danielray Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Quite a lot of thoughts after attending finals this year, but the three main takeaways are: 1) There are some parts of the process that don't really make much sense anymore, but seem to simply be done because that is the way it always has been done 2) There is quite a lot of money being spent that corps or DCI is not getting a cut of (it's raining and few buckets out there collecting what falls). 3) There is an incredible number of people all in one place for several days, but very few additional activities planned Finals Week Format It really makes very little sense that so many corps are coming to Indy and performing every night just to get their placement for the next night... and 3 nights of some of the same corps is too much (this is why prelims and even semis is a ghost town compared to finals). Prelims - there is absolutely no need for the top 15 corps from the previous week to be performing in Prelims. Not only does this make for WAY too long of a day, but there is zero possibility that any of the top 15 corps from the previous week will fall out and those kids at the top of that tier do deserve to go out with a night show and to a full house. Make Prelims 100% FREE! The only way to get a ticket is to complete a detailed demographic survey online. Get the house as full as possible... bus in as many high school kids as you can. These are the kids that could pick up a slot for the next year in these OC corps... make it a bigger deal so that potential future members are more motivated to join and the current members can go out with a bigger bang. Semis - Leave format pretty much as it is, but make tickets available on the endzones FREE for anyone who fills out the same demographic survey. FILL the house (will also improve the acoustics and corps will improve merchandise sales). Get live feeds from the stadium on screens in every bar, restaurant and hotel possible. Organize viewing events in these locations for those that might not be up for seeing all of semis in the stadium, but would like to have something to eat, drink and socialize. Have stuff like drumline battle and other small ensemble performances and tents covering the distance from nearby hotels and the stadium. Add a giant LED screen in the warm up zone with the stadium feed... block of warm up zone where you can only enter with a wristband after filling out the demographic survey. Sell food, drinks and merchandise in the warm up zone... make it more of a destination as well. There needs to be a realization that people don't always want to hang out in the stadium and with some corps on 3 nights in a row, it seems more like a formality than actually a performance. Tightening this up and making more things to do could not only improve the finals experience, but "catch more rainwater". After semis there should be a huge reunion event for alumni of all different corps. In order to attend (in addition to entrance fee) attendees should complete info on affiliation, which will serve as a start for a universal alumni database for all drum corps alumni. Continue the free finals tickets for recent age outs (expand it to past 3 years) and create a sort of zone/hang for these guys at a cheaper hotel... with a shuttle to the stadium. Cost is still a big factor for this segment, but you want to keep them engaged more so they keep it up as a regular habit to attend. Finals - format is fine, just same warm up zone and bar setup from semis should be continued. After the event seems to be the biggest missed opportunity. There are sort of informal gathering for mostly staff and alumni at either Basey's or nearby hotels. Not only should there be more organized events with opportunities to generate additional revenue and make it more of an experience, there should be a massive after party for all corps members... something to close out the season. This is something that could easily be sponsored and could be a great way for the kids to socialize with others and end the season. Finals viewing parties... There should be a series of high-quality finals viewing experiences in cities around the country (probably best organized by individual corps... but should all follow a similar format) with merchandise available at these events. Should also be a key thing to engage alumni (build the database) and create unique experiences for their kids (get them hooked when they're 5.. if there is any segment most likely to participate, it is children of alumni). Regionals & Other Events Every single regional and other event should similar social activities around the event... in the warm up zone, tailgaiting, after parties, alumni gatherings, etc. Free tickets for endzones should be a standard thing. It also feels like there is not only missed opportunity to collect additional revenue around each of these events. Do a similar thing with free alumni tickets for first 3 years and also create cheap hotel zone/hang with shuttle for these guys. Keep them engaged... as much as possible. Make Fan Network free for 1 year for age outs... 1/2 price the next year... this gets them hooked on it while the connection with their corps and some of the guys they marched with is still fresh. