Taylor Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 How times, and the country, have changed... "...and the D.M. donned a blackface mask as an added gimmick during their rendition of "Mammy" No kidding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 (edited) This forum is nuts! Attendance was up! Plain and simple! Please return to the "glory" days if you like. I prefer the present. Drum corps is better than ever despite the ravings of a few! Sorry to disappoint you! I think you misdunderstand. I don't think there is much dispute from any posters here that the attendence figures of 2011 are up 9% from 2010. I've seen no dispute on this thread so far on the veracity of the attendance figures produced from DCI office of the figures from 2010 to 2011 that they've provided. Most of the posts here on this thread so far are an attempt to clear up some apparent misconceptions and misunderstandings about attendance figures (and the demographics of the audience ) from the past, thats all. No more, no less. Also, the thread is about " attendance ", not about the quality levels, nor the entertainment levels of todays Corps vs, that of earlier decades, nor which is personally more preferable, etc. You are the only poster here that has now attempted to hijack the thread from " attendance figures " discussion to something else entirely. By doing so, from my standpoint, you yourself have now entered the realm of providing irrelevant " ravings " by getting sidetracked and off topic from the topic at hand... which is nothing more than a discussion on " attendance ". Edited August 19, 2011 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemesiscorps Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I think you misdunderstand. I don't think there is much dispute from any posters here that the attendence figures of 2011 are up 9% from 2010. I've seen no dispute on this thread so far on the veracity of the attendance figures produced from DCI office of the figures from 2010 to 2011 that they've provided. Most of the posts here on this thread so far are an attempt to clear up some apparent misconceptions and misunderstandings about attendance figures from the past, thats all. No more, no less. Also, the thread is about " attendance ", not about the quality levels, nor the entertainment levels of todays Corps vs, that of earlier decades, nor which is personally more preferable, etc. You are the only poster here that has now attempted to divert the topic from " attendance figures " to something else entirely. By doing so, from my standpoint, you yourself have now entered the realm of providing irrelevant " ravings " by getting sidetracked and off topic from the topic at hand... which is nothing more than a discussion on " attendance ". 1000 points to you sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 You are accurate as usual though this also seems a bit disingenuous. How am I being disingenuous? It's true that DCI didn't actually use the term "paid attendance." They did, however, specifically exclude all significant free-entry categories in reporting that attendance jumped more than 9%. So unless you mean to suggest DCI opened the gates to some other significant free-entry category (which I doubt you are), then it's reasonable to believe and state that paid attendance increased for 2011. There are a number of VIPs and an assortment of other free-entries besides just wristbanded marchers/staff. Again, just sayin'....because I am not aware of any reason that the number of unpaid attendees would have been significantly different this year vs. last year. For what it's worth, this also happens to jibe with my report earlier this week that ticket SALES were higher this year. That was based on a conversation with a senior DCI official and referenced sales specifically. Yes....and it now seems extremely likely that you have correct information in that regard. Just to dispel any other "disingenuousness" you might read into this....I am happy to hear attendance at championship week is up. Apparently, some people at DCI decided to take action to put more butts in seats this year, and that's a good thing. That would be a good thing even if they were unpaid....it's even better that they're paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glory Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 How am I being disingenuous? There are a number of VIPs and an assortment of other free-entries besides just wristbanded marchers/staff. Again, just sayin'....because I am not aware of any reason that the number of unpaid attendees would have been significantly different this year vs. last year. The DCI announcement specifically said the figures excluded VIPs (as well as wrist-banded members, staff, etc.). I'm just saying there can't be much, if any, unpaid in the 17K or other figures. HH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 This forum is nuts! Attendance was up! Plain and simple! Please return to the "glory" days if you like. I prefer the present. Drum corps is better than ever despite the ravings of a few! Sorry to disappoint you! Haha. There we go again. Yeah, attendance was up......when comparing 2011 to 2010. Yup. But attendance is pretty anemic compared to your typical year in Madison, or many other (non-Orlando, non-Jackson) outdoor venues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Haha. There we go again. Yeah, attendance was up......when comparing 2011 to 2010. Yup. But attendance is pretty anemic compared to your typical year in Madison, or many other (non-Orlando, non-Jackson) outdoor venues. all skepticism aside, it didn't go to hell overnight, it won't be put back together overnight either. 