crfrey71 Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Agreed. And let's face it...there is far less to do in Dayton than there is in Indy. Yet I love going to Dayton every year and I've always enjoyed going to Indy when I've been there. I'm looking forward to it. I disagree. Dayton is only 50 miles from Columbus and Cincinnati. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crfrey71 Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Good point. It can be the same in drum corps. How many of those complaining about finals every year in Indy are the same that love returning to Madison year after year? Very good arguement, in regards to Madison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffwah Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 This was certainly brought up on here when the decision was made. While I understand the 'pros' for picking a venue and returning there for several years in a row, I really enjoyed going to a different city and turing it into a mini vacation. No offense to people in Indy, but I haven't heard that much about the city that would make me want to go back again and again and again. I'll likely be one of those fans that now goes from time to time instead of every year. I agree. I really enjoyed seeing different parts of the country and spending a few extra days to see the sites. Boston and L.A. were both great. I've been to Indy and not a lot to do there. Especially 9 years in a row. I've been attending the championships for 10+ years and I'm sure I will stop attending each year. Again, no offense to the nice people in Indy but I can't imagine wanting to go back year after year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crfrey71 Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 As far as I know, DCI attendance has always declined in consecutive years in the same venue.Back in the mid-80s, finals were in Madison for three years running, 1985-1987, breaking with then-DCI chair Don Pesceone's policy of getting the best deals by keeping finals in a city for two years running. (Miami had been intended for a second consecutive year but was poorly attended in the first, and so it was moved to Hotlanta for 1984.) Despite the second-year fall in attendance in each venue during this era, there was discussion then, early in the Madison run, about making Madison the "permanent" championship city, but by the third year, attendance was down significantly over the first, and the idea was shelved and finals were moved to Kansas City for two years. Shortly after that, finals started moving annually. I don't know for sure what happened in the three consecutive years in Orlando in the '90s-- and if there's a city where you can't run out of things to do on vacation, Orlando is certainly in the running-- but I think it declined then as well. A steady dropoff seems likely to me. Excellent post! If this has happened at bigger markets, such as Orlando and KC, how do they expect to keep attendance up in Indy? I remember attending championships at the Rose Bowl in 2007 and seeing the Indy tourism ads on the Jumbotron video board at the Rose Bowl. It made me laugh. I remember one of them was an ad for the Indianapolis aquarium. It's like seeing an ad for Cleveland, Ohio, while in Paris, France, at the Eiffel Tower. Nothing against Indy or Cleveland (I grew up there), but they are not exactly big markets or tourist destinations. I also agree that you cannot compare this to Dayton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crfrey71 Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I wonder how the contract is written up. Is there an escape clause? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_S Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I also agree that you cannot compare this to Dayton. Why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 i am hoping i can go next year, but, to be honest, i dont know if i'll want to go there every year. yes a lot of time is spent at the stadium, but i always schedule some time to check out the area. the nice thing about rotating so to speak is changes hapeen over time, but not necessarily every year. and, Indy as an airport is a pain. i have to go charlotte from harrisburg to go to Indy? please. thats an inconvenience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbandguy Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I really don't see this being a major problem for DCI. Most of the folks that are willing to shell out the cost of a ticket/hotel are doing it because THEY WANT TO SEE THE CORPS performing at their highest level of the year. While we do a little sightseeing when we attend finals, the only reason we visited those cities was because of DRUM CORPS being there. I would think a large percentage of championship fans feel the same way. I also think DCI can always count on the fact that a good percentage of the crowd will be there to support a SPECIFIC MEMBER. There will be over 3,000 corps members performing and most will have at least 2-4 family members attending. That probably accounts for at least a third of the crowd annually. I also agree that the comparison to WGI is indeed very valid...and they sell out their venues in Dayton twice a year. (Guard/Percussion) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kagario Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I would love to see an "Official" DCI airline. This could help solidify the Indy venue. I know DCI had a special with AirTran earlier this year, but I'm no huge fan of the airline (After ValueJet folded, it turned into AirTran). Southwest perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liahona Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 The discussion in one of the review threads has brought this to the surface so I thought it would be a good discussion point. People are voicing that they tend to plan summer vacations around DCI finals, and now that it is in the same venue until the return of Christ are opting out of going to finals in favor of a major regional like Allentown, given that they just don't want to vacation in the same spot each summer. By the end of the Indy contract will finals attendance be down significantly based on people just being sick of the venue/city and having other options for getting their drum corps fix? Moving the venue each year at least provided variety for people wanting to plan a vacation around finals week. I see you must have seen my post over in the review section Although last year technically was in Bloomington...I stayed in Indy...To me it's not the greatest vacation spot on the planet...well nowhere really is anyway...I could understand TWO years maybe....BUT another 9...that is just aweful...I especially enjoyed the variety of venues...I may go again 2011 but I'm not even sure I want to do that....i'm not too sold on those expensive premium seats that are outside the 4o either...Besides Allentown has Dorney Park and it's the last major regional before finals...it's great to watch the corps warm-up in the park also...and they have the upper stands open again...and I'm sitting in them...I guess that's why finals is not so attractive to me this year anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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