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortAndFast Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Some of this is sensible, some not so much. I agree that prelims is irrelevant competitively, but the reason the big boys need to perform is that it is DCI's biggest audience of the year, reaching around 40K in theaters + 5-7K live. Using free/cheap tickets to juice the live audience on Thurs sounds like a reasonable move. I believe DCI already sells discounted tickets to Indiana residents (and I assume to band programs), but I don't know any of the details since I don't live there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alumniof Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Free? Its not economics that keeps them away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rancidrolla Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Free? Its not economics that keeps them away. Its not really economics that keeps me away from attending bigger sports events either, but if they were giving out free blackhawks tickets I would tell all my friends about it and go.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 Some of this is sensible, some not so much. I agree that prelims is irrelevant competitively, but the reason the big boys need to perform is that it is DCI's biggest audience of the year, reaching around 40K in theaters + 5-7K live. Using free/cheap tickets to juice the live audience on Thurs sounds like a reasonable move. I believe DCI already sells discounted tickets to Indiana residents (and I assume to band programs), but I don't know any of the details since I don't live there. Theatre event should be finals or semifinals, not prelims. As for theaters showing drum corps on a Friday or Saturday in August, they shouldn't much care, so long as there is solid turnout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 Free? Its not economics that keeps them away. Free would pack the place. The demographic data would be more valuable than the ticket revenue, as you could really go after sponsorship with hard data. The thing that baffles me most about the whole finals experience is lack of sponsorship from mainstream brands. With so many people from such a coveted demographic (these kids are the cream of the crop of youth) I cannot understand why every possible point of attention isn't sponsored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 (edited) Free would pack the place. The demographic data would be more valuable than the ticket revenue, as you could really go after sponsorship with hard data. The thing that baffles me most about the whole finals experience is lack of sponsorship from mainstream brands. With so many people from such a coveted demographic (these kids are the cream of the crop of youth) I cannot understand why every possible point of attention isn't sponsored. didnt you bring all this up a few years ago.....are we really going to go back to the businesses want a retun in spades on their investment..etc etc and how small of an activity we are..there have been many large businesss testing the waters over they years with drum corps...see where they are now? Maybe you feel the bottom line for these corporations can be met...send it in to DCI Im sure if they feel its viable they MIGHT pursue it..can't hurt , right? :smile:/> Edited August 18, 2013 by GUARDLING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 (edited) didnt you bring all this up a few years ago.....are we really going to go back to the businesses want a retun in spades on their investment..etc etc and how small of an activity we are..there have been many large businesss testing the waters over they years with drum corps...see where they are now? Maybe you feel the bottom line for these corporations can be met...send it in to DCI Im sure if they feel its viable they MIGHT pursue it..can't hurt , right? :smile:/>/>/> First point... DCI events are not small. Definitely large enough and with sufficient reach in other mediums for solid sponsorship opportunities. Second point, if they actually knew what is or isn't viable... I wouldn't be posting this. :-) They need someone dedicated to the sponsorship role that has the contacts and expertise to make it happen. They shouldn't not hire from within drum corps for this. This person does not exist from within this pool. NCAA is right down the street from DCI. This is where they should be poaching from. Edited August 18, 2013 by danielray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielray Posted August 18, 2013 Author Share Posted August 18, 2013 didnt you bring all this up a few years ago.....are we really going to go back to the businesses want a retun in spades on their investment..etc etc and how small of an activity we are..there have been many large businesss testing the waters over they years with drum corps...see where they are now? Maybe you feel the bottom line for these corporations can be met...send it in to DCI Im sure if they feel its viable they MIGHT pursue it..can't hurt , right? :smile:/>/> Also, which large businesses have tested the water with drum corps? Have I missed something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Quite a lot of thoughts after attending finals this year, but the three main takeaways are: 1) There are some parts of the process that don't really make much sense anymore, but seem to simply be done because that is the way it always has been done 2) There is quite a lot of money being spent that corps or DCI is not getting a cut of (it's raining and few buckets out there collecting what falls). 