Jump to content

Changes in Lucas Oil Stadium seating for 2015 drum corps contests.


Recommended Posts

Perhaps it is an attempt to make the stadium appear fuller to the cinema and FN viewers; perhaps it is because Tom Blair was a Cavalier snare and drummers prefer to sit low to understand stickwork and drum stuff; perhaps it is to save costs with less stadium staff, concession staff, etc. But there will be no “upper deck” seating at Lucas Oil for the June 17th opener and for championship prelims on August 6th.

No the change wasn’t in response to “Oprah” tarps or more recent protests by Canadians, Dutch, and other social deconstructionists. It’s printed on the fliers DCI distributed at last year’s championships and has been posted on the web site almost for as long. But there has been no discussion on DCP.

While this hearkens back to how corps prepared for Boulder prelims and Denver finals being in different places, it also changes horn angles, positioning of drill sets and forms, and how props are staged or viewed. What will this do to music, perception of echo, and blaring of electronics for each performance? Where will the off-field judges be seated? Upstairs or down with the drum geeks? Will this change benefit some shows and be more difficult for others? Will this mandate a move for those seeking center seating and fuller drill evaluations from higher seats to shell out more monies for their preferences to be among the “Friend$$$ of DCI”???

Why the change this season over the practices of the last several years at Indy? Discuss (nicely.)

From the DCI website:

Note for Thursday, August 6, 2015 – Prelims: In an effort to assist with stadium logistics and the movie theater broadcast, all Thursday night seating will be in the 400 level or below.

Read more: http://www.dci.org/schedule/details.cfm?event=444#ixzz3a2SNF5Hy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps it is an attempt to make the stadium appear fuller to the cinema and FN viewers; perhaps it is because Tom Blair was a Cavalier snare and drummers prefer to sit low to understand stickwork and drum stuff; perhaps it is to save costs with less stadium staff, concession staff, etc. But there will be no “upper deck” seating at Lucas Oil for the June 17th opener and for championship prelims on August 6th.

No the change wasn’t in response to “Oprah” tarps or more recent protests by Canadians, Dutch, and other social deconstructionists. It’s printed on the fliers DCI distributed at last year’s championships and has been posted on the web site almost for as long. But there has been no discussion on DCP.

While this hearkens back to how corps prepared for Boulder prelims and Denver finals being in different places, it also changes horn angles, positioning of drill sets and forms, and how props are staged or viewed. What will this do to music, perception of echo, and blaring of electronics for each performance? Where will the off-field judges be seated? Upstairs or down with the drum geeks? Will this change benefit some shows and be more difficult for others? Will this mandate a move for those seeking center seating and fuller drill evaluations from higher seats to shell out more monies for their preferences to be among the “Friend$$$ of DCI”???

Why the change this season over the practices of the last several years at Indy? Discuss (nicely.)

From the DCI website:

Note for Thursday, August 6, 2015 – Prelims: In an effort to assist with stadium logistics and the movie theater broadcast, all Thursday night seating will be in the 400 level or below.

Read more: http://www.dci.org/schedule/details.cfm?event=444#ixzz3a2SNF5Hy

Probably, like you said, to save money on stadium staffing since I imagine historically those tickets don't sell for those events: not sure how it affects movie theater broadcast except maybe more camera coverage up top without annoying paying customers?

It shouldn't affect anything from the corps, as A) the vast majority of WC corps move on to Semis anyway and will plan for that, and B) the judges will be where they always are so horn angles and what-not will still be aimed at the box

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps it is an attempt to make the stadium appear fuller to the cinema and FN viewers; perhaps it is because Tom Blair was a Cavalier snare and drummers prefer to sit low to understand stickwork and drum stuff; perhaps it is to save costs with less stadium staff, concession staff, etc. But there will be no “upper deck” seating at Lucas Oil for the June 17th opener and for championship prelims on August 6th.

No the change wasn’t in response to “Oprah” tarps or more recent protests by Canadians, Dutch, and other social deconstructionists. It’s printed on the fliers DCI distributed at last year’s championships and has been posted on the web site almost for as long. But there has been no discussion on DCP.

