Are Championships too expensive?

[JimF-LowBari]

Eh, it wasn't a huge deal. Probably, oh, twenty minutes or so.

LOL, I learned to hate it because we almost nailed a car two exits before the turnoff. Exit lane was backed up and dingus ahead of us stopped in a thru traffic lane waiting for someone to let her over. We were 150-200 yards or so back and couldn't figure out what was going on. Then it was "OH ####, that car is ####### STOPPED!!!!" And of course cars beside me so I couldn't switch lanes.... guy behind us was "blessing" it too.

That and we couldn't find which exit actually had places to eat that didn't look like Mables Ptomaine Palace.... or were open for the holiday weekend.

Then there was that screw up with the GPS coming back that had me heading to Baltimore city (two exits too close together). Went to next exit to turn around and ended up in da hood for a few miles due to a closed (abandoned?) road.

Seriously adds to the "war stories" later but was about the same distance away at Rochester with half the headaches.

Edited August 30, 2013 by JimF-LowBari

[JimF-LowBari]

OK, won't be seeing this until after DCA but quick question.....

What would happen if a corps told DCA "We don't need hotel rooms for the weekend"?

[N.E. Brigand]

Still not sure what the deal is with corps having/not having to reserve a certain of rooms so following rant may not apply. In my mind if a corps doesn't need rooms at all for whatever reason then they should not have to be held accountable for making sure a hotel gets money for the "good of the event".

Here's how the process presumably works:

--Corps are to receive gate proceeds less DCA expenses.

--DCA expenses will include cost of renting the stadium.

--Host city will reduce stadium cost if DCA guarantees a certain amount of business to local hotels.

--Corps can stay cheap elsewhere and re-sell their required block of rooms to alumni and fans.

--Corps therefore make more than they would if DCA didn't guarantee the host city that a specified amount of hotels rooms would be used.

[Kyle B]

BTW, I had heard from several people that last year, C2 was told they were not allowed to stay at a school and had to use a hotel. Not sure if that changed this year, though I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't.

[N.E. Brigand]

BTW, I had heard from several people that last year, C2 was told they were not allowed to stay at a school and had to use a hotel. Not sure if that changed this year, though I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't.

I would bet that like the other corps, they were required to buy a block of hotel rooms, as per the (hypothetical?) arrangement I describe in my post above. If DCA can't guarantee that corps will purchase enough rooms, then DCA gets less money, meaning the corps get less money. The requirement was put into place before Cadets2 joined DCA. Not that they have a seat at the table, they can propose a change. But if it's saving the other corps money (because they can sell their rooms), I'm not sure they'd go along.

One question I have is this: Finals have often been held in Rochester. Did Empire Statesmen have to buy rooms there? Or are corps headquartered within a certain distance of the championship city exempted from the requirement?

[Jeff Ream]

Jeff,

Your answer is incomplete and in a ways is very out of date.

As Indianapolis and now much of Indiana has gone to a school calendar that begins classes before DCI even arrives in town, more and more DCI corps have no choice but to stay in hotels/motels for at least the weekday nights of the championships. Only now are the corps beginning to use that to their advantage as they book the banquet halls of these hotels for their end of season banquets on Sunday before the corps membership disperses.

Greater Indianapolis (Marion County) and environs is larger than either water-locked Annapolis or Rochester, so there is a bit of a greater flexibility for corps to spread out in four directions, not merely two or three.

But Indianapolis is also a perpetual convention city and their hotels do not have down seasons. The push of the Indianapolis folks to bring every youth organization (sports, music, etc.) to headquarter there from NCAA to fraternities to church groups was part of the reasoning why the Board of WGI has voted several times not to heed the invite to Indy but to stay planted in Dayton, Ohio, an hour away on the Interstates.

No matter what the season, Indy hotel rates are expensive no matter what the number of star-ratings. But DCI does not offer the lowest rates and fewer and fewer fans use them for a package. Friends of DCI (the rich givers) and those in the box suites stay in Downtown hotels through DCI; everyone else commutes but ends up paying for parking. .

actually, in the forms I've filled out for room options to go to Indy, pretty much the whole list was hotels downtown.

as for Annapolis, there are many options to spread out in....and pretty much all lead to DC/Northern VA, Baltimore or beaches.....and I can tell you DC/Northern VA prices make Indy look tame. Anyone staying near BWI, one of the busiest airports in the Northeast can tell you that.

