Sorry, but this didn't do anything yet.

[JimF-LowBari]

Going to be an interesting next few seasons for the smaller corps no matter how this works out initially. Really interesting to me as I'm a fan of smaller corps and have seen what has happened in the All Age area when DCA finally embraced the small corps. Now that DCA and DCI are working closer together wonder if DCI borrowed a few ideas from DCA in dealing with the small corps.

What's next, DCI Mini Corps.... :)

[dsb2007]

The plan to host Semis and Finals at Lucas was done WAY before the divisional changes that were done in Sept. So I don't think you can link them together.

Actually...there is a little fish tale out there that DCI and the Division II/III directors were discussing the Open Class idea the week of finals and some figure heads were even tossing the idea around before that. My gut tells me they already knew what they were going to do with Division II/III long before we heard about publicly. So it's still very possible that the decision was based on the fact that they at least knew they were going to do SOMETHING new.

Lets face it. DCI would not be holding the Open Class semis and finals in the main stadium if they were not absolutely certain that SOMETHING was going to cause them to have "more butts in the seat". It would be too much of a financial risk and DCI is not too hip on those. Without doubt, DCI believes they will sell enough tickets to the Open Class finals to make it worth the investment or they wouldn't be doing it. I'm going to trust that they know what they are doing and that the Open Class plan will work and be more profitable.

Edited October 10, 2007 by dsb2007

[Tom Brace]

Actually...there is a little fish tale out there that DCI and the Division II/III directors were discussing the Open Class idea the week of finals and some figure heads were even tossing the idea around before that. My gut tells me they already knew what they were going to do with Division II/III long before we heard about publicly. So it's still very possible that the decision was based on the fact that they at least knew they were going to do SOMETHING new.

Lets face it. DCI would not be holding the Open Class semis and finals in the main stadium if they were not absolutely certain that SOMETHING was going to cause them to have "more butts in the seat". It would be too much of a financial risk and DCI is not too hip on those. Without doubt, DCI believes they will sell enough tickets to the Open Class finals to make it worth the investment or they wouldn't be doing it. I'm going to trust that they know what they are doing and that the Open Class plan will work and be more profitable.

DCI is forced to rent the stadium (in this case Lucas Oil) for the entire day beginning Thursday. Since they have the stadium for the entire day, the morning shows on Friday and Saturday cost DCI little...perhaps some maintenance folks and some security people. Since the shows are on in the morning, there are no additional lighting costs and since DCI will only use one side of the stadium, fewer people are needed for the shows. I would say that putting another 2500-3000 people in the stands for Saturday's show alone probably more than covers any additional cost to produce these shows. But, I'm sure one of the Open Class corps directors could correct me if anything I said was mistaken.

In Madison, the commined total for all three Div.II/III shows was about 5000 people.

[dsb2007]

DCI is forced to rent the stadium (in this case Lucas Oil) for the entire day beginning Thursday. Since they have the stadium for the entire day, the morning shows on Friday and Saturday cost DCI little...perhaps some maintenance folks and some security people. Since the shows are on in the morning, there are no additional lighting costs and since DCI will only use one side of the stadium, fewer people are needed for the shows. I would say that putting another 2500-3000 people in the stands for Saturday's show alone probably more than covers any additional cost to produce these shows. But, I'm sure one of the Open Class corps directors could correct me if anything I said was mistaken.

If this was the reason DCI is using the stadium for Open Class, why are they NOT using it on "Thursday" (which you mentioned was a day they had it rented out) for the Open Class Quarterfinals too then? Uh...I think you might be making some assumptions. Not going to totally write this idea off...but it sounds like maybe only part of the story...if not a complete blind assumption based on some hearsay. Worth checking out further though.

In Madison, the commined total for all three Div.II/III shows was about 5000 people.

I don't think you can use Madison as an example. I know the crows was pretty small in comparison to the size of the stadium. Which is why I think they wouldn't be doing this ever again unless they knew they could fill it more than that with the new Open Class system in place.