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Post by coleeich on Oct 23, 2022 18:38:01 GMT -6
This year, we saw an expansion in the number of regionals hosted by BOA. So assuming the expansion continues, where would you like to see them go next?
I would love an Oklahoma regional. I talked about it a bit last season, but I think a competition in the Tulsa or even OKC area would do so well. Not only would it open up BOA to some really good Oklahoma bands who don't attend BOA (like Edmond Santa Fe), but it would likely draw consistently high performing groups such as Broken Arrow, Mustang, Jenks, etc as well as other groups which are making a name for themselves such as Southmoore and Yukon. Not to mention, Arkansas bands like Bentonville, Fayetteville, Van Buren, and Lake Hamilton would have a BOA regional a lot closer to them as well. Then you add in Missouri, which has an assortment of bands which I could see making the trip (Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Camdenton, etc.), Texas (might see one or two make the trip every once in a while), even into Illinois like O'Fallon. I think the location would be ideal for the meeting of some really great bands which could lead to a pretty heavy regional! Oklahoma does have some big contests, namely Renegade Review, Owasso Invitational, and Mustang Invitational, but I think putting the BOA logo on a new contest would absolutely draw in some bigger names. The biggest issue is timing, because most weekends have some sort of contest already. Some groups like Broken Arrow might be less inclined to attend a super early season contest, but maybe given the opportunity they would go! It is hard to say, and I think finding a spot for a Oklahoma regional would absolutely be possible if they tried. Just some food for thought and my contribution to this discussion!
So, what contests would you like to see BOA create? New regionals? New super regionals? Move super regionals? Move Grand Nats?
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Post by yayband914 on Oct 23, 2022 18:45:48 GMT -6
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
I wish they’d give the Pacific Northwest another shot.
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Post by pitplayer19 on Oct 23, 2022 18:49:16 GMT -6
I could maybe see St. George Regional moved back to Las Vegas, if it keeps getting larger, but I’m not too sure. I don’t think Allegiant stadium has enough staging areas to make it work there (also it would be really expensive), so I’m not sure where it could go other than it’s former location at UNLV. It seems to be that Utah Tech stadium (formerly Dixie State) is inconsistent being available every year so a possible change there. I would love to see a regional in Colorado to help develop some more bands there and I don’t think it would be too close to St. George. Other than that, I’m not super familiar with the scene nationwide, maybe PNW but I’m not too sure or another one in California/Arizona
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Post by hewhowaits on Oct 23, 2022 18:50:38 GMT -6
While there are locations I'd like to see added, I hope they don't add more events every year. Give this year's new locations an opportunity to establish themselves for a couple years before adding more. What is NOT needed is multiple new locations where every band goes to finals.
The only place that I would consider saying "okay, that's a good idea" for additions next year would be more in Texas where the demand and support is sufficient. Could one of the DFW area events be a Super Regional? Perhaps, but weather concerns would be the deciding factor without a reasonably priced indoor facility available. Excessive heat and rain are both real concerns.
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Post by bigtrombone on Oct 23, 2022 19:29:55 GMT -6
Not a new regional, but after two straight years of low attendance, does the Iowa Regional come back for 2023?
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Post by yayband914 on Oct 23, 2022 19:38:10 GMT -6
Not a new regional, but after two straight years of low attendance, does the Iowa Regional come back for 2023? Reason for low attendance was the crap acoustics in the UNI-Dome and/or conflicts with Youth in Music Championships. By the time it was moved to Des Moines, most bands already had their schedules set in stone. Methinks Iowa will get another shot if they can keep it in Des Moines and it’s not on the same weekend as YIM. |
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Post by Allohak on Oct 23, 2022 19:41:09 GMT -6
Something to consider: Staffing.
-How many weekends in a season are event staff folks carving out for BOA? There's only so many of us to spread around to the events. Most of the MGA office staff work one nearly every weekend. (I would do more if my schedule permitted, but 4 weekends from mid-Sep to mid-Nov is already a lot).
-How many events should happen each weekend? In 2021, we had our first weekend with 4 events. In 2022, we had several weeks like that and one with a Super Regional and 3 other regionals. Super regionals run with significantly more staff due to the larger attendance. That's spreading experienced staff very thin.
