samadhi

Hey, we really liked that show. Interesting, technical, they carried it off well.

Nice picture! beautiful weather!

I fell for it two years in a row... I looked at it and the way it was laid out it looked like I'd see this event live. Wrong again. I will NEVER pay for this package again, I'll say that much. I'm sure it won't put a dent in their pocketbook but it will save me the aggravation. I'll buy the disc later and just hope and pray they treat Open Class parents and families better in the future.

It wasn't clear to me. And the same thing happened last year as well. I was looking at the blue checks next to the events and it said "Live" and that's what I thought I was getting. They were not sympathetic about it either. I was upset but nothing I could do about it. They said I could watch the semi's in a week. We didn't get to see the finals for months on the FN after the performance last year. That was sad. I really hoped things would be different this year because it's looking like our last. (not because of this issue!)

Good luck with that. I called them, wrote letters, posted on this forum, and offered what I thought to be a reasonable solution. Most parents can't go to finals. They can't go on the road with the corps but would love to see their kids perform more often, especially when it comes down to semi's and finals. The Fan Network does put up some videos on demand but it's pretty clear the real focus is on the World Class corps. And that's wonderful.. if you kid is in WC. I suggested making Open Class Finals a pay per view event that could be live streamed in multi-camera format. They could charge whatever they wanted and I would bet most of us would pony up the cost to see our kids perform as well as their competition. It's nice to have a DVD of your own corps but much better to see who they competed with too. And make a DVD part of that package. If we paid $180 for the pleasure of a Blu-Ray disc of the WC finals and live streaming semi's and VOD (video on demand AFTER the finals) I think most of us Open Class parents would happily add more to watch our Open Class kids perform! Those who CAN attend with continue to attend, and for those who cant but still want to watch, at least they would have the option. The ability to download individual performances didn't work out well for us... it crashed our computer- not DCI's fault, just didn't have a very up to date computer and we got one recording. And then there was the problem with unlicensed music that was blacked and silenced out of the final DVD when it arrived, so we didn't even get to hear and see the entire performance. Really, that kind of thing should have been worked out in production long before the arrival of a partial show. This happens more often than it should and it's sad if you weren't there because it's the only show you're going to see. Yes, it is some consolation we will get to watch our Open Class corps on the 10th, but if we are already having the OC Championships outside of Indy, why couldn't they accommodate the parents and families of the OC a little better? They have no internet connection there I'm told. They had a year to figure that out, but didn't. I have also been told the OC doesn't generate enough revenue for DCI to put out a lot of time or equipment for recording or streaming them. I don't know what to think about that, but I know when I see my son on the field in competition, I'm the proudest parent in the audience. I just don't see enough of it! I was so willing to pay for the experience we had a few years ago, but I don't think that will ever happen again. Sadly, I think this is our last year with drum corps and I don't know what they will do with it in the future. I hope for the sake of OC parents they make this part of the competition easier to access next year. The kids are SO worth it!

I have no idea what kind of 'incident' you're talking about but the best way to figure out what corps to go with is to talk to the members of both and see how they like where they are? Do they think they are learning? Are the instructors professional and motivating? Is the cost a factor? Talk to support staff too. If you can afford it, attend both their Open House camps as well. That could give you a very realistic experience of their team dynamics. Whichever corps you choose, good luck to you!

I can't find anything either... DCI is posting, last one was the Raiders...with 79.450!

Colt Cadets just got 73.200!

After last year, I thought for sure the powers that be would understand the parents of the Open Class corps would love to watch our kids perform via the Fan Network for prelims and even finals. I made the mistake of thinking the blue check next to the event meant I'd get to view the OC prelims live this year and was sadly disappointed, again. I called DCI and checked to be sure. They told me I could see it on demand in a week most likely in the high camera format. There are very few videos of the Open Class corps on the Fan Network, only two for our corp, the 7th Regiment, and that was from early in the season. This is sad because we couldn't afford a home show, all but one competition was close enough for me to attend, so I really have only seen my son perform in competition once all season.... our family show before they left was totally washed out by torrential rains but they played through it anyway! They are so awesome! There are some great corps out there this year and it's a shame we can't see more of them. The DCI representative could not be certain if we would be offered a DVD of finals or not, wasn't sure about downloads, and it's painful to hear that as a parent of a corp member who has worked so hard since winter to give it all up on the field. I understand there is no internet connection at Michigan City but they had a year to plan for this... Maybe next year they could make it right for all of the parents unable to go on the road... We'd pay for it. Shoot, we already do but still the OC doesn't seem to get much air time on the Fan Network. It all comes down to money I guess.

I really hope the 7th Regiment makes it into the mix this year. They've had a great season with an interesting show.... I'd be so proud!

It was the least they could have done... They don't seen to be planning on streaming the prelims in Indy when they go head to head with the World Class corps. That would be pretty cool, but apparently not cool enough for hell to freeze over.

How many people are sitting in their homes tonight paying NOTHING to DCI when they would gladly be paying to see their kids perform in the Open Class Finals in Michigan City? I would happily pay the best seat price, heck, even TWICE the price, to see my son perform with his corp, and would be just as happy to watch every other Open Class performance as well. As it is, we can't travel to the championships. We have a farm. The last time we got to see our kids on the field was an exhibition put on free of charge because our corp couldn't afford to pay DCI to put on our own show this year. Does anyone know when DCI will make the performances of today available on the VOD area of the Fan Network? And by the way, I emailed, wrote, made phone calls last year suggesting pay-per-view streaming with multi-cam option and all responses were discouraging. They almost made me feel like I was the only parent who purchased all three DVD's the years they were made available. Was I? All I want to know is ... when will I be able to watch the final performances of every corp in competition tonight?

Are they in intermission? I somehow thought DCI was going to let us watch the OC Finals on Fan Network... they said it will be available VOD. Does anyone know when they would post those performances? OR do we have to hope they will publish a DVD? I have to start reading the fine print with DCI. I paid so much money and they do so little for the Open Class. This hurts not to be able to go out there. DCI would make a lot more money if they streamed this even on a pay per view basis.