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Record attendance at theater broadcast


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I wonder if there would be any chance of the broadcast being fed overseas, or even a delayed broadcast (which admittedly rules out the "live" bit)? In the UK, for example, there is a history of drum corps back to the late 1970's and in Glasgow alone, hundreds and hundreds of kids marched corps. These legacy fans, along with those still active in the activity would, I think, jump at the chance to watch the broadcast. Even a few, small 100 seat theatres (UK spelling), around the country would do, but I think the appetite would be there for it. I don't know if there are technical problems in doing it trans-atlantically (ooh err), but I would not think these insurmountable.

Just the thoughts of someone 4000 miles from Indianapolis.

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Indeed, the fact that more people see quarters today than saw finals in the peak year in Montreal represents a major achievement for an activity that's seen its foundation undermined over the past 30 years. Big win for DCI.

HH

Its important to compare apples to apples here however it seems to me on what national audience numbers, in total, watched the Finals and in what venues. If we are factoring in the approx. 44,000 that saw the Finals.. not live.. but in theatres, do we likewise count the people that watched DCI Finals on PBS TV or on ESPN TV ? Or not ? And if not, why not ? I don't know what the national figures were that watched the Finals on PBS (or ESPN ), but I would imagine that we can all agree that the annual national figures were substantially more than 44,000 that watched the Finals each year, not live, but off site, in some manner via PBS TV or ESPN TV. I would imagine that DCI has the approx. viewers that watched DCI Finals on PBS, ESPN each year. Michael Boo probably would know.... others might too here, I would think.

Edited by BRASSO
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Maybe I'm just a "glass half empty" guy, but it seems to me that the event should be able to draw a LOT more viewers. An average of only 71 viewers per screen seems sort of . . . meh.

The full DCI tour surely draws several hundred thousand viewers over the course of the entire summer -- why are the majority of people who are willing to pay to attend a live outdoor event not also willing to attend a closed circuit broadcast in a comfortable theater featuring all 17 top corps, for (in most cases) less money? I think the theater experience is excellent, but are there others who do not? How can it be improved? Are live event attendees being hit with appropriate marketing? Would marketing dollars be better spent printing flyers to hand out at every live contest -- promoting date, time and locations of the theater event -- rather than producing the trailer that runs in the theaters?

And then, of course, there are the hundreds of thousands of high school band kids to whom this should be a pretty easy sell. I am always surprised by how few groups I see at the movie theater, as compared to live events.

To be clear, I think the theater event is an excellent production, and wish that it were even better attended. DCI shouldn't be satisfied with the current number of attendees.

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Its important to compare apples to apples here however it seems to me on what national audience numbers, in total, watched the Finals and in what venues. If we are factoring in the approx. 44,000 that saw the Finals.. not live.. but in theatres, do we likewise count the people that watched DCI Finals on PBS TV or on ESPN TV ? Or not ? And if not, why not ? I don't know what the national figures were that watched the Finals on PBS (or ESPN ), but I would imagine that we can all agree that the annual national figures were substantially more than 44,000 that watched the Finals each year, not live, but off site, in some manner via PBS TV or ESPN TV. I would imagine that DCI has the approx. viewers that watched DCI Finals on PBS, ESPN each year. Michael Boo probably would know.... others might too here, I would think.

You have to remember the the theater broadcast means more money in DCI's pocket. The TV Broadcasts were money OUT of pocket.

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My theater was pretty packed.

It wasn't completely full, but there is another theater like 5 miles down the highway that I heard was also well attended.

They are lucky they have the numbers. Especially for the time of day it starts and it's a weeknight. Theaters must like the numbers. I know my theater was happy to see a line of kids wanting popcorn and soda on a thursday night before the show and during the intermission.

I think attendance for this event will only go up. As it has been over the years.

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tell your theater manager to turn it up

I did where I was, but it made things WAY too amped-pit heavy so we had him put it back to the original volume. Hopefully they can figure out better mic placements or something for the next time.

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Are live event attendees being hit with appropriate marketing?

Or appropriate advertising... If I hadn't read about it on DCP the only notice about the theater broadcast was a pic msg my sister sent. Her hubby and her were waiting for a movie to start and she noticed a sign in the lobby. She snapped the pic on her phone and sent it with a msg of "Huh?"......

My big question would be how would you make this inviting to non-DC people and let them know about it. Anything else is preaching to the choir.

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You have to remember the the theater broadcast means more money in DCI's pocket. The TV Broadcasts were money OUT of pocket.

I do recognize this, and its a good point. But I was mostly interested in the number of viewers watching DCI Finals, (as this is a thread on audience viewers for Finals )and nor so much ( on this thread anyway ) on what brings in profits to DCI, and what are financial cost liabilities to DCI, and so forth.

Edited by BRASSO
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Its important to compare apples to apples here however it seems to me on what national audience numbers, in total, watched the Finals and in what venues. If we are factoring in the approx. 44,000 that saw the Finals.. not live.. but in theatres, do we likewise count the people that watched DCI Finals on PBS TV or on ESPN TV ? ...

You're right. People watched finals on TV back in the day. I should have said "bought a ticket." More people bought tickets for quarters in 2012 than the number buying tickets for finals in Montreal.

The larger point is DCI has found a way today to extend its audience significantly and bring in revenue at the same time. It's a big accomplishment.

HH

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