Jeff Ream Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Getting these 25K to show up for OC has alaws been the challenge....sounds like no attendance jump compared to the past few years...between 5K - 6K total. When you look at the number of repeat attenders we are talking about a modest audience size of 3K max.Now, if real drum corps fans in Indy won't go to see them, what makes you think Indiana band kids will go see them? I think people have a false idea if you think too many people more than mom and dad even care if your name is NOT BD, Cavies, PR, etc. That's who people want to see. I will wager DCI can't give away tickets to boost crowd numbers. And the addage always has been, if you can't give it away, you can't sell it either. actually, in Madison in 2002 they did, or at least half off. largest D2/3-OC finals crowd I ever remember Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I wish they would just stay in Michigan City. They just need to finish their finals before Thursday. I am not sure if they need Quarterfinals anymore, as the number of eliminated corps is not that much and very predicatable anyway.If you want to march in the big stadium, be in a big corps. We never got to march in "the" stadium, nor did we get participation medals, or age-out medals. We got a medal when we made finals, in the big boys. Our top 25 patches did not even match the finalist patch. I saw many a kid that marched my first year in finals that had the same patch, with semi-finalist on it. I even knew a couple of east coasters that took semi off their patch to make it look just like a finalist patch. Keep it and finish it in Michigan City. Make the finals in the evening and not in the early AM. Wonder why folks don't attend? Go to Quarterfinals, hang at the souvies afterwards, go to the pub and get some food and beverage and hang with your friends. Maybe tailgate with them in the lot, because you only see them once a year. Sleep in late and go to Semis in the late PM. People do not want to get up again at 7 or 8 am and pay for parking twice or have a really long day in Indy. It is disgraceful to play to an empty stadium and seeing 50 or 60 people in those empty stands is an injustice. I was at field level and that is what it looks like to the kids. If 1000 were there, I have no idea where they were at the time. putting them in Michigan City will kill Fantastic 5 sales. Honestly....stop trying to run two semis shows in one day. fans burn out. Put WC quarters on Wednesday, OC semis Thursday, WC Semis Friday, then ok, run both finals Saturday. but trying to get people to watch 34 corps in one day tends to burn people out. Plus...now here's scary logic...you move WC quarters up, and boom, you get more people into town sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 actually, in Madison in 2002 they did, or at least half off. largest D2/3-OC finals crowd I ever remember were those on Wednesday night? The II/III finals I mean? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 putting them in Michigan City will kill Fantastic 5 sales.Honestly....stop trying to run two semis shows in one day. fans burn out. Put WC quarters on Wednesday, OC semis Thursday, WC Semis Friday, then ok, run both finals Saturday. but trying to get people to watch 34 corps in one day tends to burn people out. Plus...now here's scary logic...you move WC quarters up, and boom, you get more people into town sooner. or...you get fewer people at WC QFs. DCI isn't going to like that outcome. Besides...do they use LOS on Wednesday now? I don't think so. So, now we are talking about spending more money to accomodate corps (OC) who apparently only a relatively few people want to go see. I don't see that working well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 were those on Wednesday night? The II/III finals I mean? yes. I'd guesstimate 10k paid if i recall what Dan said at the Friends luncheon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 or...you get fewer people at WC QFs. DCI isn't going to like that outcome.Besides...do they use LOS on Wednesday now? I don't think so. So, now we are talking about spending more money to accomodate corps (OC) who apparently only a relatively few people want to go see. I don't see that working well. there's got to be a better way than cramming 34 corps in one day which we know chases people away, and keeping the shows hours apart travel wise. Maybe DCi should ask Vickers what made 02 work so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Brace Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 there's got to be a better way than cramming 34 corps in one day which we know chases people away, and keeping the shows hours apart travel wise.Maybe DCi should ask Vickers what made 02 work so well. I know they were paying an extra day's rent...Wednesday. They had the Monday-Tuesday offsite at an area high school. Then Wednesday night had the II/III finals and age-out ceremony and performances by I&E champs I think. At least their awards were there. Maybe it was 1995 that featured the I&E performers between corps. I forget. See, if fans would pony up for the rental cost for Wednesday, how would DCI turn a plan like this down. But, if I had the ability to raise the kind of scratch it takes to rent LOS for a day, I'd rather give that money directly to a corps or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsOnTheField Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 (edited) How about an expanded semi-finals and finals format that includes both OC and WC corps? I know it would be a long day, but it would get many more people to see OC. Example for Semi Finals: First Block...Open Class 17th-13th Second Block...World Class 17th-13th Third Block...Open Class 12th-6th Forth Block...World Class 12th-6th Fifth Block...Open Class 5th-1st Sixth Block...World Class 5th-1st Finals would be a similar rotation. With a shorter INT between to allow the OC and WC judges to switch in/out. I'm sure several people would decided to come and go, but in the long run there would be more people in the stands and in the stadium for all corps. Just a thought *shrug* Edited August 15, 2009 by ItsOnTheField Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicBobert Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 Put WC quarters on Wednesday, OC semis Thursday, WC Semis Friday, then ok, run both finals Saturday.... Plus...now here's scary logic...you move WC quarters up, and boom, you get more people into town sooner. I love this idea! Giving OC a night of their own (semis on Thursday night) when a ton of people are already in town would get more of the WC crowd out to the stadium, I think. If they like what they see, they might even head out to OC finals on Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.morgus Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 It is sad. As soon as the DCI breakfast was over we rushed back to our room to drop off some stuff and then headed over to the stadium. DCI has other events scheduled that conflict with the OC finals? That doesn't sound to me like DCI is "doing all they can" to promote or support the OC like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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