Rainouts and Refunds

[sagnasty]

I went to Naperville last year and this year. That was about $100.00 in tickets plus gas and drive time from Michigan. We went to support our kids who are in two seperate corps. We also bought a block of tickets for the Kalamazoo show which was the day before. This cost $400.00. We had friends and family come to that show. If that would have been a rain out I would have given back their money that they paid for their tickets. That is the right thing to do. How can DCI expect to have people continue to support this activity when they treat the fans who pay good money with the attitude of "too bad so sad". I have been burned three times in two years, Rockford was a rainout last year also. When the kids are aged out you can bet I will not spend another dime on a show. DCI is biting the hand that feeds it. A raincheck or even a partial refund is better than the current policy. I realize the expense to put on a show, but if DCI continues this practice ultimately people will get fed up. I know I am.

[AlexL]

Shows used to go on in the rain; without lightning, of course. Now, the mere threat of rain will cause panic among the protectors of all the expensive and precious electronic "drum corps" equipment.

True.. i remember going to a show that was very rainy in Dubuque back in... 04? I think they ended up calling the show with one corps left... unfortunately it was the home corps, the Colts..

[AlexL]

I went to Naperville last year and this year. That was about $100.00 in tickets plus gas and drive time from Michigan. We went to support our kids who are in two seperate corps. We also bought a block of tickets for the Kalamazoo show which was the day before. This cost $400.00. We had friends and family come to that show. If that would have been a rain out I would have given back their money that they paid for their tickets. That is the right thing to do. How can DCI expect to have people continue to support this activity when they treat the fans who pay good money with the attitude of "too bad so sad". I have been burned three times in two years, Rockford was a rainout last year also. When the kids are aged out you can bet I will not spend another dime on a show. DCI is biting the hand that feeds it. A raincheck or even a partial refund is better than the current policy. I realize the expense to put on a show, but if DCI continues this practice ultimately people will get fed up. I know I am.

Is the rain the corps' fault? The corps still had to pay to roll the buses to the area of the show, the corps still had to pay for meals that day. On top of that, the corps in a rainout will lose a significant amount if not all of its souvie revenue for the day. So they lose. The show sponsor still has to pay them for their expenses, which dont go away just because it rained. On top of that, the show sponsor often has a lot of other costs involved in running a show, and lost revenue from walk-up sales, concessions sales, etc. So they lose. Yes, fans are out their money, but in a rainout... everyone loses.

[Krista]

speaking of rain..... Allentown 2004 anyone? (sorry to be OT, rainy shows remind me of the best one of my life!)

[Lance]

I went to Naperville last year and this year. That was about $100.00 in tickets plus gas and drive time from Michigan. We went to support our kids who are in two seperate corps. We also bought a block of tickets for the Kalamazoo show which was the day before. This cost $400.00. We had friends and family come to that show. If that would have been a rain out I would have given back their money that they paid for their tickets. That is the right thing to do. How can DCI expect to have people continue to support this activity when they treat the fans who pay good money with the attitude of "too bad so sad". I have been burned three times in two years, Rockford was a rainout last year also. When the kids are aged out you can bet I will not spend another dime on a show. DCI is biting the hand that feeds it. A raincheck or even a partial refund is better than the current policy. I realize the expense to put on a show, but if DCI continues this practice ultimately people will get fed up. I know I am.

That's the main reason that I won't take a chance to spend money on traveling to go to a show unless I know that I can go visit with family or find something else to do with friends while there.

Really kind of sucks because it means it's only really worth traveling long-distrance to see shows in domes....which I loathed.

[sagnasty]

Is the rain the corps' fault? The corps still had to pay to roll the buses to the area of the show, the corps still had to pay for meals that day. On top of that, the corps in a rainout will lose a significant amount if not all of its souvie revenue for the day. So they lose. The show sponsor still has to pay them for their expenses, which dont go away just because it rained. On top of that, the show sponsor often has a lot of other costs involved in running a show, and lost revenue from walk-up sales, concessions sales, etc. So they lose. Yes, fans are out their money, but in a rainout... everyone loses.

You are correct. The fault does not lie with the corps' DCI says it is an act of God or act of nature or whatever term you want to use. But it is not an act of nature that a refund is out of the question. It is an act of DCI that we do not get a refund. Maybe I am naive but I thought the thousands of dollars the corps gets from dues pays for busses rolling, food, staff, etc... Don't take this wrong. I willingly paid these dues. I think drum corps is a great experince for the kids. It teaches them so much which is for another discussion... I am a product of it. The point I am trying to make is if the activity is to thrive do not treat the consumer (fans) with the no refund policy. If you buy a product you want value, service etc.. If you do not get this more than likely you will not frequent that establishment ever again. It's just good buisness sense. Good customer service typically will bring you back because of the positive experience you had.

[GUARDLING]

anyone remember the days of raindates? maybe it should be built into the tours

[violet]

Don't overestimate how much of a corps' expenses are paid via camp fees and dues. It's a fraction of the total cost per marching member, especially once you factor in various pieces of the infrastructure corps need (trucks, buses, etc.). Similarly, DCI doesn't financially back all of the local events, or even produce them. It's local orgs putting it on the line to produce and host DCI events.

[DrillmanSop06]

I'm hesitant to go into this because some will use rainouts to push their indoor d/c agenda, (at least outdoors I'll buy a ticket and risk eating it)

Better tell the G7 to stop messing with nature! You're joking, right?

why don't they put the good corps on first if they might have to cancel so we at least see them?

Ok, now I KNOW you're joking. No real drum corps fan would say something like that without being sarcastic, right? :tongue: :worthy:

[Jimisback]

More precisely, it's the amperage.

Amps are how current is measured, both are correct. :)