audiodb Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 My own opinion is that the ticket buyer is paying to see a contest. While it is nice that the event also has entertainment value, there are no warranties made as to the degree of artistry/entertainment of the programs. Just as no refunds are given when a skater checks out of a planned triple axel, doing a double instead, I wouldn't expect a refund for a corps having incomplete guard work or drill. However.... The primary issue here is that some corps (particularly some "World Class" corps) appear to have gotten to the point where they seem routinely comfortable not putting a completed product on the field early season. They recognize that there are no consequences to not performing their entire show (music and visual), and therefore they get it done on their time, regardless of the amount of time, money and personal sacrifice that some fans put into supporting those corps by attending shows. It's simply wrong.If there were any real notion of valuing supporters of the activity, the governing body would impose some level of sanction for those units not providing a complete "product." I agree that there should be consequences for incomplete programs. At the very least, judges should score based on the quality and quantity of what is presented. Better yet, DCI should also enforce undertime penalties at early-season shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salad315 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Um common sense - if its been raining, and the shows cancelled, and its likely to start raining again, you dont wear your uniforms, even to a standstill. Ive done standstills in uniform and out of it, and the people cheered all the same. I know everyone likes to see the pretty colors and whatnot, but the benefit of that is not worth the risk of having 150 soaked uniforms...since the performance is going to be 'music-only' anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wadep66 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I would say if I'm that friggin nit-picky about perfection then I should go see a movie instead of DCI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rut-roh Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 The only thing I expect from the tickets I buy is that every corps go out there and give me the best effort they've got. Whether that means their show is complete or not. To date, I have never been disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84skyrydr Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Easiest answer I came up with after going to a bunch of early, midseason and late season shows. You get what you pay for. You get entertainment. You get it at different levels, and different qualities. Racine Scouts with a full show is not as entertaining as Cavaliers with a 3/4 show and no guard unis, but they are both entertaining. Don't go to an early show and expect a finished product. The only finished product is in the very last show of the season. Just go, pay and enjoy. Life is to short to worry about someones unis or 2 minutes lack of guardwork. Shows are here and gone too fast each year, so ENJOY. No matter the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersnyder Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I understand that drum corps is not a professional troupe. But I still think that drum corps have a lot of nerve performing only a part of their show at an event where people are paying admission. The shows (or some early version of it) needs to be ready before the first performance. Now I'm not saying that the shows need to be championship-week quality. But shows should never end in the middle of a piece, or leave entire pieces out altogether. Audience members should never have to wonder why the guard is just standing at attention during he most exciting parts of the closer. Audience members should never think, "oh, I guess they're not done."One would never buy tickets to a movie and accept that it just stopped 3/4 of the way through. You also wouldn't see a movie screen go black, and just hear the audio for the last few scenes. At a play, you would never see the actors stop moving and read their lines for the later scenes. (I think most people would ask for their money back.) As the supposed "major league" of marching music, why is this considered acceptable? The season starts in June. Prepare accordingly. With corps, like any sport, you're watching the journey through the season. Unfortunately complicated shows take time to develop and while the season starts in June most are in school/college up to that point and can't do two months of fulltime prep prior to the season. I watched the kickoff of the Cadets show in Chambersburg and I was impressed with where they were. If you only want the final product, watch finals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsualumnus Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Easiest answer I came up with after going to a bunch of early, midseason and late season shows. You get what you pay for. You get entertainment. You get it at different levels, and different qualities. Racine Scouts with a full show is not as entertaining as Cavaliers with a 3/4 show and no guard unis, but they are both entertaining. Don't go to an early show and expect a finished product. The only finished product is in the very last show of the season. Just go, pay and enjoy. Life is to short to worry about someones unis or 2 minutes lack of guardwork. Shows are here and gone too fast each year, so ENJOY. No matter the cost. I agree...with a beer in the parking lot!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barigirl78 Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 The performances at early season shows have always been weaker than later season shows. Drum corps is unique in competitive sports because it is a product based on precision and precision gets better with practice. Shows also change as judges give feedback. Corps are also known to change uniforms and flags along the way, even back in the 70's The joy of following a season is to see the progression. If you only want to see the shows in their perfected version, don't go to early season shows. They aren't for you. But, there are loads of other people--myself included--who do see value in the early shows. You get familiar with the program and the music. It enhances your ability to appreciate the show later on. Plus, the corps are all pretty good. For years, I wasn't as engaged in drum corps as I am now. The only show I would see all year was DCI Allentown. High performance level by all corps. However, I don't think I got as much out of it as I would have if I were more familiar with the various programs and seen them earlier in the season. I don't think this question has a universal answer. It relates to what you as an audience member want from the show and what your own judgment of the value. I work in consumer marketing and each consumer has their own judgment of value. I went to the Bristol show and the Jackson show. I paid $20 for a ticket to the former and $10 to the latter (for standing room because it was sold out and I stood at the 45 yeard line). I don't think those were overly priced. Later in the season, I have a $35 ticket for a premium seat at Allentown. So, I did pay less for earlier season shows than a later one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 (edited) Early season. People (Customers) paying good money to see a "product" (DCI's and Drum Corps words, not mine). What should they feel is a reasonable expectation of a COMPLETE product? AND, are the people (Customers) who pay money for late season shows getting a better value? Spawned from the Crossmen's uniform thread. Should Major League Baseball fans in Toronto who bought tickets in ( say ) early April for a Toronto game in August get a refund if the Toronto Jays Owners at the trading deadline the end of July decide to cut payroll and unload some of the star players ( before that August game )because their team is considered out of the pennant race ? Edited July 10, 2009 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.morgus Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Should Major League Baseball fans in Toronto who bought tickets in ( say ) early April for a Toronto game in August get a refund if as expected the Toronto Jays Owners at the trading deadline the end of July decide to cut payroll and unload some of the star players because their team is out of the pennant race ? No, but if in every game in April and half way through May they switched to Tee-Ball after 6 innings because their bull pen wasn't ready for the season, I would be very upset. I think that this analogy is very close, One would never buy tickets to a movie and accept that it just stopped 3/4 of the way through. You also wouldn't see a movie screen go black, and just hear the audio for the last few scenes. At a play, you would never see the actors stop moving and read their lines for the later scenes. (I think most people would ask for their money back.) [with no scenery or costumes, either] especially in light of the fact that the activity is being marketed as "entertainment" and "spectacle" and not so much as a competitive youth activity. Fans of the corps in that show might not care, but it does give these unfinished shows an attitude that value for the paying customer is secondary to what the performers want to present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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