Drum Corps Performance Great, Business model not

[CrownLeadSop]

I think you, and all the other marketing gurus here should form a formal Think-Tank with the sole purpose of helping DCI survive, and providing the creative manpower to help DCI get where it needs to go.

I'm not talking just posting random messages on boards, I'm talking an actual organization dedicated to the survival of DCI. Their competency would need to be proven for DCI to take them seriously.

I've seen many people on these forums bring up brilliant suggestions, people that are EXTREMELY educated and capable to bringing forth substantive ideas to forge a plan of survival write VERY eloquent pieces such as yourself.

We need you all in one place- as an organization. The only problem THEN is to get DCI to actually listen to you.

I think though that as an organization, our/your voices would be heard more effectively.

The member organizations would stand to gain quite a bit from having a cohesive PR "guiding hand." Rather than PR for DCI as an entity, it'd be focused on PR for the member organizations themselves.

[flammaster]

The member organizations would stand to gain quite a bit from having a cohesive PR "guiding hand." Rather than PR for DCI as an entity, it'd be focused on PR for the member organizations themselves.

Hey I like Phantom Regiment!

[audiodb]

1. Generational shifts have reduced the entire audience for the activity. As a consequence the total interested and available talent pool has also shrunk.

2. The remaining interested talent pool is being priced out of the market.

3. Dwindling of key audience demos will keep the activity off of mass media.

4. Current sponsor dollars are dwindling.

5. Grant and giving dollars are less available.

6. Corps operating costs increase.

The sky is falling!

[jasgre2000]

Why not go back to PBS? What was wrong with broadcasting there? Is the concern that DCI would lose revenue that they can pick up from the theater shows? It seems like if you want to grow your viewer base, getting on television is a good way to do it. Surely there are some public broadcasting sponsors that would support a broadcast. I think the hardcore fans, that are really the one group that watches these shows now as it is, will either continue to buy the Fan Network pass or go to the theater shows for a bigger and louder experience. I don't think PBS would eat into the revenue that is currently being made too much, and it would widen the base of fans. HD TVs and DTS audio were made for drum corps.

[MikeD]

Why not go back to PBS? What was wrong with broadcasting there? Is the concern that DCI would lose revenue that they can pick up from the theater shows? It seems like if you want to grow your viewer base, getting on television is a good way to do it. Surely there are some public broadcasting sponsors that would support a broadcast. I think the hardcore fans, that are really the one group that watches these shows now as it is, will either continue to buy the Fan Network pass or go to the theater shows for a bigger and louder experience. I don't think PBS would eat into the revenue that is currently being made too much, and it would widen the base of fans. HD TVs and DTS audio were made for drum corps.

PBS affiliates all over the country dropped broadcasting DCI live; DCI did not just decide to stop the broadcast, which tended to happen during the PBS fundraising begathon. The rate of pledges being fulfilled by drum corps fans was very low, according to posts from people who contacted their PBS affiliates, hence the affiliates dropped DCI and filled the time with shows that made them more $$$, stuff like 50's doo-wop concerts and Broadway shows like Les Miz.