CAD ($88USD) 16+ for 10 years is $160CAD ($117USD). There are also no cons for owning a passport that especially have numerous benefits beyond marching band.
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Post by boahistorybuff on Mar 10, 2023 5:13:36 GMT -6
I think I have said it before, and I will say it again, a BOA Regional at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. This would pull in bands from Michigan, northern Indiana and the Chicago area.
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Post by weber1492 on Mar 10, 2023 21:03:55 GMT -6
I went to one there years ago. Either there or Eastern Michigan. I'm not sure.
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Post by boahistorybuff on Mar 11, 2023 5:06:50 GMT -6
I went to one there years ago. Either there or Eastern Michigan. I'm not sure. Back in the 2000s, BOA did several regionals at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. There were several years back then that BOA held the regional in Southeast Michigan as opposed to NW Ohio. The Michigan regionals bounced back and forth between EMU and the old Pontiac Silverdome. 2012 was the last time BOA did a regional in Michigan and it was at the old Pontiac Silverdome (which has since been demolished). There has never been a BOA regional at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. There have however been DCI events at WMU. In fact, Michigan's only drum and bugle corps, Legends, is based in the Kalamazoo suburb of Portage. Legends has unfortunately decided to go inactive for the 2023 season. I hope they can bounce back from their financial troubles for the 2024 summer tour. While I have always enjoyed the BOA regionals in Toledo, participation has not been as high in recent years. I think a regional in Kalamazoo would be more apt to pull in bands from metro Detroit, Grand Rapids, South Bend/Elkhart/Goshen, Fort Wayne and metro Chicago, perhaps even Indy.
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Post by ilikeguard on Apr 3, 2023 21:02:11 GMT -6
BOA Broken Arrow is kind of real now
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Post by ILFollower on Apr 3, 2023 22:57:12 GMT -6
Since the new Bears stadium in suburban Chicago is gaining traction of late, I would love to see a BOA event there.
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Post by principalagent on Apr 4, 2023 7:37:06 GMT -6
Since the new Bears stadium in suburban Chicago is gaining traction of late, I would love to see a BOA event there. $$$$$ especially if BOA is going to be making a push for the new Titans Stadium at basically the same time.
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Post by coleeich on Apr 4, 2023 17:36:42 GMT -6
BOA Broken Arrow is kind of real now It's at least something, and I am so glad it's happening! I hope it draws more groups
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Post by marimba11 on Apr 4, 2023 17:49:36 GMT -6
BOA Colorado I think would be a good idea. Someone else mentioned it recently.
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Post by Marching Observer on May 2, 2023 16:45:50 GMT -6
Obviously California is a huge state making it tricky to really pull bands from the major metro areas, but has Fresno ever really been considered? Still a pretty lengthy drive at about 3 and a half hour stretch whether it is San Francisco or LA, but feels like a decent happy medium since there is only ever one (if we're lucky) contest anyway already. Feel like there would be place or two in that area that could host it well. That's my quick thought on it.
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Post by boahistorybuff on May 3, 2023 6:37:15 GMT -6
Obviously California is a huge state making it tricky to really pull bands from the major metro areas, but has Fresno ever really been considered? Still a pretty lengthy drive at about 3 and a half hour stretch whether it is San Francisco or LA, but feels like a decent happy medium since there is only ever one (if we're lucky) contest anyway already. Feel like there would be place or two in that area that could host it well. That's my quick thought on it. In 1980, a BOA (or MBA as it was known then) regional was held in Clovis, a suburb of Fresno. Trying to find the results of that regional was extremely tough. From what little I could find, the most likely winner of that regional was Independence HS from San Jose. That was the only regional held in the Fresno area.
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Post by aiden on Jul 30, 2023 12:26:58 GMT -6
I would bring the Atlanta super regional back so bands from Alabama, Georgia, and other nearby states wouldn't have to travel very far for a super regional.
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Post by yayband914 on Jul 30, 2023 13:49:42 GMT -6
I would bring the Atlanta super regional back so bands from Alabama, Georgia, and other nearby states wouldn't have to travel very far for a super regional. Or at least a regular regional. Powder Springs was always a great option when it was in late October, but the last few years of its existence it was an early season show. Not prime time for the southern groups.
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Post by yayband914 on Jul 30, 2023 13:50:54 GMT -6
Just saying this again since it was May when this thread was last active:
PNW and Colorado, please. I could see a Denver area regional filling up FAST given the right weekend.
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Post by bigtrombone on Jul 30, 2023 14:32:24 GMT -6
Maybe not a regional but I could see an upper midwest competition such as Festival of Bands in Sioux Falls or Youth in Music in Minneapolis becoming a Music for All affiliate event.
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