No more countdown?

[Rimba47]

ANY number of people who show up is $12.50 a piece that the theater is picking up that they wouldn't have had from those people that day.

Well... they probably would have gotten more people if they opened the theatre for Iron Man 2 (which sucked btw) instead of the Countdown...

[Jeff Ream]

Drum corps fans are the biggest bunch of whining ninnies I've ever encountered.

Didn't like that this year's lineup was 2009 shows? What did you do instead? Watched Grey's Anatomy? Listened to a bunch of pretend yuppie doctors emote for an hour? Maybe you powerwashed your hubcabs?

For just $12.50 you could have watched drum corps. You could have submitted to the darkness and accepted the illusion that you were actually in the stands watching first-class corps in the spring. You could have done as I did and chat with a few members about last summer's experience and what's in store for 2010.

I can't for the life of me understand why some drum corps fans don't want to enjoy drum corps. I'll watch a show in June before its truly ready. I'll go miles out of my way to see a corps rehearse just to hear that brass sound one more time. And I'll take my drum corps on the screen when I can because drum corps is a rare thing I wish I could experience more, not less.

HH

ok...a question...if you dont like something, do you go then to pay to watch it again?

[chaos001]

True, which is why it's just named "The Countdown" now. Over the years, it has gone through a number of transitions to try to keep the idea fresh.

I've got to applaud those who put this together for trying, though.

I thought last night was a very nice mix of the current with the historical. Tying it in with what was done before was a touch I wasn't expecting. This year's theme seemed to be the High Definition thing, which was new this year and won't be next year...so I expect a different theme next year.

It's not easy trying to come up with different ideas to keep people coming back. Either the ABC people will be put off by any new format or the XYZ people will be. The plain fact, though, is no one is going to please everyone all of the time.

i'm going to go ahead and guess that next year will be filmed in 3D since that's the new (or new again) cinematic craze. it sounds lucrative...i mean, who wouldn't wanna see michael boo join steve rondinaro and dennis delucia in 3D in high definition on the big screen?!?!?

That's one thing the voting format does give you - no matter what years you choose from, by voting you're investing yourself slightly in the process and that may make you want to go see what the results are.

I'm glad to hear the 09 format is likely a one-year deal; going back to voting would make me more likely to attend.

Mike

nope, we still have 9 more years of that...oh wait.

Edited May 15, 2010 by chaos001

[BCS513]

12.50 isn't a high ticket cost at a theater that charges 10 bucks or more a ticket to a sold out movie, so after the theater gets their cut, how much is left for DCI?

I am also curious to know how much, if any, profit dci makes out of this.

I used to work at a movie theater and one thing I do know is that the movie theater gets like .1% of ticket sales or some ridiculously small number like that. Most of their money comes from concession sales, hence, that's why it cost $5 for a drink lol

so I wonder if the theater gets the same percentage from their ticket sales from the countdown as their normally would

[Michael Boo]

I am also curious to know how much, if any, profit dci makes out of this.

I used to work at a movie theater and one thing I do know is that the movie theater gets like .1% of ticket sales or some ridiculously small number like that. Most of their money comes from concession sales, hence, that's why it cost $5 for a drink lol

so I wonder if the theater gets the same percentage from their ticket sales from the countdown as their normally would

How much theaters make per individual ticket sales.

According too this, theaters typically make 20% to 25% during the first couple of weeks of a release. After that, it goes up to 45% to 55%. Those may be high figures...I don't know...but even 20% is 200 times 0.1%. I wonder if your manager told you 0.1% to justify low salaries for employees?

[Michael Boo]

i'm going to go ahead and guess that next year will be filmed in 3D since that's the new (or new again) cinematic craze. it sounds lucrative...i mean, who wouldn't wanna see michael boo join steve rondinaro and dennis delucia in 3D in high definition on the big screen?!?!?

You could put me at the top of the list of those who wouldn't want to see me in 3D. I'm already 3D enough.

Edited May 15, 2010 by Michael Boo

[Phantom&Phitch]

Well... they probably would have gotten more people if they opened the theatre for Iron Man 2 (which sucked btw) instead of the Countdown...

wrong.

[Calistar]

If DCI offered a free ticket to every middle school band student in the country, the theaters would be packed.

The theater owners would be thrilled because they would sell a heck of a lot of popcorn and soda (marked up 12 bazillion percent)

and would probably be willing to partner with DCI to make it happen.

DCI would also be introducing themselves to prospective Drum Corps participants (and their parents).

Cali.

[2CoolVK]

That's one thing the voting format does give you - no matter what years you choose from, by voting you're investing yourself slightly in the process and that may make you want to go see what the results are.

I'm glad to hear the 09 format is likely a one-year deal; going back to voting would make me more likely to attend.

Mike

Assuming it goes back to a voting format....If the shows you voted for didn't make it into the Countdown, would you still be as likely to go?

[corpsband]

If DCI offered a free ticket to every middle school band student in the country, the theaters would be packed.

The theater owners would be thrilled because they would sell a heck of a lot of popcorn and soda (marked up 12 bazillion percent)

and would probably be willing to partner with DCI to make it happen.

DCI would also be introducing themselves to prospective Drum Corps participants (and their parents).

Cali.

Better yet:

Mail 5 or 10 free passes for director and staff (get them committed to going *and* earn good will) and then a form to request

as many BOGO coupons as the band requests. This gets a full theater, lots of popcorn sold (theater makes money), and promotes the product to the core audience. For the first mailing just compile a list of competitive programs -- don't try to reach every band room yet. This keeps costs down on the mailing.

I suspect you'd have theaters having to add the telecast to multiple rooms at each theater. Theaters would actually *make* money on the event. DCI would be building their fanbase.

Extend the promotion by offering programs who participate to a certain base level (25 kids or something) additional price incentives to attend a local show.

Connect corps who offer clinics with band programs who attend the theater event.

Now you're building tickets sales at events, recruiting kids to march, creating a new pool of potential housing sites... ALL stuff DCI should be doing already.

Cost to DCI : almost nothing.