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Post by bigtrombone on Oct 23, 2022 19:41:48 GMT -6
Not a new regional, but after two straight years of low attendance, does the Iowa Regional come back for 2023? Reason for low attendance was the crap acoustics in the UNI-Dome and/or conflicts with Youth in Music Championships. By the time it was moved to Des Moines, most bands already had their schedules set in stone. Methinks Iowa will get another shot if they can keep it in Des Moines and it’s not on the same weekend as YIM. Date is going to be VERY Important for Iowa if it comes back next year. I would aim to have it on September 30th. Might have to go against GRI but can probably get more bands from South Dakota & Minnesota to attend. Wouldn't go against YIM or Sioux Falls' Festival of Bands. |
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Post by paddy on Oct 23, 2022 19:56:13 GMT -6
Something to consider: Staffing. -How many weekends in a season are event staff folks carving out for BOA? There's only so many of us to spread around to the events. Most of the MGA office staff work one nearly every weekend. (I would do more if my schedule permitted, but 4 weekends from mid-Sep to mid-Nov is already a lot). -How many events should happen each weekend? In 2021, we had our first weekend with 4 events. In 2022, we had several weeks like that and one with a Super Regional and 3 other regionals. Super regionals run with significantly more staff due to the larger attendance. That's spreading experienced staff very thin. There were definite staffing issues at Indy last weekend. There was also a change to performance staging (compared to the past) that caused slight issues for some. A number of groups have attended for years and switching up the end zone loading timing/process was not ideal when there are expectations that things are run a certain way. |
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Post by Allohak on Oct 23, 2022 20:05:16 GMT -6
Now to answer the question:
-Washington/Oregon/Idaho
Idaho and Idaho State both have domed football facilities
Or...how fun would it be to see band on the red field at Eastern Washington?
-California
We've seen the struggle happen here for a long time, usually due to stadium issues popping up and the region's season being later than the rest of the country meaning many calendars aren't decided until well after BOA's normal registration deadline schedule. But if the right solution can be found, I'd wager it could also be made to work out consistently.
-Colorado
There is significant interest from several bands in the Denver area especially, but even the closest current/recent sites are double-digit-hour drives. Biggest question mark for me is how does the attendance list fill out?
-Oklahoma
Seems like a no-brainer, honestly. Tulsa or Oklahoma City. Why has this never been a thing.
-West Virginia
BOA has had events at WVU in many years past. I bet this could end up being very successful. And not just a solid combination of everything good about the Ohio, mid-Atlantic, and Appalachia area regionals. Easily accessible from Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, the Carolinas...
-Massachusetts
Yes, let's push further north/east and get more participation from the very-good-but-still-underrepresented New England bands! Many of them have been doing WGI competitions alongside BOA types for ages, it's not like we're total strangers to each other.
-Arkansas
BOA has been calling one of the contests here an "affiliated event" for a few years now...
Also see above regarding fun-colored fields...Central Arkansas alternates grey and purple each 5 yards
-Texas
In the past couple of years we've seen the Houston and Dallas regionals turn into 2 each, with pretty minimal duplication in attendees (looking at you, SFA, SLC, et al). Considering Austin is such a strong and fast-growing area and is often the most stacked (or at least very close) regional, I'd like to see that split as well.
The San Antonio area could do with their own early-season regional not at the Alamodome (though the heat may prevent the last part [not that it's kept McAllen from being a thing...])
