drumlaw80 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 (edited) In the history of the DCA Championships, when was the best paid-attendance, ever? It was a while ago, no? 1990s? I could be wrong, but I think it just might be possible that our DCA fan base is not growing. In fact, I suspect that if we do the math, DCA just might actually be going backwards in terms of number of surviving corps, shows and fans. Maybe it is time to ask whether or not the DCA strategic marketing vision is capable of growing the fan base and whether things might be done in better ways to move the activity forward. Maybe we need to collectively accept the fact that a plan that worked for events like the 1993 Atlantic Coast Band Championships simply does not work in the world of drum corps 2013. Maybe the technology, people and entertainment landscape have changed, but our business model has not. Someone should explain the plan to grow the DCA fan base to all of the DCA corps. Personally, I would love to hear it, because if there is no current plan ... DCA looks a lot like the Titanic, with the corps sitting on deck chairs hanging out. So, how are we getting the DCA fans back? What's the plan? The grand vision? I think everyone needs to know Lee Rudnicki, on behalf of Lee Rudnicki Edited October 3, 2012 by drumlaw80 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 (edited) What Drum Corps fan base is growing? Bigger problem than just what DCA is/isn't doing and IMO inter-related. IIRC biggest crowds where 1970s and possibly before. At least the albums that I had reported crowd at 10K+. Edited October 3, 2012 by JimF-LowBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 DCA has an older base, no doubt about it, and some areas are hotter than others. I see DCA doing more to align with DCI, WGI, etc to help spread the word. This is good. getting the fan network going is also good, though costly and slow. I also see DCA doing more to reach out to local band circuits, which is also good. I hate to be the guy that says it, but just up and moving finals out of the NorthEast is not the answer unless you can guarantee 5000 ##### in the seats to pay for the event and the corps to come. Right now, I know of no show in any of the regions that can do that 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaritoneBone Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 It is important to have successful dca groups outside of the northeast / midatlantic. What is the most recent corps from outside this geographic region to begin operations and make finals? San Fran renegades? This will grow the fan base and increase competitiveness. To echo, teaming up.with dci.is a smart.move. bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 It is important to have successful dca groups outside of the northeast / midatlantic. What is the most recent corps from outside this geographic region to begin operations and make finals? San Fran renegades? This will grow the fan base and increase competitiveness. To echo, teaming up.with dci.is a smart.move. bryan Alliance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearlsnaredrummer77 Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Drum corps audiences in general-as Jim pointed out-are going to be in decline. With less people marching, it means less alumni to support shows; less family/friends to attend. Also, individual communities no longer have links to corps. I don't know what the solution is to that, but it will surely be a shrinking critical mass as the last of the 1980s (last era of hundreds of corps) vets fade away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CriticalBrass Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 I had always hoped that the future of DCA would rest easy on the fact that it's been more of a "weekend warrior" type of activity and with kids needing to work more now than ever to support their needs, DCA would have pulled people who couldn't commit to a whole summer off. I had always thought that DCA was a way to participate even while having some time constraints, thus keeping it going. It appears that it didn't turn out that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I had always hoped that the future of DCA would rest easy on the fact that it's been more of a "weekend warrior" type of activity and with kids needing to work more now than ever to support their needs, DCA would have pulled people who couldn't commit to a whole summer off. I had always thought that DCA was a way to participate even while having some time constraints, thus keeping it going. It appears that it didn't turn out that way. I think it actually is doing that to an extent...Cadets2 is one example of an entire corps based on that model. Plus the average age of the DCA marching members is getting lower; you see lots of examples these days of young folks starting in DCA and then going to DCI. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 In the history of the DCA Championships, when was the best paid-attendance, ever? It was a while ago, no? 1990s? I could be wrong, but I think it just might be possible that our DCA fan base is not growing. In fact, I suspect that if we do the math, DCA just might actually be going backwards in terms of number of surviving corps, shows and fans. Maybe it is time to ask whether or not the DCA strategic marketing vision is capable of growing the fan base and whether things might be done in better ways to move the activity forward. Maybe we need to collectively accept the fact that a plan that worked for events like the 1993 Atlantic Coast Band Championships simply does not work in the world of drum corps 2013. Maybe the technology, people and entertainment landscape have changed, but our business model has not. Someone should explain the plan to grow the DCA fan base to all of the DCA corps. Personally, I would love to hear it, because if there is no current plan ... DCA looks a lot like the Titanic, with the corps sitting on deck chairs hanging out. So, how are we getting the DCA fans back? What's the plan? The grand vision? I think everyone needs to know Lee Rudnicki, on behalf of Lee Rudnicki i believe the best paid attendance for DCA finals was in 1969. we had somewhere over 20,000 paid attendence in rochester's aquinas stadium. it was a horseshoe stadium and the whole place was full around the entire horseshoe. we had people standing all over the floor of the stadium. in 1971 there was 18,000. the dream in roosevelt stadium used to have 18,000-20,000 every year. so that's what i remeber from many years ago. even the A.L. nats used to get 25,000- 30,000 people. those were the golden years of drum corps. we would have tv ads, radio, newspaper ads. that's how we marketed back then. what they are doing now i don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elphaba01 Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 i believe the best paid attendance for DCA finals was in 1969. we had somewhere over 20,000 paid attendence in rochester's aquinas stadium. it was a horseshoe stadium and the whole place was full around the entire horseshoe. we had people standing all over the floor of the stadium. in 1971 there was 18,000. the dream in roosevelt stadium used to have 18,000-20,000 every year. so that's what i remeber from many years ago. even the A.L. nats used to get 25,000- 30,000 people. those were the golden years of drum corps. we would have tv ads, radio, newspaper ads. that's how we marketed back then. what they are doing now i don't know. "Capacity Crowds": 1969's DCA was "One for the ages". It was a VERY hectic season with wins by Skyliners, Hurricanes, Buccaneers and a VERY resurent Yankee-Rebels, with their landmark "Requiem" show. I remember the "Barnum" show being a sellout also. The "Innaugural" DCA Championship at Milford CT's Jon Law HS was a SRO crowd also. I can't begin to quote a number, but I do remember sitting on the sideline at the "50", and the entire sideline being filled to capacity as well as both sides of the field. The olde "National Dream" shows at the long gone Roosevelt Stadiums were legendary. The crowds as mentioned easily exceeded 20,000. Great memories.... Elphaba WWW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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