Jeff Ream Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 Going to a show is supposed to be more like going to an orchestra or rock concert. It's a live performance, with "anything can happen" risks. I have no problem with the price, as long as the shows are excellent and entertaining. and therein lies the dilemma. the costs are up, especially when you consider how far fans have to travel to see a "local" show, and not everyone is entertained. it's a delicate line. I never thought I'd see the day where I can actually go to a Major league baseball game and spend less than going to a DCI show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 Oh, that is absolutely true, but IMO there is still a long way to go to get to the ones that are potentially available. With 25K+ HS bands, there are all sorts of approaches and likes/dislikes. The key is that the number is huge, esp as compared to the shrinking pool of us old-timers. And, with kids moving through the schools, the number is at least stable and has an opportunity to grow if DCI can hold on to even a small percentage. ok...but DCI has been heading this way for what...16 years? tie ins with MENC etc....and yet....we are where we are. So why is this gold mine not be fully realized? It can't just be because woodwinds haven't been added. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeyDad Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 ok...but DCI has been heading this way for what...16 years? tie ins with MENC etc....and yet....we are where we are. So why is this gold mine not be fully realized? It can't just be because woodwinds haven't been added. Exactly. Seems like this this "untapped resource" has been talked about for decades. So either that really isn't the answer or corps directors are doing a poor job tapping into the high schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 and therein lies the dilemma. the costs are up, especially when you consider how far fans have to travel to see a "local" show, and not everyone is entertained. it's a delicate line. I never thought I'd see the day where I can actually go to a Major league baseball game and spend less than going to a DCI show. And how do we get first timers at a corps show with the ticket costs and cost/effort to even get to a show? MLB - hey plenty of free TV time for newbies and you don't even have to put your shoes on..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Legacy fans are renewable too. We get new ones every year. (Think "ageouts".) The ageouts are also part of the scholastic band crowd that decided to march corps. What has been discussed here are the older fans in DCI's marketing efforts. Not to mention, with 1/4 of the kids in the 25000+ HS bands being new every year, the numbers of ageouts (new "legacy" fans) versus the potential scholastic population is not remotely comparable. But....you are correct in strict terms. And, as the scholastic band members become the legacy fans, the younger legacy population will be more accepting of the newer shows and items that are being used today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 ok...but DCI has been heading this way for what...16 years? tie ins with MENC etc....and yet....we are where we are. So why is this gold mine not be fully realized? It can't just be because woodwinds haven't been added. Oh, as much as I wish DCI would add WW, I don't really think the WW thing has much of an impact on the attractiveness of attending shows to the scholastic band members. I think that whatever they have done so far has worked to a decent degree, as I see busloads at the shows I attend and read about here from other parts of the country, but the DCI marketing professionals now need to find out what they need to do to go further. I in no way think they are done or 'fully realized' in their efforts, but the focus i future efforts has to be on the population that might have a built-in interest...the band directors and the members. Really, they need to hook more band directors. Without having them on board to act as cheerleaders for their kids to attend DCI shows, you won't see much change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newseditor44 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Chuck is right. Hop is right. When it comes right down to it, the current model is unsustainable, but unfortunately none of you will know it until we lose an SCV, BD, Madison Scouts or Cavaliers. That's what its going to take to make everyone stand up and realize that this can't be sustained much longer. Here's the reality... drum corps died about 10-15 years ago. Maybe longer, we've just been keeping it alive, but on a respirator. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to move a single corps up and down the road each summer. Tours needs to be shortened, The activity needs to be regionalized, and more thought needs to be put into eliminating the word "bugle" from the activity. Yes, it's blasphemy. But its time to start having the conversation about letting woodwinds in. The activity has already moved in that direction, its the natural progression. If the marching arts are to survive, we have to find a way to market the activity to more people and become more inclusive. Five years I never would have said any of this, but its painfully clear that this topic, and not whether or not shows are entertaining us, is the true number 1 topic we face, and will ultimately be the thing that kills us. The "crisis" is this: It costs too much to march in a drum corps now. It just does. It costs too much to tour. The "design" costs at most drum corps are under 10% of the budget. Seems like a pretty reasonable idea that the actual development of the product that is basically the engine that allows the experience costs less than 10 cents on the dollar. However... George is right in a lot of ways. The current drum corps model is unsustainable. We've known that for a very long time. Regardless of what goes on behind closed doors in a board room, the energy wasted on castigating one passionate man seems misplaced. Replace the current touring model. If corps are surviving on the modest performance fees they are receiving (they are not) then the model works. If they can't, then the model is broken. Chuck Naffier 35 year Participant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newseditor44 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Adding to the post above - I went to my 6th grade sons very first band concert last night. He goes to a middle school, and I was surprised at how many kids are involved in the band program. Back in my day, we had about 65 members in our Jr. High band... but in his school, there were 75 kids in the 6th grade band, 70 in the 7th grade band, and 80 in the 8th grade band. 225 kids!?!?! WTF?!?!? WOW!Mind you, this is only one school in North Carolina, but it seems like music programs are making a comeback in a big way. DCI needs to find a way to tap into this resurgence. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Some truth to that, I think. I live in a rural (<10K) town. My daughter started middle school band this year. HS marching band has 120 kids, and the 6th grade band alone has 150. The directors darn near danced on stage at the intro meeting this summer when they were putting numbers together. I'm not sure what caused such a surge in numbers, but it's definitely happening here too. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Chuck is right. Hop is right. When it comes right down to it, the current model is unsustainable, but unfortunately none of you will know it until we lose an SCV, BD, Madison Scouts or Cavaliers. That's what its going to take to make everyone stand up and realize that this can't be sustained much longer. Here's the reality... drum corps died about 10-15 years ago. Maybe longer, we've just been keeping it alive, but on a respirator. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to move a single corps up and down the road each summer. Tours needs to be shortened, The activity needs to be regionalized, and more thought needs to be put into eliminating the word "bugle" from the activity. Yes, it's blasphemy. But its time to start having the conversation about letting woodwinds in. The activity has already moved in that direction, its the natural progression. If the marching arts are to survive, we have to find a way to market the activity to more people and become more inclusive. Five years I never would have said any of this, but its painfully clear that this topic, and not whether or not shows are entertaining us, is the true number 1 topic we face, and will ultimately be the thing that kills us. You posting is an oxymoronic argument . You are complaining about the lack of regional systems, the increasing tour costs, the outrageous expenditures for corps to be involved in DCI. Well who, again 'who' are the main instigators responsible for pushing DCI into eliminating the regional systems, lengthening the national summer tour schedules, increasing the operational costs not into the hundreds of thousands but millions of dollars per year to push DCI into the current Major League National Touring Circus, along with currently wanting DCI to just serve the elite few corps and cut all resources for most corps? Who were those people? The very same people you, and Chuck, want to lead us into the future, that’s who!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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