3) There is an incredible number of people all in one place for several days, but very few additional activities planned Finals Week Format It really makes very little sense that so many corps are coming to Indy and performing every night just to get their placement for the next night... and 3 nights of some of the same corps is too much (this is why prelims and even semis is a ghost town compared to finals). Prelims - there is absolutely no need for the top 15 corps from the previous week to be performing in Prelims. Not only does this make for WAY too long of a day, but there is zero possibility that any of the top 15 corps from the previous week will fall out and those kids at the top of that tier do deserve to go out with a night show and to a full house. Make Prelims 100% FREE! The only way to get a ticket is to complete a detailed demographic survey online. Get the house as full as possible... bus in as many high school kids as you can. These are the kids that could pick up a slot for the next year in these OC corps... make it a bigger deal so that potential future members are more motivated to join and the current members can go out with a bigger bang. Semis - Leave format pretty much as it is, but make tickets available on the endzones FREE for anyone who fills out the same demographic survey. FILL the house (will also improve the acoustics and corps will improve merchandise sales). Get live feeds from the stadium on screens in every bar, restaurant and hotel possible. Organize viewing events in these locations for those that might not be up for seeing all of semis in the stadium, but would like to have something to eat, drink and socialize. Have stuff like drumline battle and other small ensemble performances and tents covering the distance from nearby hotels and the stadium. Add a giant LED screen in the warm up zone with the stadium feed... block of warm up zone where you can only enter with a wristband after filling out the demographic survey. Sell food, drinks and merchandise in the warm up zone... make it more of a destination as well. There needs to be a realization that people don't always want to hang out in the stadium and with some corps on 3 nights in a row, it seems more like a formality than actually a performance. Tightening this up and making more things to do could not only improve the finals experience, but "catch more rainwater". After semis there should be a huge reunion event for alumni of all different corps. In order to attend (in addition to entrance fee) attendees should complete info on affiliation, which will serve as a start for a universal alumni database for all drum corps alumni. Continue the free finals tickets for recent age outs (expand it to past 3 years) and create a sort of zone/hang for these guys at a cheaper hotel... with a shuttle to the stadium. Cost is still a big factor for this segment, but you want to keep them engaged more so they keep it up as a regular habit to attend. Finals - format is fine, just same warm up zone and bar setup from semis should be continued. After the event seems to be the biggest missed opportunity. There are sort of informal gathering for mostly staff and alumni at either Basey's or nearby hotels. Not only should there be more organized events with opportunities to generate additional revenue and make it more of an experience, there should be a massive after party for all corps members... something to close out the season. This is something that could easily be sponsored and could be a great way for the kids to socialize with others and end the season. Finals viewing parties... There should be a series of high-quality finals viewing experiences in cities around the country (probably best organized by individual corps... but should all follow a similar format) with merchandise available at these events. Should also be a key thing to engage alumni (build the database) and create unique experiences for their kids (get them hooked when they're 5.. if there is any segment most likely to participate, it is children of alumni). Regionals & Other Events Every single regional and other event should similar social activities around the event... in the warm up zone, tailgaiting, after parties, alumni gatherings, etc. Free tickets for endzones should be a standard thing. It also feels like there is not only missed opportunity to collect additional revenue around each of these events. Do a similar thing with free alumni tickets for first 3 years and also create cheap hotel zone/hang with shuttle for these guys. Keep them engaged... as much as possible. Make Fan Network free for 1 year for age outs... 1/2 price the next year... this gets them hooked on it while the connection with their corps and some of the guys they marched with is still fresh. I usually hate these "reinvent the wheel" posts about DCI, but this one not so much. Without going into detail I agree that the "event" world has changed dramatically over the past 20 years and DCI perhaps not as dramatically. I'm not sure it's "raining money" anywhere around drum corps, but God knows we can't afford to miss any of the drizzle or run-off. If anyone doubts that see the "Music City" announcement this week, and that's just the first this off season. I love the activity and I'm probably not smart enough to be really progressive about it (or young enough) but it's time to start testing where more revenue can be tapped. Having said that - I work for an airline. Everyone knows what that industry has gotten to be like - "you'd like a napkin sir? That will be $3... oh sorry you can only use our branded Master Card to purchase..." (btw the airline I work for is the antithesis of this crap - still gives you a free bag, free Live TV, etc. - not sure I could take working for the "Ultra Low Cost" airlines that charge for TP by the sheet. But I digress... I pray that we as an activity keep an eye on where we look for revenue. Folks will pay - we already do, but let's not get stupid about it. Some of that rain you're seeing isn't rain - it's perspiration. We don't need buckets to collect every drop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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