Fran Haring Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Andy, I think YOUR premise is flawed in that drum corps doesn't attract "pop corn eaters off the street." Drum Corps attracts a very specific niche audience, the people you are referring to are not Drum Corps' main audience, not by a long shot. I don't totally agree with this. At least two DCA shows over the years (Barnum Festival and the Cumberland, MD show which ended in 2000) were/are quite successful in attracting a local audience.... the "popcorn eaters"... a whole bunch of people in each audience were not/are not yearlong/lifelong drum corps fans. I think the all-age product is capable of attracting the local, non-hardcore drum corps/marching music audience... IF the corps decide that the "local audience" is the one they want to attract. By that, I mean placing the emphasis on the things that have helped make the all-age product unique from other parts of the activity: "Personality" drum majors and soloists who connect one-on-one with the audience, shows that are easier to "get" without having to read a 10-page program, and a focus more on music than on visual demand. (NOT saying shows should be "dumbed down" to nothing.... but the all-age product will never be able to copy the DCI product, unless someone invents a seven-day weekend for the all-age corps to rehearse as much as the DCI corps.) Look, I know drum corps is NEVER going to be on a par with a professional sport or a variety of other activities when it comes to total audience. But honestly, IMO.....I almost feel as if we are throwing up our hands and saying "oh well.... we'll never attract the local folks... so why should we bother putting shows on the field that appeal to those folks?" Why not give it a try? The all-age activity has nothing to lose. OK.... off my soapbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original El Guapo Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I've been out of the competitive marching aspect of drum corps since 2007. I will say that DCA competition wise has gotten boring. I am more excited about who I will bump into in the parking lot and stands than the actually event itself. The Bucs are doing what they do best and they are getting rewarded for it. The only other corps I see nipping at their heals is Minnesota Brass. Otherwise I don't see anybody else going for it. When I first started attending DCA championship weekend in 2002 there were at least four corps going for the title. Now you will be lucky if there are two. That is just the competition aspect of it. Now for the pure entertainment value it still holds some value. Still love what Govies do, never boring and the same goes to the Empire Statesmen. You never go wrong with latin music with the Caballeros. The Kilties are still entertaining the drum corps addicts. So entertainment wise DCA is doing well. Too be honest I stopped looking at DCA weekend as a competitive event many years ago. It's more of a drum corps fest to me...which isn't a bad thing at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I've been out of the competitive marching aspect of drum corps since 2007. I will say that DCA competition wise has gotten boring. I am more excited about who I will bump into in the parking lot and stands than the actually event itself. The Bucs are doing what they do best and they are getting rewarded for it. The only other corps I see nipping at their heals is Minnesota Brass. Otherwise I don't see anybody else going for it. When I first started attending DCA championship weekend in 2002 there were at least four corps going for the title. Now you will be lucky if there are two. That is just the competition aspect of it. Now for the pure entertainment value it still holds some value. Still love what Govies do, never boring and the same goes to the Empire Statesmen. You never go wrong with latin music with the Caballeros. The Kilties are still entertaining the drum corps addicts. So entertainment wise DCA is doing well. Too be honest I stopped looking at DCA weekend as a competitive event many years ago. It's more of a drum corps fest to me...which isn't a bad thing at all. top 3 seperated by 1.5 is nothing to sneeze at last year, with all getting their hands on some sub captions and captions. top 4 by less than 3. that's pretty competitive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayre Kulp Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 It's parity..parody is making fun of something...Parity is everyone is equal, no one wins, no one loses, all is bliss, everyone has a puppy dog and a kitten, bunny rabbits frolic in their yards and we all can slide down rainbows. Lee is signaling out the Bucs. This is about his corps and his inability to make it win. A few years Lee said he would fold Renegades when they win DCA. Maybe it's time to see if he'll keep that promise. It's "singling," (and proper punctuation.) "Signaling," is the use of signals for controlling communications. "Singling," is to select or distinguish from a number or group — usually used with "out" as in the phrase, "Lee is singling out the Bucs." You must be one of those people who think the Renegades are the anti-Christ of drum corps, foretold to bring on the apocalypse. I think it bears mentioning that Lee Rudnicki, despite his affiliations past, present or future, can not speak for an entire drum corps. One man does not the Renegades make. Lee proposed this idea; not the Renegades Drum & Bugle Corps. I would like to believe his ambition in this was to discuss a problem within the all-age drum corps world. Granted, I don't agree with the solution he offered, but it was a starting point. Since then, there has been 13 pages of conversation