Tonight I felt like an old timer!

[Jeff Ream]

We don't know this. It is pure speculation. There are sports, music shows, other enertainment, etc that have not been similarly effected by " the economy ". Some have even shown an increase in attendance year over end, despite the economy.

and in fact DCI had great attendance during the 70's recession

[BRASSO]

I totally agree with this. People have to make choices what or what not to do these days. It's very clear in every news program EVERY DAY. Unfortunately many people would rather blame it on a specific director or the shape or direction of the activity and maybe there is a little of truth to it and the decline but to not recognize todays world and it's issues and how it relates is pure ignorance ....JMO

It's a unfortunate state of affairs indeed that when a performance activity ( any performance activity ) that does not connect with national audiences the way it used too is because of......" the audiences."... or " the economy " or something else.

(Cassius, from Shakespeare ) :" the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars ".

Edited August 2, 2010 by BRASSO

[dmfootworks]

The economy is more attributable for the decline in attendance than any other issue. DCI Atlanta proves this may be a turnaround year, however, I believe this is just audience shifting...cheaper tickets, all in one day, etc. People who would have bought tickets for Atlanta and also gone to Finals most likely are choosing one show over the other.

I too tend to agree that the economy has probably contributed to the decline in attendance at DCI shows. If you have a large segment of longtime fans that feel apprehensive about attending shows in the first place, and they then feel they have less money to spend, of course there will be a significant drop in attendance. The question is, what will the activity do to get these fans back? And can we assume that most of them will be back?

[Jeff Ream]

great point. if money is tight, and drum corps has been turning you off...do you spend money to go see it fearful you'll come home unsatisfied, or do you use it on something else like...oh, I don't know, the bills?

[BRASSO]

and in fact DCI had great attendance during the 70's recession

Yes, they did. DCI actually GREW national attendance during the recessionary period of the 70's.

Edited August 2, 2010 by BRASSO

[GUARDLING]

Yes, they did. DCI actually GREW national attendance during the recessionary period of the 70's.

we always seem to go back to the 70s YOU CANT compare then and now with anything BUT Im learning this is the wrong place to debate that. Shows were like 2 dollars back then and even though pay scales were different from now today expenses far exceed some peoples salaries. I too come from that 70s / 80s era but would never compare now to then. But with anything its my opinion and dont speak for anyone.

The town I grew up in had more than 1 drum corps and people even if they had no one in a corps would come out for the local show just for a night out. YOU WONT see that happen now. WHY? because it's a different time for many many many reasons and that has nothing to do with shows or designs but EVERYTHING to do with the world as it is today.

JMO

[dmfootworks]

great point. if money is tight, and drum corps has been turning you off...do you spend money to go see it fearful you'll come home unsatisfied, or do you use it on something else like...oh, I don't know, the bills?

Yes, they did. DCI actually GREW national attendance during the recessionary period of the 70's.

I think this underscores the whole point. Money wasn't an issue, unless you were somehow in dire poverty. You drove for hours (sometimes under the risk of possible inclement weather), attended as many shows as you could, anticipated it for every hour of every day, bathed in the glory of it on those long drives home, etc. Money wouldn't have kept you from it because it meant more to you than practically anything and missing out on it would have been inconceivable. Such people were affectionately referred to as drum corps nuts, and part of the experience was too hang out with the scores of them milling around shows. I don't see many of them around anymore. The risk used to be if the weather would hold up, or for some that were young and poor, whether their cars would hold up for the long drives. It was worth the risk. Now I wonder if people are fearful of the expense of attending DCI events because of the risk of disappointment. How incredibly sad.

[Mellofello01]

We don't know this. It is pure speculation. There are sports, music shows, other enertainment, etc that have not been similarly effected by " the economy ". Some have even shown an increase in attendance year over end, despite the economy.

Here's some info for you. 2006 and 2007 report increased attendance. 2010 Meeting: 2009 reports a decrease, in line with other sport type events

2006

http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=b...7d-57496f6c3748

2007

http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=1...2a-d4e124545486

Excerpts from 2010 financial and strategic plans

A review of the recently completed financial audit of the corporation indicated that Drum Corps International’s revenue grew by 1.1 percent from 2008 to 2009 despite the challenges of the recent economic climate. The increase in revenue, coupled with a focus on controlling costs in all operational areas, allowed Drum Corps International to increase the amount of direct payments to corps by more than $90,000 (a 3.9 percent increase), while still producing a Net Income for the year of $180,000. In 2009, direct payments to the corps represented approximately 25 percent of the organization’s gross revenue.

A large portion of the recent financial results were driven by the 2009 World Championships in Indianapolis—one of the most profitable in the organization’s history. With final results tallied and independently audited, the 2009 World Championships rank as number four out of 38 years of producing Championship events.

Despite stable ticket pricing for five consecutive years, overall ticket sales in 2009 were down three percent over the previous year, trending similarly to other discretionary spending leisure activities such as NASCAR (down 7.1 percent during the same period) and Major League Baseball (down 5.6 percent). Trends this year are more optimistic, with the addition of new events such as DCI Minnesota in Minneapolis, showing tremendous promise, and long-standing events such as the DCI Eastern Classic in Allentown, Pa. tracking significantly ahead of projections and on a near-record pace.

Entire article here

http://www.dci.org/news/view.cfm?news_id=4...fd-5aa854f91ba0

Edit: added some contents info to first two lines

Edited August 2, 2010 by Mellofello01

[ShortAndFast]

Personally, when I see shows from the 70s and early 80s I wonder how drum corps survived. I understand the quality of the recordings is much lower but I personally find the shows unpalatable. People seemed to jump to their feet for company fronts. Company fronts aren't very exciting. I guess people in the 70s were easily entertained. The sacrifice of intonation for volume. I don't get that. Yes the corps were loud but they also had terribly off pitch lazertone. Maybe some people miss that.

You do get that DCI is almost four decades old right? Some of the people pining for the "old days" are probably thinking more Star 1990 than Madison 1978!

Also, news flash from Atlanta: people are still jumping to their feet for company fronts. Those paying customers are sure a bunch of maroons, right?

Actually what I think a lot of this old-timerism is about is the amount of time spent with the corps. When we marched we were immersed in the corps shows 24/7. We saw them, listened to them, heard them warming up, we would witness the daily progression each corps made. We saw and heard those shows so much they became part of our consciousness. Now, if you only see a show 2 or 3 times it will never sink in the same way so of course it will never grab you like the shows of your youth.

Thanks to Fan Network and social networking sites, I unquestionably see more of today's shows and get more familiar with their design than I did BITD. I loved Cadets 1989, but I only saw them a single time live. This year, I've probably watched the Bluecoats show a dozen times or so, and we have two weeks left.

[Tom Brace]

We don't know this. It is pure speculation. There are sports, music shows, other enertainment, etc that have not been similarly effected by " the economy ". Some have even shown an increase in attendance year over end, despite the economy.

please delineate further....which sports? What other entertainment?

I'd like you to tout the Las Vegas hotel vacancies for instance.

I DO KNOW. The economy sucks and people have and will change their spending habits.