February Message from Board Chair John Broschak
It’s such an exciting time for The Cadets! The 2023 show design and staff are top-notch, the members are very talented and motivated, and the growing volunteer ranks are simply amazing. Before I comment on the Erie move announcement, I want to express my gratitude and awe for the legion of Cadets supporters who continue to show loyalty and generosity to the ever-evolving Cadets Experience. Thank you so much!
As the news of another Cadets relocation sinks in, I’d like to share a bit of the thinking that drove the Board to this decision. As you should expect, the Board has been striving to create a pathway toward sustainability and financial stability. The stand-alone drum corps financial model is not viable for the long-term, as evidenced by the cessation of operations of so many well-intentioned organizations. Since the formation of Cadets Arts & Entertainment (CAE) in 2020, it’s been clear to this Board that we need to think bigger and do more than simply limp along from one season to the next. As a result, we completed a strategic analysis and plan over the past several years that identified actions to strengthen our partnerships and explore a new home base to allow for more local support and fundraising.
Since there are no secrets in drum corps, many of you are aware that a variety of partnership discussions have taken place over the last year between The Cadets and multiple drum corps organizations. Although we all compete intensely on the field, I am finding that the business of drum corps is much more collaborative – and that’s a good thing. Many of our peer organizations have significant diversification in their funding base along with excellent business leadership. We are stronger together rather than working in our silos. We all have the common goal of sustaining the drum corps activity as a whole. I’m happy to report that we have been successful in strengthening many of these relationships, and we will continue to grow our relationships and partnerships across the drum corps community.
The other major strategic initiative involved our home base and potential relocation. As the press release described, the successful 2022 spring training experience in Erie led to a series of “What if” discussions to grow the relationship with the Erie Sports Center (ESC). We also examined other East Coast options, but none of them proved as promising as Erie. The Board performed a thorough due diligence over the past six months, including site visits to Erie and discussions with dozens of community leaders. With a clear set of requirements defined, The Cadets leadership negotiated several significant, long-term contracts with the ESC. The process has exceeded expectations so far and led the Board to the decision to approve relocation of corps operations.
But let’s be clear: This decision does not, in and of itself, solve all of the issues with long-term sustainability and financial stability. Rather, it provides for a higher probability of success, and the Board is not naïve about the work ahead of us to effectively relocate operations, meet all of our associated commitments to the local community, and grow our Erie relationships and value proposition.
And so, we invite all of you to join us in this next chapter of the organization’s collective history. From Garfield, to Bergen County, to Allentown, and now Erie, The Cadets have been honored more and endured longer than any other drum corps on the planet, but we still are and will always remain The Cadets – FHNSAB!
If you’d like more information concerning the Erie relocation or any other aspect of The 2023 Cadets, please reach out to me (jbroschak@cadets.org), any Board Member, or the Board collectively at board@cadets.org. Thank you so much for your on-going support. We truly appreciate your feedback as well. We also can’t wait for you to experience The 2023 Cadets! It’s going to be something special.
In your service,
John Broschak
