World of Pageantry

Just a question, is it the experience or the chance to be #1. I can see the experience, but the team that win at GN are 95% of the time the winner of the Indianapolis, IN Regional. So why have a team go.

Team, huh?

It's the experience.

One of the reasons Bands go to Grand Nationals is because they like to see how their area stacks up against other areas of the country. Actually Bands from outside IN have done fairly well at BOA consider Broken Arrow and LD Bell recently. When you stay in your own comfort zone, the best you will ever be is a big fish in a small pond. I am not a cheerleader for BOA(hardly) however I think Bands should compete outside their state. We learn something when other people look at us, those who do not see us 4 to 6 times a year

Indianapolis, IN Regional competes on the same field as GN. Only 4 days before, where in the BOA rule books states no team shall be on the field a week prior. Indianapolis is a nice place but is it fair for the other teams out side the region. Why don't they rotate the Championship, maybe more teams would compete.

No question...the experience. A positively life changing experience. One of the best things I have ever done for my program.

darkfalcon wrote:Indianapolis, IN Regional competes on the same field as GN. Only 4 days before, where in the BOA rule books states no team shall be on the field a week prior.

No, section 7.01 of the BOA Adjudication Manual says that no band shall use a competition field for PRACTICE in the week prior to a competition. Two competitions in the same week therefore is exempt.

darkfalcon wrote:Indianapolis is a nice place but is it fair for the other teams out side the region. Why don't they rotate the Championship

Several reasons, but primarily because Indianapolis is fairly central for everything east of the Rockies. The fairly limited choice of facilities (second week of November in the midwest, you'd better have a dome; this pretty much narrows the candidates down to Minneapolis, Detroit, St. Louis, Houston, Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Atlanta, and the only two that are even close to being as central are STL and DET) is another factor. And, of course, BOA is headquartered in Indy.

darkfalcon wrote:maybe more teams would compete.

They fill up a three-day, 90-slot event every year. Over 650 different schools have participated in BOA in just the past four years. How many "more teams" do you need?

first off grand nationals is the best experiences I've ever had, and anyone who has the chance to go take it.

But what I don't understand is why after one of there most successful west coast regional BOA had ever had in 2009, why they would put it in the middle of no where in a lets face horrible stadium. I understand if last year they had to find it last minute, but to but it there again. It seems they were looking for an excuse to cancel it. Even Ayala wasn't sighed up for it and they were the four time defending champ. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but the whole thing doesn't seem kosher to me.

The Banished wrote:But what I don't understand is why after one of there most successful west coast regional BOA had ever had in 2009, why they would put it in the middle of no where in a lets face horrible stadium. I understand if last year they had to find it last minute, but to but it there again. It seems they were looking for an excuse to cancel it. Even Ayala wasn't sighed up for it and they were the four time defending champ. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but the whole thing doesn't seem kosher to me.

My understanding of the situation...

The 2009 Regional WAS really successful, and BOA wanted to return to College of the Canyons, but that stadium wasn't available for the date chosen to hold the 2010 Regional. Then BOA started asking around, but there's a limited number of facilities that would work for an event that size, and BOA kept asking and getting turned down. I have heard that the 2010 Regional was almost cancelled until Hemet stepped in. And thus, despite the unpopularity of the site with attendees, BOA stuck with facility they knew they could get in 2011.

Another thing to look at is the economy. BOA, comparatively, is fairly expensive. A band could attend 2-3 SCSBOA, SJCA, WBA, or MBOS competitions for the cost of attending the BOA Regional.

Lastly, let's not forget that BOA has never had a strong presence in California. BOA had been around for many years by the time SoCal got its first regional in 1993. BOA filled 29 of 30 spots that first year, a big success. Then in 1994, 23 bands. 1995, 21 bands. 1996, 17 bands. I don't know the whole story, but in 1997 the west coast didn't get a regional (the declining enrollment didn't help). In 1998, to appeal to bands from Utah and Texas, the regional was restarted in Las Vegas. It ran in Vegas for five years (98-02) and then moved to Arizona (Phoenix in 2003). Then Vegas in 04, and Flagstaff in 05. In 2005, BOA also started back up the SoCal regional. So let's not forget that from 1998-2004 there wasn't a regional in SoCal.

Are we there again? Remains to be seen. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if BOA tried to find a new site and bring back the SoCal regional in 2012, but we shall see.

BOA is trying to come back to California, and I can verify that it is very difficult to get a college/pro stadium in SoCal during that time of year.

...and BOA was sad and a bunch of bands were sad when the Hemet show got cancelled this year. Believe me, BOA did everything they could to keep that show on the schedule, but it just wasn't feasible--financially and competitively--to hold it.

And I'm sure Mr. Stone would most certainly love to bring his band to St. George this year, but because of circumstances NOT UNIQUE to his band (and many bands this year), he cannot. Ayala will certainly be missed at the sole "western regional" this year, as I know they would have done really, really well.

I do hope that BOA secures quality facilities next year for a show close to home.

Alan

Mark Stone wrote:No question...the experience. A positively life changing experience. One of the best things I have ever done for my program.

And I can vouch for Mr. Stone 200% of the way

I'm still having Indy Recollections/Withdrawals

IE Golden Corral

is that anything like withdrawls from PERRY's Smorgy in Hawaii?

It's Steak n' Shake withdrawals for me. That's pretty much all I eat in Indy.

Why not try NorCal?