For the first time in Corps history, the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps are World Champions. On August 9, the 2025 DCI season concluded in Indianapolis, IN, with the Crusaders scoring a 98.425, narrowly surpassing Bluecoats by .175. In addition to the Gold Medal, Boston took home the coveted Fred Sanford Award for Best Percussion Performance with a perfect 20.000 score, a feat not achieved since the 1987 Garfield Cadets.
“Eighty-five years in the making – all of us here at Pearl/Adams want to congratulate the Boston Crusaders on a storybook DCI season and first-ever World Championship!” said Adam Jones, Director of Marketing at Pearl Corporation. “With a flawless percussion score and Best Percussion honors, we look forward to many more years of the Crusaders showing the world why Pearl is The Best Reason to Play Drums!”
“This is a milestone achievement in our corps’ 85-year history, and our Pearl/Adams instruments helped make our musical dreams come true,” said Colin McNutt, Director of Percussion.
Pearl congratulates the entire Boston Crusaders organization, participants, families, and alumni on this incredible milestone, with special acknowledgement to Percussion staff: Colin McNutt (Director of Percussion), Iain Moyer (Front Ensemble Arranger), Alex Beltran (Battery Manager), Jason Inhat (Front Ensemble Coordinator), Jim Ancona (Percussion Advisor), and Ian Hale (Front Ensemble).
Boston’s victory comes only days after Boston Crusader Senior Advisor, Thom Hannum, was named the new Director of Education at Pearl Corporation, and marks the first Gold Medal and Percussion Award since the Corps returned to Pearl/Adams in 2022.
Boston’s Battery took the field this year on Championship Maple Drums in a Custom ‘Machine Grey’ Lacquer, Black Powdercoat Hardware, CX Airframe 2 Carriers, and Pearl’s Advanced Marching Hardware. Boston’s Front Ensemble was outfitted entirely with Adams Keyboards, Timpani, Bass Drums, and accessories.
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