[Jeff Ream]

Still not sure what the deal is with corps having/not having to reserve a certain of rooms so following rant may not apply. In my mind if a corps doesn't need rooms at all for whatever reason then they should not have to be held accountable for making sure a hotel gets money for the "good of the event". For all the talk about DCA corps not having to spend money on amps, etc, etc it's hypocritical if they have to set part of their budget for hotel that the corps might not need.

To compare it to my local chapter of Antique Auto Club of America it would be like the chapter head said "We're going to the National meet in Charlotte. We have to pay for X number of rooms of anyone goes or not".

Way I see it, fans are either coming or not coming and doesn't matter if deals are cut with DCA. If they don't like the deal at a hotel they are free to look around. Hell of a lot easy with certain websites than the old days of AAA book or a bunch of long distance calls. Doubt if anyone is saying "DCA didn't cut deals with the hotels, screw it I'm staying home". Or gee sure nice of corps X to spend that money so my hotel room was cheaper... too bad they can't afford to be on the field next year....

Edit: Still trying to make sense out of how hotels set rates for certain days and/or events going on in the area. Seen some jack up the rate if rooms are hard to find and some have some rooms at a cheaper rate if a certain percentage of occupancy is hit. And doubt if all of it depends on deals with local Chamber of Commerce.

Jim, In the convention planning world, in which I've had just a little bit of experience but not a lot, being able to guarantee rooms is HUGE, especially on a holiday weekend in places that have more to offer than just your event. Basically it helps lower the expenses for DCA in certain ways, which in turn helps pass money back to the corps in time. If you can guarantee a city x number of rooms sold, you'll see the place roll out the red carpets...like Rachacha did.

see, lil ole DCA doesnt have the power of an NCAA event, a pro sporting event, hell even some business conventions. To help sweeten the deal, they have to throw a bone or two...and guaranteeing rooms helps.

[Jeff Ream]

I would bet that like the other corps, they were required to buy a block of hotel rooms, as per the (hypothetical?) arrangement I describe in my post above. If DCA can't guarantee that corps will purchase enough rooms, then DCA gets less money, meaning the corps get less money. The requirement was put into place before Cadets2 joined DCA. Not that they have a seat at the table, they can propose a change. But if it's saving the other corps money (because they can sell their rooms), I'm not sure they'd go along.

One question I have is this: Finals have often been held in Rochester. Did Empire Statesmen have to buy rooms there? Or are corps headquartered within a certain distance of the championship city exempted from the requirement?

correct on last year

[Gary Matczak]

One question I have is this: Finals have often been held in Rochester. Did Empire Statesmen have to buy rooms there? Or are corps headquartered within a certain distance of the championship city exempted from the requirement?

yes, Empire had to commit to their appropriate number of roooms in Rochester just like everyone else,...........don't forget, many members of just about every corps do not live in the cities they hail from,..........

As for Cadets, like Buccs, they were ptobably not told they could not stay in a school, but if they do, they still have to commit to the appropriate number of room nights in order to appear at prelims and finals. One of the twists that Cadets are not used to is that while DCA coordinates practice sites, they do not do the same for school housing sites,...........substitute hotels here.

[JimF-LowBari]

OK, think things have been cleared up in the last few posts. And know White Sabers were at Rochester hotel because they were at where we were.

So to recap DCA gets in return from Annapolis:

1) possible tax breaks (see line below)

2) possible lower room rates

3) possible lower stadium rental

Wonder if USNA Stadium is considered city/MD property (taxes apply) or US land (taxes do not apply)? Will have to check if we get hit for state tax on anything. Before anyone shakes their head at this, military bases and Federal courthouses are considered federal property and state/local laws do not apply. Even local cops need an agreement to enter to arrest someone.

PS - thought hit me if the DCA rules we've discussed apply only to competing corps or Alumni and Minis that also show up....

Edited August 30, 2013 by JimF-LowBari