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Post by Allohak on Oct 23, 2022 20:11:21 GMT -6
Something to consider: Staffing. -How many weekends in a season are event staff folks carving out for BOA? There's only so many of us to spread around to the events. Most of the MGA office staff work one nearly every weekend. (I would do more if my schedule permitted, but 4 weekends from mid-Sep to mid-Nov is already a lot). -How many events should happen each weekend? In 2021, we had our first weekend with 4 events. In 2022, we had several weeks like that and one with a Super Regional and 3 other regionals. Super regionals run with significantly more staff due to the larger attendance. That's spreading experienced staff very thin. There were definite staffing issues at Indy last weekend. There was also a change to performance staging (compared to the past) that caused slight issues for some. A number of groups have attended for years and switching up the end zone loading timing/process was not ideal when there are expectations that things are run a certain way. Yeah, we ran this weekend with 0 people running some spots where there would ideally have been 2 people splitting time. The field pre-staging change was a smart one, in my opinion, even with it meaning some groups were caught offguard by the difference. Probably could/would have been better received if better communicated. Not much more distracting to viewing a performance than the next group up starting to move stuff around in/near the endzone. Not just to random-spectator but also to judge-in-the-pressbox. |
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Post by ilikeguard on Oct 23, 2022 20:17:00 GMT -6
I’m not good enough at logistics to make a call on this, but a Tulsa regional with the bands coleeich mentioned would kill me in the best way. I wouldn’t know who to cheer for the loudest! |
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Post by Allohak on Oct 23, 2022 20:27:16 GMT -6
I’m not good enough at logistics to make a call on this, but a Tulsa regional with the bands coleeich mentioned would kill me in the best way. I wouldn’t know who to cheer for the loudest! And I can confirm ilikeguard is capable of cheering quite loudly 😄 |
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Post by abtwitch on Oct 23, 2022 22:46:09 GMT -6
-Texas In the past couple of years we've seen the Houston and Dallas regionals turn into 2 each, with pretty minimal duplication in attendees (looking at you, SFA, SLC, et al). Considering Austin is such a strong and fast-growing area and is often the most stacked (or at least very close) regional, I'd like to see that split as well. The San Antonio area could do with their own early-season regional not at the Alamodome (though the heat may prevent the last part [not that it's kept McAllen from being a thing...]) Solution? San Marcos Regional! Right smack dab in between the two big cities and could also draw some bands out from the Hill Country like Tivy, Fredericksburg, and others. |
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Post by WoodlandsMom4ever on Oct 23, 2022 22:46:28 GMT -6
I definitely think an OK regional would be fantastic. There are lots of good spots for a regional- OCU has a great stadium in a central location. It’s within 3 hours of Bentonville, and could pull some of the northern Tx groups as well.
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Post by antroot on Oct 24, 2022 0:02:18 GMT -6
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I wish they’d give the Pacific Northwest another shot. This!! This year, by far, it seems many bands up here are really trying to be competitively viable again. Some schools have announced that they're even breaking into the winter scene, fielding indoor percussion/guard groups for this first time ever in their school's history. Almost all bands have also seen an upward trend in members this year compared to 2021, and I hope that continues. Only problem would be where to host it. NWAPA Champs is the closest this place gets to a regional, but it's really only the Oregon bands, a couple WA bands, and like, one Northern California band. There is a significant handful of great groups in Central/Eastern WA that just do not go because the travel times are just not worth it. (the bus travel time from Spokane, WA, to Eugene, OR, is about 8 hours!) If I were to choose a place to host a BOA event here, it'd have to be Portland. It would still a lengthy drive for Spokane bands, but now just 5.5 hours compared to 8. I'm also factoring the farthest band down south that would have to come up, and that would be Del Norte HS from Crescent City, CA. Their drive would also be 5.5 hours. |
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Post by macwinlin on Oct 24, 2022 0:53:38 GMT -6
MFA/BOA held a “Fall Preview Experience” on 9/22/2007 at Owasso HS. I was told, at the time, that it was to see if the show was attractive enough to consider holding a regional in the Tulsa area. Not sure if that was true, but only a handful of bands registered. It would probably get more traction these days.
Other Fall Preview Experiences that year:
-Indianapolis, IN
Carmel High School
September 15, 2007
-Cleveland, TN
Cleveland High School
September 15, 2007
-Fort Mill, SC
Fort Mill High School
September 22,2007
-Midlothian, TX
Midlothian High School
September 29, 2007
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Post by boahistorybuff on Oct 24, 2022 3:10:58 GMT -6
It is a big wish list but here it goes:
Kalamazoo MI (WMU) - It would pull in bands from Michigan, northern Indiana and metro Chicago.
New England, perhaps Boston area
Syracuse New York
Somewhere in or around Tulsa or Oklahoma City
Memphis TN area
Metro Denver
Portland/Northwest Oregon or western Washington State
San Jose CA area
Southern CA
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Post by oldarmybandguy on Oct 24, 2022 6:00:15 GMT -6
I think SoCal is ripe for a return. If you look at the Utah regional, there’s a small CA contingent, but it is at least an 8 hour trip for most schools. The other thing I’ve noticed, because I still pay attention to SoCal band, their circuits have fractured and there are many small, poorly attended shows-it would be nice to see some of these separated groups come together and compete.
