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Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Wondering on 7/6/2026, 12:41 pm

Can someone tell me why TBA costs $200/$225 when TCDA costs $50, TODA is $50, TMEA is $65, and Texas High School Coaching School is $70? We wonder why attendance is down at TBA for directors? There’s your answer. By the time you pay registration, hotel, and meals, it will cost between $700 - $900.

Yes, people will say “the BBQ”. Not everyone goes to the BBQ and/or does the boat ride afterward.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Strange idea on 7/19/2026, 11:58 am, in reply to "Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

Costs for both conventions is getting higher and there are districts who will only pay for 1 convention. I’m retired and living in San Antonio so I will continue to go regardless, but with all the time being spent with vendors meeting with their clients, arrangers looking for schools looking for arrangers, drill and guard companies having booths, and most schools having already picked their music and maybe their drill well, maybe TBA and TMEA should swap calendar dates?

All the other disciplines could still meet in February. And then move the summer convention as close as possible to the end of school.

All the all-state auditions/concerts could still be in February.

Right now there are some great marching clinics at TBA, but most of the clinics are late since many bands (not all) are thinking marching band beginning in January.

Well, put the clinics where they might get more interest and be more pertinent.

This move could, unfortunately, doom TMEA but something needs to change. I could envision everybody together with the convention adding a day to accommodate any clinics, meetings, lunches, ceremonies, etc., that could not fit in the regular convention time.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Occam’s Razor on 7/15/2026, 8:43 pm, in reply to "Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

1) Impact of the public school funding crisis
2) Inflation
3) Directors needing balance

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by WBB on 7/14/2026, 1:57 pm, in reply to "Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

No one has said it but where did you get your information about TCDA/TODA registration fees? Their websites have both at $155/$175 for active members depending on early bird or not registration. I understand that cost is expensive but spreading inaccurate information does more harm than good.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Original Old Guy on 7/11/2026, 10:45 pm, in reply to "Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

Retired directors have an even harder time going. Most cannot go because of very high hotel prices. We old guys (I am in my middle 70’s) really need the hotels close to the convention center, but they are the highest prices. Us seniors really need a break on the hotel prices and our registration should be minimal. These prices are why so many of stop going even though we love attending. Yes, I will be there. I go to both conventions every year and have since I started teaching back in the 1970’s (get your marching band off my lawn!), but I may not be going for much longer.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Trout on 7/14/2026, 3:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

My first TMEA was 1958. I am retired but still teaching as a "band tutor." Both conventions became too expensive for me about 15 years ago, and I have stopped joining all three organizations. I miss the workshops and concerts, but most of all I miss my friends and the company of band people.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Dubs on 7/8/2026, 11:35 pm, in reply to "Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

Only reason I am going is my booster club is attending the 1 day workshop and I have to be a member for them to attend.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Kramer on 7/8/2026, 3:54 pm, in reply to "Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

Because so many bands are starting summer band and just not attending TBA. Just look at the exhibit hall. It's a fraction of what it used to be, but I'm sure the cost to rent it has gone up.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by This on 7/9/2026, 1:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

I agree. Marching band is much different than it was 20 years ago. So you’re either starting it up or you’re spending your very few vacation days left with your family. Modern directors value their off time more and would rather step away and focus on other interest or family during their off time rather than go do more band stuff like go to a convention. I wouldn’t be surprised if TBA exists as another organization represented at the TMEA convention within the next decade.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Yup on 7/8/2026, 8:05 am, in reply to "Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

This!!

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Me on 7/7/2026, 10:03 pm, in reply to "Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

Furthermore, there exists no chain BBQ place on earth worthy of spending $100-150 a plate on to make it comparable to the cost of TCDA/TODA.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by DesertJazz on 7/7/2026, 12:11 pm, in reply to "Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

I can't speak with certainty, but I have a guess it has to do with a few factors:

1) Exhibitors - this part of the convention has significantly diminished since I began teaching in Texas 20 years ago. There are some recent improvements, but they make up a huge bulk of the support for TMEA that keeps those lower.

2) Membership numbers: TBA is just band directors - no choir, orchestra, general music at all, and less college division. The convention center doesn't decrease the price that much I would assume when you use less rooms. Also, I'm hopeful that the numbers increase now that TBA has been able to get the dates to pivot earlier now, but attendance other than 2021 has been falling significantly from what I've seen for well over a decade.

3) Not sure how TCDA and TODA are doing it now - they used to be more expensive than TBA and I know they had members come pay our membership fees at times and then get into the convention center with that.

I agree the fees are too much in a lot of ways. I'm also nervous that news stories like I saw of complaints of school board members spending similar amounts at TASB start getting leveled at our world too.

Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively

Posted by Exhibitor on 7/10/2026, 10:19 am, in reply to "Re: Cost of TBA - Comparatively"

I used to work for a large chain music store. When I first started with them, we had a large multi -booth setup at TBA, that we kept through TODA and TCDA. At that time the three conventions were back-to-back days, so we were there exhibiting for 10 days or so. The expense of multiple sales people in hotels and expense accounts had to be huge. The conventions combined somewhere around 2015, which made things easier for exhibitors, but even still everything has dwindled. Attendance is down across the board and the exhibit hall is a ghost town. My former employer has a couple of spaces with a skeleton crew of sales staff.

For me personally, I can't justify the expense of two conventions during the year. The registration cost is minimal compared to the travel, hotels, meals, and my district pays nothing. If I'm picking one it's the big one at the time of year when I really need a break to recharge. Next week I'll be clinging to the last of my summer break as I finalize plans for summer band that starts the week after.

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