While this hearkens back to how corps prepared for Boulder prelims and Denver finals being in different places, it also changes horn angles, positioning of drill sets and forms, and how props are staged or viewed. What will this do to music, perception of echo, and blaring of electronics for each performance? Where will the off-field judges be seated? Upstairs or down with the drum geeks? Will this change benefit some shows and be more difficult for others? Will this mandate a move for those seeking center seating and fuller drill evaluations from higher seats to shell out more monies for their preferences to be among the “Friend$$$ of DCI”???

Why the change this season over the practices of the last several years at Indy? Discuss (nicely.)

From the DCI website:

Note for Thursday, August 6, 2015 – Prelims: In an effort to assist with stadium logistics and the movie theater broadcast, all Thursday night seating will be in the 400 level or below.

Read more: http://www.dci.org/schedule/details.cfm?event=444#ixzz3a2SNF5Hy

I don't see any way to characterize this other than as evidence that there was insufficient demand for the seats to justify the cost. Was there ever? Dunno. Maybe they're squeezing the same fans a little tighter to save some costs. Can't blame them for that at all.

If they were able to sell enough seats, the whole stadium would be open.

I really don't see this necessarily as evidence of "shrinkage" if they're just scrunching the fans into a tighter foot-print (or butt-print, if you will).

Edited by garfield
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might also give them the opportunity to streamline their ticketing, maybe make it more efficient and/or more profitable.

If they force the nose-bleed section down closer to the Friend$ section they, at least, ought to pay for the better seats, right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might also give them the opportunity to streamline their ticketing, maybe make it more efficient and/or more profitable.

If they force the nose-bleed section down closer to the Friend$ section they, at least, ought to pay for the better seats, right?

Garf...

I thought you were over in Ada as part of the official Welcome to Ohio committee!

Better seats...pshaw! I know that you pretend to be a drumming geek and are obviously hitting the sarcasm button with that statement.

Because you are afraid of heights, why should the drill masters be deprived??? Besides we know the visuals will be re-written umpteen times from first contest to finals; we'd like to see and appreciate them all rather than watching the top of the heads of the xylophonists or whatever tin can they are banging this season. :-p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quite the contrary, I'm very serious. (disclaimer: I'm a Friends member. So what) The most expensive seats in the house are the Friends section because of the membership costs and the perceived value of the seat placement. The closer one sits to the center of those Friends seats, generally, the more expensive the seats are in terms Friends level benefits.

There obviously aren't enough drill-fans coming to those nights to justify the expense of keeping nose-bleed open. And, even if the decision to move is forced upon them, it's perfectly logical to charge them more to sit closer to "the Box" in the middle of the Friends (and corps-sold) section(s).

Hey, I remember how crushed I was when Friends stopped serving catered finger-food and free chotskies on finals night in the press box of whatever stadium. The drill geeks will get over it.

Edited by garfield
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Section 640, the highest position on the 50 was always full and a favorite for non-qualifying corps to sneak into the aisles there to see their competitors. Section 639 (usually Crownies and Cavies ticket sales) and section 641 (other finalist corps sales) were fuller in the evening than for the breakfast corps I will grant you.

Most of those sitting in 639-641 have been the more dedicated individual corps boosters, recent age-outs, and past DCI volunteers who could not afford spending the monie$$$ to be with the billionaire Friends AND support the individual corps at the same financial level. This comment is made based on my experience of sitting in this area for all contests at Lucas Oil and sharing many fine discussions with personal friends and others sitting in such a heavenly space.

If you lower folk want to gaze on Tony DiCarlo's every antic for the full day, that's your choice down there in fieldzone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sure, DCI foots the bill while you guys get to sit on top of the world's tallest scaffolding. Of course we can do that!

Bump the ticket prices! Chop down the space, put the souvie trucks outside, call in the street food vendors, make everyone pack in...

Heck, we might as well move back to Bloomington with ponchos and sheets of plastic! (Please, someone build a hotel there!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...