around it. That's what these forums are for, unless I'm missing the point. Then again, things around here have been incomprehensibly dull as of late. Once upon a time, there was spirit and fight. People were talking about their show concept, the numbers at their last camp, who was on staff, etc. At the very least, there were people running their mouths about how their corps was going to come out on top. Now everything is hush-hush. Nobody talks. So it could be that Lee was simply trying to stir the pot as it were. Frankly, with how dull the forums have been lately it makes me wonder what there will be to see when the Summer does finally roll around. So far, I haven't heard a lot of announcements making me want to book my hotel rooms for show weekends and the hottest discussion topic has been this one. So my question is: what are drum corps doing to make me, (long-time participant/fan), want to shell out $20 or more for a ticket? DCA has done a better job keeping us abreast of the move to Annapolis and the change to the judging system. But what about the corps themselves? That's something that I think is worth discussing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original El Guapo Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 top 3 seperated by 1.5 is nothing to sneeze at last year, with all getting their hands on some sub captions and captions. top 4 by less than 3. that's pretty competitive That's great on the sheets, to me as a fan looking at the product as a whole I don't find it competitive anymore. It's my opinion on the matter, it's not right and it's not wrong. It is what it is. I'm just happy there is still a DCA with the way the economy is. Best wishes to all in the upcoming season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 That's great on the sheets, to me as a fan looking at the product as a whole I don't find it competitive anymore. It's my opinion on the matter, it's not right and it's not wrong. It is what it is. I'm just happy there is still a DCA with the way the economy is. Best wishes to all in the upcoming season. I'll put it this way. there was more intrigue this year at finals than there has been since 2003 IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldephard Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 The OP's question was about declining attendance and competitive parity. It seems most of the replies have disagreed with this premise, but it does bring up the topic of attendance trends at DCA. I have attended DCA's many years ago in the mid 80's and after a lapse of a couple of decades, have gone a couple of times in recent years. I don't have figures for paid attendance, so I basing this on what I saw at Allentown and Rochester. I would have to say there were more people in the stadium at Allentown, but I wonder how many of them were paying fans and how many were just corps members watching the show. If it is true that attendance has declined, what are some things that can be done to reverse this trend? I can throw a few easy ones out there. Others should do the same. Some of these may already be happening, but if a long time fan hasn't heard about it, maybe the message isn't getting out there enough. Is there an effort to get high school (and even younger) band kids to Prelims and Finals? It seems you could offer Prelims tickets to students groups for free or next to nothing to attract new blood to the DCA activity. Do the corps get an incentive to sell their own tickets? I seem to remember this being true when I marched. I have to think this would be one of the biggest sources for pre sales. For every 100 corps members, there would be 2 or 3 hundred family members that might want to come. Why not offer more money to the corps that sell the most tickets? What about linking up local ticket sales with a big local charity like the Boy & Girls Scouts? Let the charitable group sell GA tickets and give them 5 bucks per ticket. They would reach parts of the community that may have never heard of DCA. Some people would buy them even if they weren't going to the show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOReason Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 top 3 seperated by 1.5 is nothing to sneeze at last year, with all getting their hands on some sub captions and captions. top 4 by less than 3. that's pretty competitive That of course was a very charitable 1.5 spread. And I think the whole point of this thread is folks saying just that...without actually saying it. Having seen the DVD's, after all the other corps did their thing, Reading came on, and after the opener, there was no doubt. Perhaps rather than attempting to come up with some silly "Reading Rules", the other competitors should look at the tapes and see things for what they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankBeMe Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 (edited) You must be one of those people who think the Renegades are the anti-Christ of drum corps, foretold to bring on the apocalypse. Yep, you got me pegged. But, seeing how far downhill they've gone, they've failed miserably in whatever they were trying to do. The days of "7," "Evil,""ham sandwiches" and being Keanu Reeves wannabes are over. Edited January 29, 2011 by FrankBeMe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 That of course was a very charitable 1.5 spread. Your opinion, of course. I saw all the corps, too.... live and on the DVD.... and the spread, IMO, wasn't "charitable." The Bucs deserved the win, absolutely. But it wasn't a clear runaway as it has been some other years. Again, my opinion. Of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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