DCA Schedule Thoughts

[Mick Krackin']

I agree with the camp that feels if ticket prices are too high, new fans probably won't come to the show just out of curiousity. HOWEVER, this doesn't change the simple math involved for the show sponsor.

If the show costs $25,000 to run and tickets are $10, they need at least 2,000 people to show up to be sure they are not going to lose money. You can raise some money otherwise...food/beverages, program ads, 50/50, etc, but the largest source of revenue by far is ticket sales. Raise ticket prices to $15 and you only need 1,666 to recoup all $25,000 that it costs to put on the show. Any other sales at the show are profit.

Most "show sponsors" are not event promoters or professional companies. They are band booster groups or the drum corps themselves. They are not in a position to lose money on a project, especially thousands of dollars. When this happens, the easiest thing for them to do is to NOT run the show next year.

Now, what to do about getting new fans to the shows? This needs to be the major focus of corps participating in shows, especially if they are based near the show itself. Offer a package of a bus seat and a ticket to help fill the empty seats on the bus for fans of your corps. This can be a big help with the bus bill as well. It's great to have fans at a far away show cheering for your corps.

Local show sponsors can do themselves a favor by setting up some sort of "Send a Kid to a Drum Corps Show" deal where local patrons buy a GA ticket to be given to local youth. This is how I went to my first drum corps show in 1984 and after seeing the Garfield Cadets, I was hooked and I joined drum corps the next year.

New fans aren't coming to the show no matter how low the price is unless you go after them with advertising and a strong grass roots effort. They just don't know what "drum corps" is and are unllikely to just stumble into the gate. Let's face it, those of us in it usually don't do a very good job of explaining it either. We usually get ticked off when they call it "band" or when they like a different corps than we do. Just be glad they are there and helping to keep drum corps shows alive and kicking.

Here is something everyone that goes to a show this year can do. Buy a ticket for someone that you know that is not already a drum corps fan and invite them to come to the show with you. If lots of fans did this on a regular basis, drum corps shows would be in much better shape for many years to come.

[brassomaniac]

I think you hit on the right combination there.

An attractive price would not only help with newbies, but may get more drum corps fans to multiple contests. It would also make it easier to drag some new friends along, whether you're paying for them or not.

You also need a facility with enough good seats. And, an organization large enough to get the word out, sell tickets, etc.

Plus, all the advertising you can get free, or at a reasonable price.

Then, add some patrons, an adbook, and concessions.

In most Northeast markets, 2000 people, at a $10-15 price point, shouldn't be THAT big a challenge.

I know that it's easy to sit here and say this. But, if we don't start growing the audiences, we'll be eventually be down to corps' doing close-by shows only. The corps' won't be able to keep sustaining big losses on contest trips. And you can't expect show sponsors to swallow losses and keep coming back. Raising ticket prices eventually results in diminishing returns.

Edited June 30, 2009 by brassomaniac

[27thAvantCadets]

So, I haven't been paying much attention to DCP recently, and I stumbled onto this thread which caught my interest, good topic, many aspects.

Tom Mac, I agree with you from a recruiting perspective, or even a "bring a friend along" perspective. $35-$45 bucks is a bit much for a small town stop along the summer tour. If it is a super regional, then maybe I might pay a little more, but...within reason.

Comparing a summer evening spent outside in the bleachers watching the sport of drum corps to going to the movies is just silly. I understand the idea of someone who is brand new to drum corps not feeling like it is worth it, but, just like anything else, they have to bite the bullet to understand what drum corps is! If you've never been scuba diving, the instructors are not going to lower their fees, drop the cost of the equipment rental, waive the boat charter fees and give you the wetsuit, just so you can see if you like it. The costs are there for a reason. To cover the actual expenses and for those who are offering the service to make a small profit.

Some might think that going to a professional ball game is not worth the price because they dont know the game or the rules, ect. (different world for many reasons, I know, but....) It is still outside, in the bleachers, and could be called due to weather. PLUS, there is usually only crappy organ music at those games!!!!! LOL.

It is truly a measure of priority and/or importance. I know some who will spend major bucks on their boat, or on their back yard. These are priorities for them. They would never drop $100 on a broadway show, or $40 buck on a pro ball game. To them, it is money not well spent. Simply because it is not their priority. But those folks I guess are the extremes, if there is someone who is borderline, who might consider it a fun evening of entertainment that is worth the cost, then perhaps you need to bite the bullet and pay there entrance fee. (or better yet, show them one of your many videos and DVDs that are sitting in your entertainment cabinet...I know you all have at least one!) Once they are hooked, then get them to pay their own way in.

Then there is the world of the sponsors and making certain that enough money is made to pay the corps, judges, ect and then of course, make a few bucks for themselves. We all know that the corps prices have gone up,(with gas and ect), the Judges are also not cheap (smaller judging panels help, but....), so the sponsors MUST increase the tix price to keep up.

I would love to see shows at $10 or less, and YES, I would probably go to more shows if the prices were cheaper, but, then again, it is all relative, and if the price of gas were cheaper I would probably drive more too.

The times they have changed! Everything is expensive...my duaghter runs track...seems like a pretty cheap sport...just go run! NOPE, $250 this season.

And you thought drum corps was getting expensive.

