Buying Shirts at shows

[HeWhoWaits]

Working on accumulating a shirt for every Corps - but I want generic Corps shirt, not a show shirt. This makes it impossible to directly support BDB and BDC - they don't have their "own" shirts.

[perc2100]

We were curious as to the reasons why fans buy a particular shirts at the shows. A small group of us were discussing this topic the other day. What are your thoughts.

This is kind of an odd question for a poll, as there are a lot of different reasons why I might buy a shirt. Often it has to do with the design being really cool: the SCV old-school drum line shirt; the See Dick Jam BK shirt from the 90's; the Limited Edition 'Late Night' shirt from the late 80's. Sometimes it has to do with wanting to support a specific corps, though that happens a lot less frequently now than it did when I was younger. Every once in awhile a corps performs a show I really like AND they have a shirt design that ties-in that I really like.

I can't remember the last time I bought a show-themed shirt from a corps. Too often I love the show and I don't like the shirt enough to spend money on it, or I love the shirt and I don't like the show enough to spend money on it. Most of the corps shirts I've bought in the last 10-15 years have not been based on a theme, and have just had a cool design (the last one I bought that I remember is the SCV old school snare line shirt). I don't buy a lot of drum corps shirts anymore, so the design would have to be really appealing for me to want to spend money on it.

On the flip side of this discussion, I think a drum corps could really make some money on merchandising by designing retro shirts from past popular shows. If SCV re-released a Phantom of the Opera shirt, or if Phantom re-released Spartacus or Defiant Heart, or something like that I think a corps could make some pretty good money on the nostalgia. Maybe if they sold 'em online only or something, and cater to the 'legacy' fans? I know retro tshirts are the cool thing (ala the Black Sabbath tour shirt that Tony Stark wore throughout the AVENGERS movie, that you can buy at Target and other stores, for example), and several corps have cool retro design shirts already. But maybe taking it a step further and designing or re-releasing shirt designs from older, super popular shows would be a hit with the fans. Just a thought...

[dbngaa]

I bought 2-3 shirts a year when I went to live shows in high school, and it was usually a combination of best design and corps I liked the most at that moment. Being a drummer, I had to get a BD drumline shirt, but I also got the SCV Phantom shirt, etc. I like perc2100's ides for retro shirts, because I would love to have a few of those shirts back.

Edited April 17, 2013 by dbngaa

[Grumpy]

A few years back, there was a guy that attended the quarterfinals that had shirts from every corps competing that day-and changed his shirt for each performance, so he was wearing the corps' shirt for whomever was on the field at that time. I haven't been to championships the past couple of years...is he still there and doing the same thing?

I used to have quite the collection of shirts myself a few years back, but most succumbed to closet shrinkage. These days, I usually buy a championship shirt (DCI and/or DCA) if I attend but other than that, I have enough "stuff" so I will just drop a few $ in random fuel funds as I wander the souvie area.

[perc2100]

I will just drop a few $ in random fuel funds as I wander the souvie area.

Yeah, I'm with ya. I'd MUCH rather donate directly to a corps, and if I buy anything know it's a DVD or blu-ray, or something I can use (for example, the Tap Space music that SCV, Cavaliers, and other corps sell).

[MisterA]

My wife and I usually buy shirts from almost every corps. We love to help support the corps, and it is fun to help promote the activity away from the shows as well. Wearing drum corps t-shirts has introduced us to many people over the years. But my favorite souvie items are usually CDs or DVDs with studio recordings, or other media that isn't available on the DCI CDs or DVDs.

[flammaster]

1366211839[/url]' post='3257443']

Working on accumulating a shirt for every Corps - but I want generic Corps shirt, not a show shirt. This makes it impossible to directly support BDB and BDC - they don't have their "own" shirts.

Yea i agree. I need a BDB shirt for sure.

[jonnyboy]

I go to each of two corps I support when buying. I prefer shirts that don't have a year, a season or "drum and bugle" on them. I want a cool shirt that I can wear anywhere, a neat design or something simple. That is just my preference and I rarely find it. I usually end up buying something for a family member or just donating cash. It is a shame because I WANT a cool shirt, but the souvie people seem to know better. Oh well.

I have bought shirts from other corps if the design OR corps has really impressed me. For the past few seasons I do not engage the G7 booths other than a pass by to see what the trends are.

[ashevillemurphy]

I wish the corps would have the shirts for sale on their website during the season for those who can not attend shows in person ...

Crown did it in 2011, but 12's didn't make it to the site until just a few weeks ago.