doctortelco Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) I don't want this to be seen as an attack on the DCA, but I have seen this hinted at in other topics. I know the cost for a venue as nice as the Navy stadium has to cost a small fortune and that is going to raise the price of the tickets. Fromwhat I have seen/heard the premium tickets didn't sell out. It appears theprice was the determining factor. My daughter got sick and I got stuck with anextra ticket and I couldn't even find anyone who would buy it discounted. If you are selling tickets you want to maximize the revenue you receive from the tickets.If you charge too much for each ticket you lower the number of people who willattend or in the case of premium tickets the number of people who will pay forthe upgrade, thus lowering the overall revenue received. Honestly the $79.00 price was worth the great seat I got; however it didn't appear that everyone else thought so. $79.00 is perceived as an $80.00 ticket. At $74.00 the differencemay have sold out that section. I don't think that the ticket prices kept people away. However packaging deals for local andregional high school band students may have really filled out the stadium. Does anyone else have any ideas for selling more tickets? Scott Smith Edited September 10, 2012 by doctortelco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I had no issue paying the 36 buxx for prelims plus the 10 for parking. If finals were 80 a pop, that's pretty reasonable if you have priced going to major events recently. Less than a Rammstein ticket, really bad NASCAR seats, or VIP level IndyCar seats. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) For many years, I have been fortunate enough to attend both DCI & DCA championships. Due to the economy, I have been out of work for an extended period of time and this year I had to make a decision as to which I would choose, as I could not do both. The same decision may very well have to be made again next year. I chose DCA this year, and since I already purchased my tickets for next year, if I can only attend one it will again be DCA. One of the main considerations in reaching my decision was the ticket prices. Two sets of tickets for next year's championships set me back just under $300; for DCI, it would have been about the same amount PER PERSON. One way I look at it is this: my "somewhat local" DCA show has 5 competing corps, and a couple of local alumni corps give an exhibition, the show takes place usually in late July (the corps have been out for about a month, and have about another month before championships) and it costs me $30 a ticket. In Annapolis, I'm paying $80-but I'm seeing almost 3 times the number of competing corps as the local show, treated to an exhibition by The Commandant's Own and everyone is at the top of their game. To echo what others have said, look at the cost of other forms of entertainment-MLB regular season game, +/- $60; NFL regular season game, +/- $75; concert by major music act or comedian, +/- $70...and if you even want to look at All-Star games, World Series or Super Bowl you are talking hundreds of dollars...my dad went to the Daytona 500 about 6 or 7 years ago, and his ticket cost him $300-and that was "knowing someone". As for the idea of "filling up" the stadium with band kids, I absolutely would NOT go there. DCI has done that in the past at Quarter Finals (especially in Orlando), and if you are anywhere even remotely close to where these groups are seated, you will lose out on hearing some of the quieter passages in the shows. At least three quarters of them are there either to socialize, or it was made mandatory by their band directors, or both and have no interest and could care less about what is happening on the field. Edited September 10, 2012 by Grumpy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctortelco Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 For many years, I have been fortunate enough to attend both DCI & DCA championships. Due to the economy, I have been out of work for an extended period of time and this year I had to make a decision as to which I would choose, as I could not do both. The same decision may very well have to be made again next year. I chose DCA this year, and since I already purchased my tickets for next year, if I can only attend one it will again be DCA. One of the main considerations in reaching my decision was the ticket prices. Two sets of tickets for next year's championships set me back just under $300; for DCI, it would have been about the same amount PER PERSON. One way I look at it is this: my "somewhat local" DCA show has 5 competing corps, and a couple of local alumni corps give an exhibition, the show takes place usually in late July (the corps have been out for about a month, and have about another month before championships) and it costs me $30 a ticket. In Annapolis, I'm paying $80-but I'm seeing almost 3 times the number of competing corps as the local show, treated to an exhibition by The Commandant's Own and everyone is at the top of their game. To echo what others have said, look at the cost of other forms of entertainment-MLB regular season game, +/- $60; NFL regular season game, +/- $75; concert by major music act or comedian, +/- $70...and if you even want to look at All-Star games, World Series or Super Bowl you are talking hundreds of dollars...my dad went to the Daytona 500 about 6 or 7 years ago, and his ticket cost him $300-and that was "knowing someone". As for the idea of "filling up" the stadium with band kids, I absolutely would NOT go there. DCI has done that in the past at Quarter Finals (especially in Orlando), and if you are anywhere even remotely close to where these groups are seated, you will lose out on hearing some of the quieter passages in the shows. At least three quarters of them are there either to socialize, or it was made mandatory by their band directors, or both and have no interest and could care less about what is happening on the field. Grumpy, You made some very good