Are we getting ripped off on the Finals DVD's

[byline]

Very generous, Sue. Thank you!

Tom

You're welcome, Tom! Trust me, I had no idea you'd be reading.

[perc2100]

You are not allowing for one simple scenario: the cost of producing that feature rich DVD has gone up considerably in the 10 years since they first started producing them.

So, if that is true, DCI has to react to those facts and make a business decision. It is a multiple choice question:

a. stop producing the DVD becuase you cannot make any money at it.

b. take out cost by taking out some of the (less popular) features. But - at the same time, if it isn't too expensive, try to add in a few new things such as wide-screen.

c. raise the $99 price significantly (perhaps $129 - $149 range) to cover the increased production costs and hope to sell the same volume of product.

It is obvious that DCI chose b.

Would you rather they chose a. or c.?

Just a thought, but the WGI DVD's, which are also bare-boned (but not wide-screen or multi-camera angle), are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper. the 12 IW finalist DVD = $45. Their prices are consistent (i.e. this isn't some price drop due to poor economy), and I imagine that their sales are good.

Yes, WGI has WAY more member groups than DCI, and thus WAY more customers buying DVD's.

Yes, WGI shows are half as long as DCI shows.

Yes, DCI DVD's still have a few more features than WGI (wide-screen and multi-camera angle).

Yes, DCI has been doing this a long time, and I remember the VHS tapes from when I marched in the mid/late 90's were $100, meaning the prices haven't changed in at least 15 years.

BUT, the production values are similar. The product on the floor is just as high quality as the product on the field.

I wonder if DCI would make more money if they lowered their prices a bit.

Of course, in business you never want to under-sell your product, and far be it from me to assume that I know more than DCI about how to manage their product sales.

For me personally as a consumer, I haven't bought a DCI DVD, CD, or VHS since I aged-out over ten years ago. In that time I've bought WGI DVD's (even DVD's of classes/groups that I'm not involved with in any way) simply because I like the product (as I like DCI's) but more importantly because it's a very affordable price. It's a lot easier to impulse buy the latest WGI Championship DVD's then it is to do impulse buy DCI DVD's because of the affordability. By the time the prices drop on the DCI DVD's, I've kind of lost interest (and the shows are up on fan network). Plus, with fan network, when I get in the mood to watch a show I just stream it. I know it's not the same, but it's a lot cheaper than the DVD's and I can live with the poor quality (compared to DVD).

Of course, I've gotten the 2005 and 2006 DVD's as gifts from people, and to be honest the only times I watch them are when I want to watch with the commentary tracks. In all honesty, if there were design and judge commentaries the past few years on the DVD's there's a possibility I would've bought them.

[soccerguy315]

well, I haven't bought any WGI DVDs (and never will), so we average out.

[VISGURU]

I buy the DVD every year and was unhappy with the lack of extras so I did raise my concerns with DCI. To their credit they called me within a couple days trying to answer my concerns (basically same cost for less services). They explained that cost was a factor, but they said DCI sent out a survey the year before and asked people about the features people liked the most. I never got it, but I'm sure it was a nice cover for their cost cutting measures.

How about this?

Offer the DVD as a basic model with the high and multi-cam only for one lower price. Then offer a better model with the bells and whistles for a greater price.

Let the consumers decide.

[JimF-LowBari]

Offer the DVD as a basic model with the high and multi-cam only for one lower price. Then offer a better model with the bells and whistles for a greater price.

Let the consumers decide.

Wonder what the break down would be for number of low end and high end DVDs sold. If not that many high ends are sold the price might be higher than people expect. And the less sold then the higher the price becomes.

(Price would go higher as the number sold goes down to cover the (fixed) costs of recording and preparing the extras before they are burned.)

Edited December 10, 2009 by JimF-3rdBari

[2000Cadet]

I have no idea what Tom Blair is charging, but this comment stood out to me. Based on what I've read in a variety of sources, Tom Blair has conducted many "labor of love" projects for DCI over the years, and probably was not paid what those services were worth. The "Legacy" DVDs, and all that was involved in restoring Ken Kobald's master audiotapes and then tracking them with the original video, come to mind. I don't have any inside knowledge, but sort of reading between the lines, that's been my assumption for a long time now.

Anyone who has watched the DCI telecasts pre-Tom Blair, and then once he took over production duties, can attest to the dramatic -- I can't emphasize that enough -- increase in quality that occurred once he took over the reigns. Want to see an endless shot of a pit player while some incredible piece of drill is unfolding? Sure, drop Tom Blair for someone with a fraction of the knowledge he possesses about the drum corps activity and how it should be filmed.

Agreed. I think it's best to have Finals filmed by someone who actually has experience with being in or around drum corps. It seems he knows what fans want to see when he makes these videos.

[zajicek1]

I have no idea what Tom Blair is charging, but this comment stood out to me. Based on what I've read in a variety of sources, Tom Blair has conducted many "labor of love" projects for DCI over the years, and probably was not paid what those services were worth. The "Legacy" DVDs, and all that was involved in restoring Ken Kobald's master audiotapes and then tracking them with the original video, come to mind. I don't have any inside knowledge, but sort of reading between the lines, that's been my assumption for a long time now.

Anyone who has watched the DCI telecasts pre-Tom Blair, and then once he took over production duties, can attest to the dramatic -- I can't emphasize that enough -- increase in quality that occurred once he took over the reigns. Want to see an endless shot of a pit player while some incredible piece of drill is unfolding? Sure, drop Tom Blair for someone with a fraction of the knowledge he possesses about the drum corps activity and how it should be filmed.

:worthy: :worthy: :ph34r:

[highpitch_83]

I think DCI should ether give us back our options or lower the cost of the DVD's.

YES.

(someone who hasn't purchased a DVD since '07)

[highpitch_83]

You are not allowing for one simple scenario: the cost of producing that feature rich DVD has gone up considerably in the 10 years since they first started producing them.

So, if that is true, DCI has to react to those facts and make a business decision. It is a multiple choice question:

This doesn't make any sense to me... How is it with the advancements in technology over the last 10 year that it would be MORE expensive to produce the DVD's? We're not talking Blu-ray here (which is still very expensive to shoot for and reproduce) but a technology that has been refined and made more cost efficient every year for over a decade. If anything we should be seeing more features/featurettes on the current format for the same money (or slightly more depending on how they want to position it).

Personally I think the stripping of features from the DVD is meant to encourage people to buy a Fan Network subscription (which I would gladly do if those missing DVD features found their way onto FN but they haven't).

[Jeff Ream]

i would even pay more for the FN if those features were there