Time for some market research

[actucker]

Well, that was just a total mis-read of information. Edited for complete lack of reading comprehension.

That being said,

Your original premise was that:

"Over 40,000 views of the "other" thread tell me that DCP can be a somewhat viable poll for drum corps"

Are you backtracking from that premise? Its fine if you just want to see what the general opinion of DCP is, but to suggest that it would be in any way representative of the DCI fan base is ridiculous.

Edited February 13, 2014 by actucker

[mingusmonk]

This information isn't exactly difficult to fine. There are 1,433 members of this forum. Over 20,000 paying ticket holders attended just finals alone in 2013.

Your original premise was that:

"Over 40,000 views of the "other" thread tell me that DCP can be a somewhat viable poll for drum corps"

Are you backtracking from that premise? Its fine if you just want to see what the general opinion of DCP is, but to suggest that it would be in any way representative of the DCI fan base is ridiculous.

When looking at the member list, it is 1433 PAGES of members. 20 members per page. Except the last page, which has 5.

28645 "members." How many are living? Are many are duplicate (triple, quad, etc) accounts? How many are SPAMbot accounts? How many signed up once and never came back. How many are here purely for the DCA forums and have nothing to do with DCI?

It's all just guesswork from that number. Complete guesswork.

Unless the board admins cared to share usage and demographic data. :D

[perc2100]

I picked "I think I'll like it"... there are just so many moments in college band performances where massive trombone sections just make my heart stop... Trombones could really provide the "kick" that's been missing since Bb horns became the norm. :-)

Yeah, and locally I saw a really good local marching band do a concert French horn soli on the field (mellos put down horn and picked up the concert horns) that made for a really beautifully music moment. I think some like, say, Crown does something like that, or Scouts have a ripping t-bone soli, and it will be AWESOME

[MelloMatt]

Yeah, and locally I saw a really good local marching band do a concert French horn soli on the field (mellos put down horn and picked up the concert horns) that made for a really beautifully music moment. I think some like, say, Crown does something like that, or Scouts have a ripping t-bone soli, and it will be AWESOME

May I reference Marion Catholic's show this year?

[truman]

This information isn't exactly difficult to fine. There are 1,433 members of this forum. Over 20,000 paying ticket holders attended just finals alone in 2013.

Your original premise was that:

"Over 40,000 views of the "other" thread tell me that DCP can be a somewhat viable poll for drum corps"

Are you backtracking from that premise? Its fine if you just want to see what the general opinion of DCP is, but to suggest that it would be in any way representative of the DCI fan base is ridiculous.

I see your point about that statement. Probably could have worded that better. I guess what also intrigues me is that I think a lot of drum corps fans come here for the "entertainment" value, read the threads, and don't make their feelings known, or even create a profile etc. I wonder how many came here for the first time in a long time because they knew that there would be something to see after this vote. It seems the drama threads always get a lot of hits here. This one is miles ahead of any in the last couple months. I see you are a dcp vet, and you have marched. Do you think your opinion of things, in even the smallest of ways, is representative of a part of the fan base?

[actucker]

The activity (both indoor and outdoor band) is a large part of how I make my living, so whether or not I'm a fan is kind of complicated. I consider myself a fan, but I rarely pay for entrance into a show (whether an ensemble I'm teaching gains me access or I write off the ticket as a business expense). That being said, sure, everyone on this board is representative of the fan base in some way shape or form. That's not the question. The question is, is there a diverse enough opinion on this board to represent the entire fan base. I'd argue that there isn't. Getting the opportunity to be out an about among the fans of the activity, as well as the participants, I don't think that the general opinions I've witnessed are accurately reflected here. This place tends to be very black and white, line in the sand oriented. You either share my opinion, or you're wrong. That's pretty typical of a message board, because the most passionate and vocal people are the ones who will spend time on a message board. The "moderates" for a lack of a better term, don't speak out or spend the time. Very few people are passionate enough about an opinion that says "eh, doesn't really affect me either way" to voice it on a message board. That's why sampling a message board is sketchy at best in dealing with a polling sample. It would be like polling public opinion on a political issue and only taking opinions from the Fox News and MSNBC comments pages.

[truman]

The activity (both indoor and outdoor band) is a large part of how I make my living, so whether or not I'm a fan is kind of complicated. I consider myself a fan, but I rarely pay for entrance into a show (whether an ensemble I'm teaching gains me access or I write off the ticket as a business expense). That being said, sure, everyone on this board is representative of the fan base in some way shape or form. That's not the question. The question is, is there a diverse enough opinion on this board to represent the entire fan base. I'd argue that there isn't. Getting the opportunity to be out an about among the fans of the activity, as well as the participants, I don't think that the general opinions I've witnessed are accurately reflected here. This place tends to be very black and white, line in the sand oriented. You either share my opinion, or you're wrong. That's pretty typical of a message board, because the most passionate and vocal people are the ones who will spend time on a message board. The "moderates" for a lack of a better term, don't speak out or spend the time. Very few people are passionate enough about an opinion that says "eh, doesn't really affect me either way" to voice it on a message board. That's why sampling a message board is sketchy at best in dealing with a polling sample. It would be like polling public opinion on a political issue and only taking opinions from the Fox News and MSNBC comments pages.

Yes, agree on much of this, especially the black and white thing. BUT...hehe...seems like I always have a but...if DCP represents some of the most passionate and vocal people in the activity as you stated, would it not be bad business for the brand to not see them as valuable, even if it is a small sampling of your most passionate fans. I am more than positive that public opinion polls often take opinions from only the right or left. I have some experience in survey and analysis. Many companies and brands consider passionate feedback, both on the positive and negative extremes, as more valuable than their "moderate" customers. It provides them with the feedback they need to attempt to turn as many moderates into loyal, engaged customers as they can, while hopefully limiting those on the other side. Thanks for your discussion, and btw, did you vote?

[actucker]

I don't think DCI as a whole discounts DCP, nor should they. You have some valid points, but you could argue that that ignorance of the moderate point of view is exactly why the country is as polarized as it is, and why it is so difficult to have an actual debate about anything these days.

[truman]

Come on you lurkers, I see you! Please vote, I'm not giving up that easy! Even Family Feud gets more than 100 pollsters. Please don't make me knock on doors with a clip board...awe, never mind I won't do that anyway. PLEASE VOTE!

[Tim K]

There is only one thing that kept me from attending drum corps shows in my area. In the spring of 1980 (my junior year of high school)I had mono, but sadly I didn't catch the "kissing disease" the fun way. I worked at my father's drug store and the local college had an epidemic, so I probably caught it from a customer. I had to take an incomplete in chemistry and had the summer to finish the work, and I figured I'd do it in August but my pharmacist father and my school teacher mother had other ideas--no drum corps shows until the work was finished. Since it was1980 and 27th had such great prospects that year and I am from the Boston area, the work was finished much earlier than August. Actually it was finished a week after school got out.

Changes, whether I have liked them or no,t have not kept me from shows even though I did feel less impelled to go to shows immediately following the introduction of B-flat and I am sure BAC becoming perennial finalists at that time did not hurt my desire to see shows. So I'd have to vote in the category that Garfield mentions is not included.

Personally, I am thinking I we may only have to get used to trombones. Concert French horns may make great solo instruments and while some marching bands use them, they are awkward for marching, at least that's what I understand. It's also my understanding that there is prestige in being a tuba player, many of whom still call it a contrabass, so perhaps this may keep sousaphones to a minimum. This may be a personal hope since I really do not like sousaphones visually though I od respect those who march with them. A sousaphone requires far more strength than marching with a clarinet, a detail I was often reminded of by my bets friend who played sousaphone.