2008 to 2009 down 13%. 2009 to 2010 down 11% 2010 to 2011 up 9%. that's a good start now, make ticket prices 100, 65 and 45, and work with hotels to drop prices $25 a night,and you'll see double digit growth 2011 to 2012. I guarantee it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I'd be interested in seeing other entertainment attendance figures from '07 to '10 to see if the 38% drop in DCI attendance over those years was really unusual. Anyone care to dig for some comparisons? By my rough, backwards calculations and using Jeff's G/L percents above, 2009 was around 17,200, and 2008 was around 19,440. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiodb Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 The DCI announcement specifically said the figures excluded VIPs (as well as wrist-banded members, staff, etc.). No....it said, "does not include corps and staff members who entered the stadium after performances with wristbands or staff/VIP credentials". There are other VIPs, you know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats88 Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 The VFW ( and AL ) delegates first went to the Drum and Bugle Corps competitions prior to WW2. They continued to go year after year for the next 30 years ( one presumes ) because there was sufficient entertainment value in the spectacle for them to want to return year after year to the Drum Corps portion of the many featured festivities revolving around the Veterans Convention. Since we are talking attendance figures, each year at the height of the VFW (and AL) National Conventions, less than half the delegates actually went to the VFW Million Dollar Pageant of Drums National Championship show in any given year. In 1961, in Miami, Drum Corps News published their report that ( quote ) "40,000 fans attended the VFW's Finals " ( under a pic of the Cambridge Caballeros in performance ) I have no idea WHY the fans went. Who cares WHY someone goes to a public event. I've gotten free tickets to things, and could not be bothered to sit for several hours in the same seat ( in this case the heat of Miami )if I did not think I was going to enjoy sitting and watching something for 4 + hours or so. And I sure as heck would not return the following year if the show was not to my liking. I've heard this knock on VFW and AL National Championships attendance figures that " well, you know, these were delegates and they got in free " or whatever. I don't think its fair to say that these delegates would sit in the heat ( no AC, nor indoors) ) for several hours watching the VFW National Drum Corps Championship ( even if it was free with Convention ticket )... and keep coming back year after year... unless the show was something they enjoyed watching for 4-5 hours on end each year. I'll accept that DCI had 17,000 fans at Finals this year and not make any upward or downward adjustments for this figure based upon the WHY the fan went. I see no reason to ascribe motive for an attendee's attendance. Likewise, I think it would be beneficial to acknowledge that upwards of 40,000 people have attended the VFW Drum and Bugle Corps National Championships in the past. ( and in the same year ANOTHER 20-30,000 for the AL Nationals Drum and Bugle Corps Championships. )There is nothing to be gained Mike ( imo ) to alter attendance figures up or down by assigning motive for attendance by virtue of trying to determine WHY a person decided to sit for upwards of 4+ hours and watch a Drum Corps show.... even if they were just "delegates " ( as somehow not " real " Drum Corps show fans. ).... PS, I've been to lots of DCI Championships ( first one, Ithaca, NY '74 ) The largest DCI audience that I personally recall is probably Montreal in 1981. They had approx. 32-38,000 for Finals. Some were Corps members no doubt that were in Corps that did not make Finals. So I'd estimate that there was around 28-32,000 paid or so in '81 ( '82 had similar size too, imo. ) I think everyone is missing the point related to the large attendance numbers during the VFW years. The current number indicates Paid attendance, and what Mr. Boo was trying to point out in the VFW number was that a large majority of the audience was VFW members who were there for the convention and the got into the event which included the DCI show as part of their convention attendance. so in essence they would be equivalent to those who attended this year with a wrist band (ie. not paid attendance) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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