Beyond all this talk about tix prices and attendance, this thread started out with a question of odd scheduling....my question is this: Do you really want the same corps at the same shows every year? Thats what it seems like when reading the very first post. "The hurc are usually here, but not this year", "the Bucs come to this show every year, but not this year..." (paraphrasing). I know we grow accustom to seeing our favorite corps each year, but it is sometimes fun to see corps we dont see alot of too. Now, if you are saying that in the past a certain show has had 9 corps and this year it is down to 6 or 4, then that is all about the economy! and that sucks! Which, brings us back to the tix prices and this vicsous circle!

But then again, what the hell do I know!

now I will go back into hiding.

Edited June 30, 2009 by 27thAvantCadets

[LegalEagle50]

Comparing a summer evening spent outside in the bleachers watching the sport of drum corps to going to the movies is just silly.

I'll disagree with you 100% if we're talking about how to convince a first timer to attend.

[brassomaniac]

I'll disagree with you 100% if we're talking about how to convince a first timer to attend.

ditto!

A newbie isn't going to "bite the bullet" for a expensive ticket, if he/she hasn't already been exposed to drum corps. Non-drum corps prospects are going to compare the price to something they would normally do for entertainment. I doubt that they would see an unknown (to them) type of entertainment as comparable to well-known Major League sports.

Further, you can only raise the ticket prices so high before you get diminishing returns. Then, the only way to increase revenues is to increase the audience size. Basic economics. If the show sponsors, corps' and DCA are all satisfied with the revenue and current economics of participating in shows, then the prices are just fine.

Edited June 30, 2009 by brassomaniac

[Kay]

I still don't think the prices are very high at say $20 to have live entertainment. If you go out for the evening doing just about anything, you're getting off cheap if you spend $20.

People spend more then that at Starbucks in a week, etc.....If you even go to a local pub to see a live band you probably pay about $10 or more to just walk in the door.

What I think is getting lost is, we as the current DC fans, have to sell it to the newbies to expand the audience, something that has been going on forever.

I also think it is and/or could be much easier to sell with today's technology. 20 years ago if I said to someone come with me to see a DC show and their response would be "to see a bunch of band geeks?"

Now, you can say, NOOOOOOOOOO you big moron jerk (great way to sell ha), to see this, and you can show them clips from the net.

We have to sell ourselves better.

For example - seeing baseball stadiums pretty much full, people are paying top dollar to watch overpaid underachieving men play - why not sell a $20 for a bunch of people showing off their hobby that they paid to do, not get paid to do.

PS (in fairness I live on LI and work in NYC - if you told me I could have a night out for $20 or less - I'd say sign me up because its just not very probable where I live)

Edited June 30, 2009 by Kay

[brassomaniac]

I don't disagree with you, Kay, about the value.

But, are we filling the seats? Are enough friends being dragged to shows. Are enough new fans being created?

It would be interesting to get some data on ticket sales. Maybe there are plenty of butts in the seats at the current prices.

But, I keep reading about corps' losing money on show trips, small audiences, and Sponsors challenged to make a profit.

Just responding to that.

Edited June 30, 2009 by brassomaniac

[donincardona]

I still don't think the prices are very high at say $20 to have live entertainment. If you go out for the evening doing just about anything, you're getting off cheap if you spend $20.

People spend more then that at Starbucks in a week, etc.....If you even go to a local pub to see a live band you probably pay about $10 or more to just walk in the door.

What I think is getting lost is, we as the current DC fans, have to sell it to the newbies to expand the audience, something that has been going on forever.

I also think it is and/or could be much easier to sell with today's technology. 20 years ago if I said to someone come with me to see a DC show and their response would be "to see a bunch of band geeks?"

Now, you can say, NOOOOOOOOOO you big moron jerk (great way to sell ha), to see this, and you can show them clips from the net.

We have to sell ourselves better.

For example - seeing baseball stadiums pretty much full, people are paying top dollar to watch overpaid underachieving men play - why not sell a $20 for a bunch of people showing off their hobby that they paid to do, not get paid to do.

PS (in fairness I live on LI and work in NYC - if you told me I could have a night out for $20 or less - I'd say sign me up because its just not very probable where I live)

you miss the point. of couse drum corps peolple don't think $ 20.00 is a lot of money. i happen to think it's outrages but i understand. but when you talk about someone who has never been to a show and don't know what it's all about and equate it to a hs marching band guess what..........they ain't buying tickets. now that's the sad reality.

[brassomaniac]

Someone commented that, for a new fan, you could compare their perception of the value to going to an outdoor sporting event... Here's a closer one..

In my area, there are weekly FREE concerts... often BIG names (ok, big names on the downside of their careers), or popular regional acts, in several area parks and other venues.

It's probably more likely that the value of a Drum Corps event, for a newbie, might be compared to all the FREE choices a family might have for a very high level of music entertainment.

This is just the reality we're up against in selling tickets to a new audience.

Edited June 30, 2009 by brassomaniac

[TomPeashey]

In effect Tom, you are saying we should be government sponsored... the concerts you discuss are paid for by someone and I suspect the government... yeah right... good luck with that...

and to be hoest Tom, I think you see more of that than other areas because of state capital perks...

I see your point, but can't accept it.