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DCI membership votes overwhelmingly to allow ALL brass instruments in


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Going on the assumption that all of this is true...

Why hasn't DCI commissioned a marketing study to properly identify their niche market and the demographics of the market? Even though it is 'non-profit' drum corps is still a business driven by the fans buying power. If the fans do not feel the price is worth the experience, they won't spend their disposable income on it.

If ill-informed decisions are made that alienate your niche market, they will stop buying the product. When they stop buying the product, there will be no money to produce the product.

marketing costs money. When you have a BOD fractured with a group that has pwer that thinks DCI spends too much money as it is, you won't see marketing done.

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If I was a show designer I would not want to design a show to entertain someone with that kind of attitude. If I was a marchign member I would not want to perform for someone with that kind of attitude either. So, I guess that means you'll be watching an empty stadium because without them, you have nothing to enjoy. The kids are the performers. The designers are the producers. And the audience consumes the product. You need all three fat and happy. It's not JUST about one of these branches its all three together and they have all slightly different needs.

and that is the crux of the problem......it's tougher than ever to get all 3 totally happy.

when the fans clamor for something the designers feel isn't arty enough or dumbed down or god forbid old school, they're not happy and dismissive of the fans.

When the designers continue to push the boundaries or create something controversial, if the fans don't like it, they trash the designers.

When the kids see older fans #####ing about the problem, they feel disrespected ( and lets be honest, some older fans are disrespectful to the kids).....and the kids trash back.

It's a never ending viscious cycle, and anymore, I'm not sure if it will ever be possible to get all of them on the same page.

but the bigger elephant in the room is the leaders.....every new vision or addition is sure to add fans, participants, etc, the usual spiel. But where's the marketing to show it's actually happened? it really isn't there. if anything, participants are down because there's fewer corps. I don't consider a kid coming out to audition a participant, because if they don't make the corps, they're not participating. Attendence goes up a little, down a little...usually you see spikes on years where there's actual competition at the top. But it's really in kind of a holding pattern.

too often, the leaders make decisions that come off as grasping at straws to keep it alive. DCI should have seen the outcry coming and been prepared with material to soften the blow. Is there even anything up on DCI's site yet? Word leaked out Saturday, and as of when I went to bed at 11 Pm last night, nothing was out there. Epic Fail.

IMO, this continues to show the biggest issue with DCI isn't the on field product, it isn't the kids or the designers. It's the leadership.

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. . .what bothers me the most about this rule passing is that I'm finding it hard to care.

I hope that changes somewhat as the season gets closer; it's a weird feeling.

Yeah. We've gone through this so many times now in recent memory... Looks like there's only one more time (woodwinds) left.

Mike

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Jeff,

I marched from 1990-95. I went to all three nights of DCI championships in 97, 99, 01, 02. I've witnessed finals 10 times, which is probably more than most of the people who post on this board.

I donated to my corps about ten years ago so a guy could march for free. I own various corps cds and the legacy dvd series and 00-06 and 08. I have not purchased merchandise since.

Sure, I've been to a few local corps shows in the PacNW since I aged out but only to see specific corps that I knew would be worth my $ and I've taken drum corps noobies to see some of the theater shows.

I wouldn't have paid money to see BD's 'Yowza', or Cadets narrated shows, or some other 'garbage' (and I use that term focused entirely on the design teams putting a product on the field that, for me, is not drum corps, NOT the kids performing).

I don't believe that Internet petitions hold weight. DCI will just look at show attendance numbers and theater numbers and think 'aha, we must be doing something right, let's make it more band-like!' After all, every single ludicrous change lately has been to bring in 'more fans' or 'make it more entertaining'.

I wasn't a big fan of marching band when I was a student after I did corps. The DC activity is unique because it is NOT band. DC is bad ###, like Sameul L Jackson. Woodwinds are not. No one has ever had their face blown off by them. Or by people talking/singing. I think people forget that.

Yeah, if I read that 'x corps' has trombones, french horns, sousaphones, on the field in any fashion, I think I'm done forever. I'm 40 years old now and I just can't support an activity that has changed so much and become band. DCI won't lose just my $, but any potential guests I would have brought... they won't come to a show if I don't go. I doubt they'll even know one is playing, if our area gets one, let alone the movie theater show.

Thanks for letting me rant.

I hear you. I grew up in and around drum corps. I was attending shows very shortly after conception. I can't count how many times I have been to finals. i can't count how many times I used to hit 8-10 shows a year. So I think you and I are very much alike

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All - we appreciated the lively discussion this development was going to generate, and the passion on both sides. The moderators have been 'hands off' up to this point but it is time we start reining it in before it gets ugly.

Please discuss respectfully, and debate the topic and viewpoint, not the poster. this goes for all discussion threads.

we'll begin with editing any questionable posts and please help keep the conversation going by reporting any questionable comments for review by using the report button.

thanks.

z

:not me:

:bleah:

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. . .what bothers me the most about this rule passing is that I'm finding it hard to care.

I hope that changes somewhat as the season gets closer; it's a weird feeling.

sad that apathy has hit many people. I'm that way, and quite honestly, i'm just telling people to stop #####ing...if you hate it that much, show em how you hate it and don't spend.

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While not very happy with the vote I will say French Horn bugles used to be in Drum Corps in the 70s think they phased out in early 80's but The Royal Crusaders had a french horn soloist and bluestars also in 78 or 79 bluecoats also had a couple french horn bugles in 74/75

When you take a new person to a show how can you not let them call it a brass band......so now we go to the drum & brass band shows as there are no bugles

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While not very happy with the vote I will say French Horn bugles used to be in Drum Corps in the 70s think they phased out in early 80's but The Royal Crusaders had a french horn soloist and bluestars also in 78 or 79 bluecoats also had a couple french horn bugles in 74/75

When you take a new person to a show how can you not let them call it a brass band......so now we go to the drum & brass band shows as there are no bugles

If you took someone to an American football game, how would you explain that its called football with very little involvement between the foot and the ball? Looks more like run and tackle ball. Doesn't stop it from being identified as football.

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Going on the assumption that all of this is true...

Why hasn't DCI commissioned a marketing study to properly identify their niche market and the demographics of the market? Even though it is 'non-profit' drum corps is still a business driven by the fans buying power. If the fans do not feel the price is worth the experience, they won't spend their disposable income on it.

If ill-informed decisions are made that alienate your niche market, they will stop buying the product. When they stop buying the product, there will be no money to produce the product.

Speaking from professional experience (I work at an agency with a market research arm), it's disgustingly expensive to get something truly accurate and worthwhile, especially in the "niche" zone.

and knowing what your niche market is willing to pay for and how much.

In my educated opinion, I feel lower ticket prices would have drawn larger crowds to a drum corps show over adding electronics and other 'toys'.

Here's a question for the class:

How do you lower the cost of the activity - tuition, operating costs, or ticket prices - in any discernible way without taking away from the quality?

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