barigirl78 Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 If you want to give enough freebies away, you can put people in the seats but that's nothing unique to championships. The Cadets have deals for local HS etc. for their MetLife show: Better to have a few bucks and more fans in the lousy seats than to have no bucks and empty seats. I'm sure other shows at large venues do so as well. Bloomington attendance was high because people were interested in the novelty of what was supposed to be the new stadium, plus the weather was perfect so they probably got quite a lot of walk-ups. In the grand scheme of things, some people will go to Indy regardless and others will skip because it's Indy. But DCI has a sweetheart deal so it doesn't really matter if half of the fans aren't paying full price for admission. Still, it begs a question about whether DCI's pricing strategy for Finals is right. Big marketers take scientific approaches to pricing their product exactly right for the demand they have. Price a product too high and sales go down. Price it too low and you have tons of sales, but less profit (or even a loss). They try to find the right blend of price vs. demand. If, as I observed, people with low priced tickets are merely moving to higher priced seats because they are empty or they are filling seats by letting people in for less, then maybe they should lower the "list" price to a market-driven amount that does fill the premium seats as they should be filled. The price just doesn't seem like the right value to me given the number of corps performing and other opportunities in the season--or even the same week--to see even more corps for a lower price. Oh, what DCI could do if they had enough money to do some real marketing research. As a totally odd tangential mention, I go to San Diego Comic-con. I have for the last 12 years. The attendance is 130,000 (the maximum they can accommodate in the convention center). A 4-day badge is $150. They sell out within an hour of going on sale. Ten years ago, the attendance was 63,000. Twenty years ago attendance was 22,000. The first year(1970) it was 145 people. Not all cult activities stay "cult". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 DCI got their hopes up with a great turnout for the regional events. The fact is .. people hate the Oil Can. Everyone I know .. and I mean EVERYONE .. that is a DCI fan will not and never will go to finals in that venue. It's a waste of money. I live in Michigan and thankfully we have one or two decent shows here every year .. and the route to Indy late season gives us the opportunity to see corps at their finest within a 4 hour drive ... 5 max ... and we can see them 3-5 times the week before finals at a much cheaper price. So yeah ..... why would I go to that cruddy enclosed stadium with horrible acoustics and overpriced seating just to see a predetermined outcome (for the most part)? I would venture a guess that they had about 13,000 in the seats .. with about 9-10K paid for. It's a far cry from the figures at Camp randall, Buffalo or even KC. Those were 20K+ events. And the Rose Bowl I believe was a record. I can't remember the figure but I believe it was upwards of 30K in attendance. as such, not broadcasting finals on the Fan Network is lost $$$. Between people that do not like the venue, or just can't afford the trip, DCI is losing money, even if they get a deal on the place 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I think Lucas Oil is a great location for finals. Thursday and Friday are long days and I appreciate the controlled temp, padded separate seats, and ample restrooms. And this is the second straight year where weather would have severely delayed if not cancelled numerous performances in a non-domed stadium. Finally, everything is walkable; I never get a car in Indy. Yes, it is a little boomy but that declines as the crowds increase during the week and it is not so bad as to sway me on the other factors. I do hope to get there one year, at least for Thursday and possibly Friday. IMO, those two days are a great value.... a whole bunch of corps for the ticket price. Just from seeing the stadium on the cinecast, one thing that strikes me about it is the multiple levels, which separate the audience... no one big "concert side" with no separation. I wonder if that takes away a bit of the "drum corps fan bonding" experience. I don't know... I haven't been there yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I was at Montreal, and it was the largest finals I have ever attended. Easly over 30,000 It was posted on the scoreboard that it was over 40,000. Geoffrey 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 a) Look at the stands at other major events on TV; the numbers are down in all genres of sports/competition. b) Look at DCI (as a whole within the context of "all" events) and you will find attendance is up. c) If NASCAR only had all of drivers in one place at just one event, say the Daytona 500, then that race would sell out each year. d) If DCI only had all of the corps in one place at just one event, just at Champs, then that event would draw way more people. e) Holding "major" DCI events each weekend where the top 20 plus WC corps perform is akin to say NASCAR holding weekend events where all drivers compete. f) So why could attendance possibly be down at DCI Finals yet up as a whole across the nation? It is a cost vs. availability issue; and "most" people cannot tell the difference, or even care about the difference, of a corps performance as they progress to Indy. When a person living near or around Texas can see all corps, why spend the extra cash and time to go to Finals? If a person living near or around Georgia can see all corps then why spend the extra cash and time to go to Finals? If a person living near or around Minnesota can see all corps, then why spend the extra cash and time to go to Finals? How is DCI attendance "up" overall when theres even less shows than past years ?? Care to cite some stats ?? G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats88 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 As an aside, would someone refresh my memory? Which is the "off" year for Indy? 2015? my understanding is that the event which was causing the conflict in the one year (I want to say 2015) has been cancelled and there will be no conflict that year so doubtful finals will be anywhere but Indy for the next 5 years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats88 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 It was posted on the scoreboard that it was over 40,000. Geoffrey I think that posting included everyone who came through the turnstile including members of competing corps who didn't make finals. and in those years that's a lot of people. I don't think the current numbers include the marching members of non finalist corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 (edited) As an aside, would someone refresh my memory? Which is the "off" year for Indy? 2015? Was supposed to be 2014 or 2015 but the conflict has been resolved. There will be no off year. DADA LOS is still alive! my understanding is that the event which was causing the conflict in the one year (I want to say 2015) has been cancelled and there will be no conflict that year so doubtful finals will be anywhere but Indy for the next 5 years. Doh, posted before I saw this. And it's SIX more years, btw. Edited August 13, 2012 by skywhopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 2012 was the first year I have missed championshis week since 1980....Im tired of Indianapolis, I liked driving to Foxboro, and Buffalo, taking the train to Madison, flying to Jackson, etc......every year now, its the same ole, same view, same city, same routine, same restaurants, etc...... I was really sad at first, but then I realized, I saw Quarters on vacation, Semis in a hotel on vacation, and It was nice tuning in for the scores Sat Night. I thik I may not be back. Geoffrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skywhopper Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 I think that posting included everyone who came through the turnstile including members of competing corps who didn't make finals. and in those years that's a lot of people. I don't think the current numbers include the marching members of non finalist corps. This is a good point. For the only two years that I have found data from DCI on both tickets and attendance: 1981 had 32,500 tickets sold and 36,000+ attendance. 2002 had 20,200 tickets sold and 26,000 attendance. Those numbers probably included all freebies. The numbers from the last few years were very explicit that they excluded corps members and staff who had wristbands, but they still aren't tickets-sold. They include a lot of other freebies, presumably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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