World Solo Drumming Championships Cancelled?

The annual World Solo Drumming Championships are allegedly in jeopardy due to a sponsorship dispute.

Premier, the drum manufacturer and makers of the very successful HTS 700 pipe band snare, has reportedly pulled out of the underwriting arrangement after the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) asked for £10,000 in return for the title sponsorship.

Premier has sponsored the event since the 1980s.

The RSPBA divulged its financial problems at its annual general meeting in March of this year, and subsequently slashed prize monies at its contests over the course of the summer.

The move to demand more money from Premier is seen by some as an aggressive attempt to help restore its coffers.

One drummer, who requested his name not be used, said, “A lot of us think that the RSPBA are a bit greedy. With all the other money problems they have been having, nothing would surprise me.”

Conversely, another insider thinks that the RSPBA is finally trying to raise the profile of the World’s most prestigious solo drumming event: “£10,000 from a company like Premier to give a little back to the drummers who have made their products very successful, is really not a lot to ask, is it?”

It is reported also that Andante and Pearl have been approached about taking on the sponsorship.

Until the matter is settled, it appears that the event may not take place.

p|d

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