DCI's new "angle" defending Lucas....."ask the judg

[Jeff Ream]

I have a few tidbits to add to the discussion. I regret not checking in more frequently.

– I take personal responsibility for the "Ask the judges angle" article which is the subject of this thread. Reading through it today after not having read it in a few weeks, I can understand why so many people thought this to be nothing more than a feeble attempt at spinning the LOS story to seem like "there's nothing to see here folks... move along now... return to your homes." That was not the intent, and I personally apologize to those who frequent DCP who felt like their intelligence was being insulted by the publication of the story.

– The article was written about two months ago, when we were processing the post-championship input we'd received from various stakeholders... and we felt that the point of view of the judges was an important one to include. The gentlemen who were kind enough to offer their opinion were asked during interviews to talk about judging within LOS and the net effect that the building had on the adjudication process. It really was as innocent as that. My error, perhaps, was in not being more judicious in explaining this context, thus creating the perception that the intent was to deflect attention away from the issue of maximizing the environment within LOS and providing an insight into the undertaking necessary to do so.

– Besides the "in-house" brainpower of DCI staff members, judges, instructors, corps directors, stadium management, City officials and other resources including folks Frank Dorritie who have an intimate knowledge of the unique considerations of drum corps activity while also possessing a deep understanding of the world of sound and audio, we're also engaged in due diligence with people who actually make their living in the fields of acoustical engineering, sound isolation, sound reinforcement, and other "scientific and technical" disciplines related to the matters at hand. The perception among some that DCI "isn't taking this seriously enough" or "isn't asking the right people" is inaccurate. We will be happy to share additional information when it is appropriate to do so.

– On the topic of ticket sales, a few quick bullet points: Friends of DCI memberships for 2010 have already surpassed 2009 totals. This fact is not intended in any way as a justification for the preservation of status quo, but is being stated here solely for the purpose of addressing those who are curious about the current status of those paying the most for championships week tickets. Ticket sales for other seating areas have also gotten off to a surprisingly brisk start as well. (For those interested, the DCI Eastern Classic in Allentown is also tracking ahead of last year's pace.)

– DCI's ticketing manager continues to work diligently and methodically with ticket purchasers to address specific concerns and location preferences, taking advantage of lessons learned in LOS and other stadiums last year.

– We're working hard to grow the audience at every show. Some of the new and re-tooled programs we're implementing are evident through their visibility on DCI.org and through our e-mail outreach. Others may be less visible, as they focus on student groups, strategic partnerships, educational events, community engagement, etc. The overall goal of the ticket sales effort is to give corps members the opportunity to perform in front of the largest possible audience at every stop along the tour.

The focused public relations outreach on the specific topic of the sound quality at LOS is but one part of the much larger effort to change the way communication is handled between the Drum Corps International collective of corps and the community of fans which support it. We're honestly trying to change the status quo, and to get things moving in a different direction. The creation of the "DCI Direct" column in DCP is another manifestation of that effort, and I thank John Donovan for sharing the desire to provide information to those who are among the most loyal fans of DCI corps. There are other opportunities being developed, which we think will be interesting, informative and possibly even entertaining.

We hope to continue to expand our opportunities to this end.

Feel free to drop me a note or PM with any questions, comments or concerns. I'll do my best to reply quickly.

Thanks for your consideration and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Bob

thanks Bob!

[fifer]

I'm glad to hear that not only is DCI seriously looking into improving fans' Championship experience, but also that DCI ticket sales are not plummeting (as some naysayers seem to like to postulate).

Whether ticket sales were better or worse than last year, I would not postulate how greatly 2010's ticket sales will be affected by the fans' displeasure with LOS. Most people will be willing to give it another try (hoping that at least SOME of whatever changes are made end up helping with the sound) so any effect on ticket sales will likely take a few years to become obvious.

With the improving quality of corps like Crown, Bluecoats, Blue Stars and Troopers along with the entry of corps like The Academy and Jersey Surf plus the reenergizing of former giants like Santa Clara and Madison, there are a lot of reasons why the numbers are strong - but could they have been stronger still if finals were in Denver (for example)?

It would be interesting to see how resales from last year are doing as a separate number from the total sales.