Has MIM Buffalo damaged DCI's image in new and resurgent markets o

[Peel Paint]

Not us, the parents of the 12 year old getting frisked.

The parents of a 12-year-old girl getting frisked pushed an usher?

[Zeke]

Fuster Cluck

[skywhopper]

A lot of the TOC shows have had problems getting the fans into the stadium in time for the show. The very first TOC show was delayed for 30 minutes because it was physically impossible to get people through the gates and into the stands fast enough. This should not surprise anyone--if a top corps is going on first, everyone will want to be there. But if there's souvie booths and warmups and entertainment outside the stadium, people will also want to see that. So you need to cut things off outside and have enough time to herd people into their seats before you start the show. Fact is, there's a huge benefit to having a show with one or two open class or lower-tier world class corps that not everyone is anxious to see, because it allows the crowd a lot more time to filter into the stadium. This was kind of a hidden benefit of the way shows are usually scheduled, but it wasn't something anyone was explicitly trying to do. But the TOC concept says those little corps are not worth even having at the show, and so not only do people not get to see the little corps, but they also miss a big corps or two. Doh.

[JimF-LowBari]

I don't blame you for the extreme frustration. But the one thing that was not cool about your reaction was pushing the usher. Not trying to put you on the defensive here, but they would have been within their rights to eject you without a refund for that, and in many facilities with pro football ushers, there's a good chance that would happen. I'd encourage you to stay cooler next time.

Not to mention possible arrest for assault. Only worse thing would be doing something like this with security.

And yes security has been heightened this past week or so with possible terrorist activity overseas.

[JimF-LowBari]

... Internet hiccup....

Edited August 8, 2013 by JimF-LowBari

[13strokeroll]

The parents of a 12-year-old girl getting frisked pushed an usher?

Yes. Judging from the lack of a response from the staff, they appeared to be justified.

[sarnia sam]

only one gate open, two turnstiles operating, yeah it was fubar.

It's totally unacceptable, don't care which way the fingers are pointing, in a mexican standoff everybody loses.

I heard they built Ralph Wilson Stadium with more than one gate, someone should have mentioned it to the lessor and lessee.

Staff at the gate were not unpleasant, I was one of the last in (arrived mid afternoon) and the staff could have been really stressed by then so congrats to them for holding it together. MANAGEMENT ON ALL SIDES ARE TOTALLY TO BLAME FOR CHEATING ME OUT MY TICKET MONEY. Didn't mean to have all caps on, but it does look kinda nice.

Thankfully Phantom, SCV, etc. erased the bad taste I was carrying.

Someone has to bring some sanity to all this 'security' crap. No one is blowing up any stadium in Buffalo for any reason, certainly not a drum corps show. I get the sense that each jurisdiction has to out perform every other in new ways to inconvenience everyone else with their 'gotta be safe' nightmare inducing schemes.

Oh, it took 10 minutes to cross the border, all lanes open and hundreds of cars lined up. they're doing something right.

Regards,

John

[Peel Paint]

The parents of a 12-year-old girl getting frisked pushed an usher?

Yes. Judging from the lack of a response from the staff, they appeared to be justified.

OK, sorry, that wasn't clear in the original post. I thought you were saying that you pushed an usher who was blocking your view of Vanguard. Yeah, I can see how someone being inappropriate with the security check on a 12-year-old could prompt a fairly aggressive response from a parent and not get tossed.

And based on Sarnia Sam's post, it sounds less like an overzealous security check than just not enough turnstiles and security people to process 7000 fans in a timely fashion.

[Liahona]

How many encountered a similar experience this past Monday? Arrived in the parking lot at 6:45. Stood in line at 6:55. Still in line as the National Anthem was sung at approximately 7:35. Getting scanned by Security half way through Cadets. Hit the tunnel at the Cadets closer. Not allowed to sit by the usher as Phantom was preparing to take the field. Pushed the usher out of the way as Vanguard was introduced. Judging by the number of people in line and in the tunnels, I am assuming in excess of 5 to 7 thousand others had the same experience, many whom, excepting the large contingent of Cadets families, were new to the activity or had rediscovered it with DCI's return to Western New York. I would guess, given the volume and agitation of their rancor, they are not coming back and they seemed intent on making certain as many as possible are of the same opinion. Contact with producers of the event first deflected blame to Security finding scores of contraband at the gate. When this was challenged with the observation that in excess of 5000 people were standing in line and noticed none of this, they then indicated it was actually the Bills' (the event staff) fault. When they were informed the Bills had indicated that the event promoters were responsible for the staff, the balame shifted yet again to the ticketing agent and refused to profer refund or compensation. I understand the shoestring budget and immense logistical difficulties in returning the activity to an area that has experienced a 5-7 year absence of drum corps; but, these actions seem to be of one that is attempting to make that prior hiatus a permanent one. Thoughts?

Arriving at 6:45 for a 7ish show is not very prudent on your part and being physical with ushers is not very cool either. You are lucky you didn't get ejected from the entire event...

[Galen]

I wonder if the problems the OP discussed is what kept the Buffalo event from successfully returning to the DCI calendar until this season after a couple of abortive attempts in the last couple of years.