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Post by hewhowaits on Oct 24, 2022 6:39:35 GMT -6
I’m not good enough at logistics to make a call on this, but a Tulsa regional with the bands coleeich mentioned would kill me in the best way. I wouldn’t know who to cheer for the loudest! All of them. |
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Post by hewhowaits on Oct 24, 2022 6:40:57 GMT -6
I definitely think an OK regional would be fantastic. There are lots of good spots for a regional- OCU has a great stadium in a central location. It’s within 3 hours of Bentonville, and could pull some of the northern Tx groups as well. But if it was just "okay" what would make it fantastic?  |
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Post by TXHillCountryBands on Oct 24, 2022 9:46:40 GMT -6
Super Regional Oklahoma!
That would shake it up for the whole heartland and parts of Texas!
Regional in San Marcos Texas
IMO this would promote future success for “All” SA schools and south texas bands.
GN’s in TULSA! BOA just needs to build an indoor stadium 🤣 or we can all just battle it outdoors. No stadium echo or reverb! “Separate the hypothetical boys from the men!” In my devils advocate voice 😈
Wait, doesn’t Tulsa have an indoor venue? BOK Center?
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Post by coleeich on Oct 24, 2022 10:21:54 GMT -6
Super Regional Oklahoma! That would shake it up for the whole heartland and parts of Texas! Regional in San Marcos Texas IMO this would promote future success for “All” SA schools and south texas bands. GN’s in TULSA! BOA just needs to build an indoor stadium 🤣 or we can all just battle it outdoors. No stadium echo or reverb! “Separate the hypothetical boys from the men!” In my devils advocate voice 😈 Wait, doesn’t Tulsa have an indoor venue? BOK Center? Such hot takes lol. I would not be mad but I do not see it happening. I love Indy, but I do agree that a more central Grand Nats makes total sense. |
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Post by dbalash on Oct 24, 2022 10:46:05 GMT -6
According to the MFA strategic plan FY18-FY22, they're at the maximum number of regionals that can be offered at 22, plus super regionals and Nationals. Also discussed in the plan was expanding the capacity and scope of existing events (done), continuing with the Tournament of Roses parade (done), and Indianapolis Public Schools tournament (yeah, about that.)
Also, as I've said before, there is no where than can provide what Indianapolis has provided with Lucas Oil Stadium and the Convention Center. The stadium was literally built in mind for BOA/DCI concerns, and along with the sweetheart deals and amenities that Indy provides, there is literally not another stadium in the country that provides this.
That being said, there are 2 planned domed stadiums about 7-10 years down the line in Nashville and Arlington Heights (Chicago) that could make some noise. BOA/DCI returning to their roots and returning their HQ to the northwest suburbs of Chicago wouldn't completely surprise me, or one of them could swoop in and take the St. Louis Super Regional, because God only knows what the future of that place will be 5 years from now..
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Post by yayband914 on Oct 24, 2022 11:19:31 GMT -6
We were at 24 events (excluding Supers and GN) before the Whitewater and California regionals were cancelled. Did they plan to go over their maximum limit or is that limit the reason those two events were cancelled?
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Post by dbalash on Oct 24, 2022 11:28:11 GMT -6
We were at 24 events (excluding Supers and GN) before then Whitewater and California regionals were cancelled. Did they plan to go over their maximum limit or is that limit the reason those two events were cancelled? My guess is UWW was cancelled because of football (silly Division III taking forever to post schedules). I think there was ample interest in that regional - will be interesting to see if it has an appearance on the 2023 schedule. California was probably cancelled, because, well, California. I know schedules get set way late there with WBA, but when's the last time they had 18+ at a regional? 2016? |
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Post by philodemus on Oct 24, 2022 13:54:41 GMT -6
This is kind of a sidebar to the main conversation, but I would personally love to see the Clarksville Regional return to Kentucky. Not that Clarksville is far from the Commonwealth (it’s really close, actually) but the stadium is just a bit small at APSU. Both Murray State and Western Kentucky provide better viewing for the marching arts. With interstate access taken into consideration, WKU would be the best option in the region, I suspect.
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Post by paddy on Oct 24, 2022 15:27:59 GMT -6
Wait, doesn’t Tulsa have an indoor venue? BOK Center? Yes a hockey/arena football sized arena. Would work for some bands and their minimalist drill... |
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Post by bandirectorman on Oct 24, 2022 15:46:18 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).
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Post by thewho on Oct 24, 2022 16:28:45 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. |
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