points--I just don't understand why the premium seats didn't sell out. I also don't understand not having 15,000 fans in the stands. Scott Smith 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 As for the idea of "filling up" the stadium with band kids, I absolutely would NOT go there. DCI has done that in the past at Quarter Finals (especially in Orlando), and if you are anywhere even remotely close to where these groups are seated, you will lose out on hearing some of the quieter passages in the shows. At least three quarters of them are there either to socialize ... have no interest and could care less about what is happening on the field. I can imagine! But it's not just kids: at DCA Finals I had to stare down a couple of gentlemen, distinguished in years, sitting in the last row (three rows behind me) who talked through most of Fusion Core's performance. Very annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I don't think DCA has ever had even 10k in the stands. I think 5K give or take has been more the norm for decades, correct me if I'm wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I don't want this to be seen as an attack on the DCA, but I have seen this hinted at in other topics. I know the cost for a venue as nice as the Navy stadium has to cost a small fortune and that is going to raise the price of the tickets. Fromwhat I have seen/heard the premium tickets didn't sell out. It appears theprice was the determining factor. My daughter got sick and I got stuck with anextra ticket and I couldn't even find anyone who would buy it discounted. If you are selling tickets you want to maximize the revenue you receive from the tickets.If you charge too much for each ticket you lower the number of people who willattend or in the case of premium tickets the number of people who will pay forthe upgrade, thus lowering the overall revenue received. Honestly the $79.00 price was worth the great seat I got; however it didn't appear that everyone else thought so. $79.00 is perceived as an $80.00 ticket. At $74.00 the differencemay have sold out that section. I don't think that the ticket prices kept people away. However packaging deals for local andregional high school band students may have really filled out the stadium. Does anyone else have any ideas for selling more tickets? Scott Smith price may be part of it. I think location may have played a part too...after all, DCA has never been this far south before. I know I saw people from MD and PA there that NEVER went to Rochester. I also know I saw people that were always in Rochester that didn't go to Annapolis. I'd also imagine Annapolis had far more premium seats available than Rochester did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastone Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I don't think DCA has ever had even 10k in the stands. I think 5K give or take has been more the norm for decades, correct me if I'm wrong. Possibly 1996 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Windish Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) We had 10,875 paid in Allentown (1977) and 12,800 overall. Revenue was way up from the previous year, even though ticket prices were lowered! To an extent, I believe DCA ticket prices rose over the years to maintain revenue in the face of declining attendance. Still, some expenses DID increase each year, so gradual increases are justified, now and then. Right now, I believe the problem both DCA and DCI face is maintaining an inexpensive entry point of admission geared to first time attendees. Most curious, new fans (especially local families) are NOT going to plunk down $25 to $30 each to see what in their minds is some sort of high school marching band event. We all know our championship product is so much more, of course. However, we really can't compare our kind of event to a pro sports ticket, a Broadway show, an arena act by a well known performer, rock band etc. There's not the same cachet. Our first time viewers don't expect to run into work the next morning exclaiming "Guess who we went to see last night?" In Allentown, DCI runs a coupon in the local paper that provides "buy one, get one free" tickets with coupon. Those seats are general admission, outside the 20s. Several hundred people take advantage of this every year. That's got to result in upsales in future years. The Allentown stadium has the room for these "newbies," as does Annapolis. Both places also have room for radio/tv promotional comps, and carefully selected comps to media and potential future sponsors. YOU GOTTA GET PEOPLE IN THE DOOR! If you get them there at an easy admission charge, place them in a reasonable seat to enjoy us . . . they WILL want to return again! Besides, they'll possibly buy a program booklet, maybe something from a corps' table. At the very least, they will speak positively to others about what they experienced. The Navy stadium has plenty room to use. I'd say, we need to get "newbies" in the door (for Finals) at $15 per head. Edited September 11, 2012 by Fred Windish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 The problem is, Fred, I would think DCA and the corps themselves want to perform in a suitable venue befitting the championships. That costs money. The other issue with Annapolis was the 10 dollars parking added on, which makes those 25 dollar seats a bit more expensive. Believe me, when I observed a regional band championship moved somewhere where it was not viewed by the competitors as suitable for the scale and importance of the event- a lot of damage was done and steps were made quickly to rectify the issue as best as possible. Hopefully, everyone broke even at Annapolis. The business end of things in the entrrtainment/music/arts industry is getting tougher and more expensive for many reasons. Those who understand, understand and will pay. Things aren't going to get any better with Intellectual property costs, I fear, and fuel prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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