garfield Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 1) I live 5 hours from Atlanta, and 2 hours from Charlotte. I went to ATL last night because for 55 dollars I can sit on the 50 yard line in the CLUB level with A/C (although it was toasty last night) and NO threat of rain (even though in 2006 it rained in the dome) In Charlotte, NIghtbeat has been rained out more than just about any show ever and to get the same seating, I would pay between 40-50 bucks. I ATL I see ALL World Class corps in Charlotte, I see the top 8 and have to wait in long lines to get to my seat. I also have to purchase tokens to buy concessions. STUPID 2) I've been to LOS and GaDome and sat in the same 50 yard line seats in both.. LOS is better all the way around (except food prices) 3) DCI will die soon and faces a major crisis, but it has nothing to do with the number of corps. It has to do with schools REFUSING to house corps. This will kill the current touring model. Cost, liability, and recession are 3 words that scare school administrators away. I am a band director who would LOVE to host a corps at my school, but I know better and don't even need to ask. Sad truth unfortunately. Maybe if you showed the district how a well-run show can put, potentially, many tens-of thousands of dollars in their coffers, they'd change their mind. I don't know how many schools are in your district but, if there are 6 or 7 schools with gyms, practice fields, and a stadium that can hold 3500 to 4000 fans, hosting a drum corps show can be quite profitable. You just need passionate people running it, preferable a director with band or drum corps roots and a team that understands what all the parties need to make the show a success. It's not easy, but it can be a profit-making venture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumpetcam Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I do not think we will ever live in a time where people want to pay money to sit in the endzones. No one ever plays enough in the other directions for people to want to sit there. I know in the 70's people did, but that probably did not bother people because corps did a lot of facing different directions because sliding had not yet been fully developed. Ever been to an SEC football game? If you are passionate enough, you will do ANYTHING for a seat in the stadium. Its about being there live when something special happens, whether you can see it OR hear it very well. It's the moment we all want: 95 scouts, 08 Phantom, etc.. I only wish drum corps could get to that point... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonW Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Taking a side-step to the left... Was the local/regional promotions for this event (newspaper/radio/tv/etc) greater than the normal (almost non-existent outside our tightly enclosed network) promotional work a show typically would receive? Seriously curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyushujet Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Not to sidetrack the OP, but, how many fans showed up to Finals in the mid 80s? I could've sworn there were 30-40K fans that showed in Madison and KC. Am I way off? But I am surprised to read that only 15K fans have showed to Finals in recent years. I always assumed it was the same as back in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Not to sidetrack the OP, but, how many fans showed up to Finals in the mid 80s? I could've sworn there were 30-40K fans that showed in Madison and KC. Am I way off? There WERE huge crowds in the 1970s/80s, but then there's the subject of how many of those filled seats were PAID for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tez Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 16,000 is a great number but it has nothing to do with the health of the activity. The number of corps is the only number that people need to be concerned with in relation to the health of the activity. Also how many new corps come along to replace lost corps........ just saying I find this statement pretty ridiculous. You are saying that 100 mediocre corps would indicate a stronger activity than 30 quality corps? This is just not true. The doom-sayers keep going on an on about how weak the activity is. What if the way it is now is the strongest it could possibly be considering the point we are at in American society? I think the attendance at these major shows proves that the national touring model does work (people want to see all of the top 20 corps at the same place)... and maybe this is the only way that junior drum corps has remained in existence. So many have pointed out how all the changes over the past 20-30 years in administration, rules, touring models, etc... have killed drum corps..... what if those changes were the only thing that has kept drum corps alive? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCImonkey Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 New motto.... DCI: Only the Strong Survive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I find this statement pretty ridiculous. You are saying that 100 mediocre corps would indicate a stronger activity than 30 quality corps? This is just not true. The doom-sayers keep going on an on about how weak the activity is. What if the way it is now is the strongest it could possibly be considering the point we are at in American society? I think the attendance at these major shows proves that the national touring model does work (people want to see all of the top 20 corps at the same place)... and maybe this is the only way that junior drum corps has remained in existence. So many have pointed out how all the changes over the past 20-30 years in administration, rules, touring models, etc... have killed drum corps..... what if those changes were the only thing that has kept drum corps alive? I think this is true. If you look at the World Open Finals in 1971...6 of 12 of those finalists were DCI World Champs finalists in 2011...40 years later...IMO that is pretty awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 (edited) I find this statement pretty ridiculous. You are saying that 100 mediocre corps would indicate a stronger activity than 30 quality corps? This is just not true. The doom-sayers keep going on an on about how weak the activity is. What if the way it is now is the strongest it could possibly be considering the point we are at in American society? I think the attendance at these major shows proves that the national touring model does work (people want to see all of the top 20 corps at the same place)... and maybe this is the only way that junior drum corps has remained in existence. So many have pointed out how all the changes over the past 20-30 years in administration, rules, touring models, etc... have killed drum corps..... what if those changes were the only thing that has kept drum corps alive? But does one really good thing = health of DCI? I'd say no more than one really bad thing = health of DCI. And let's not forget the corps don't get a cut based on crowd size. So they could play to a bunch of crowds this size and still be hurting. And that thing about the inability to field new corps that stick around is a big scarey thing for me. Maybe DCI is at the best shape it can be given what' going on in the world but let's not pretend everything is hunky-dory. Not directly totally at Tez as good points were raised, just a general wake up call. Edited July 30, 2012 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cron Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 A bright spot during a season of doubt for the activity's sustainability. What is DCI doing right in Atlanta? Can it be translated to other shows? Does the Southeast deserve more DCI events? What is done "right" in Atlanta can be done right in many other places. This is an "easy" show to go to. Train station, basically "in" the stadium. Most of the corps warmup in Olympic park right outside, so you can check out warm ups if you want and get quickly back inside for what you want to see. Tons of food and lodging easily accessible to/from the train station. While dome shows may not be the greatest situation sound-wise, people like climate control and prefer personal seats to uncomfortable metal bleachers. Not every show can be huge like this, but if all regionals (except the hallowed ground of Allentown of course), took the approach of easy/comfortable access, the shows would do very well I think. The basic formula that makes ATL such a success -Major City (travel access) -City train network goes right to venue and most city hotels are easily accessible to the train system -Lots of food and lodging options in train route -Comfortable Stadium -Corps warmups very close by Can't speak for the Minneapolis or San Antonio regionals as I've never attended, but the Atlanta regional has always just been easy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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