DCI Minnesota--Change of Plans

[Stu]

I'm not speaking for cixelsyd here... but I think what's being said is....yes, the corps are well aware that the major tenants of those major venues absolutely get priority access to the venue, and the corps are well aware they have to wait their turn in line, if that turn indeed ever comes.

Sorry; I tend to forget that when typing sarcasm I should probably also include this emoji. to help eliminate confusion.

[skevinp]

So there was not a contract in place? Is that what you're saying? Do you know this to be a fact or is it speculation? Because it's easy if you have a contract: you follow it. Now, it may be a contract that allows the U (not that "the U") to back out without remuneration to DCI. I don't know. That's why I asked a few pages back if anyone knew.

Others said there was not a contract in place. I'm simply addressing the situation they described, be it actual or accidentally hypothetical.

You make a good point that even if they had a contract, the contract itself might have further limited their options in the case of a breach. That goes further to my point that the mere existence of a signed contract is far from the only determining factor in whether DCI can find itself in a bad spot when something like this happens.

You say it's easy if you have a contract. So what would you do if you are in charge of DCI and you had a contract and they decided to cancel you anyway. You may have a right to sue, but are you going to divert a lot of money and resources DCI needs to spend on other things just to fight over this one show? How are you going to get an answer in time to know you can plan on it moving forward there?

Are you going to risk losing the show entirely by spending all your time on this instead of making other arrangements? And even if you manage to affordably run the table legally and somehow get everything you want in an amazingly short period of time, what kind of quality partnership will you expect from your host, who days earlier was your opponent in litigation?

[HockeyDad]

Others said there was not a contract in place. I'm simply addressing the situation they described, be it actual or accidentally hypothetical.

You make a good point that even if they had a contract, the contract itself might have further limited their options in the case of a breach. That goes further to my point that the mere existence of a signed contract is far from the only determining factor in whether DCI can find itself in a bad spot when something like this happens.

You say it's easy if you have a contract. So what would you do if you are in charge of DCI and you had a contract and they decided to cancel you anyway. You may have a right to sue, but are you going to divert a lot of money and resources DCI needs to spend on other things just to fight over this one show? How are you going to get an answer in time to know you can plan on it moving forward there?

Are you going to risk losing the show entirely by spending all your time on this instead of making other arrangements? And even if you manage to affordably run the table legally and somehow get everything you want in an amazingly short period of time, what kind of quality partnership will you expect from your host, who days earlier was your opponent in litigation?

I'm assuming the contract will stipulate what happens should either side back out, so that legal action isn't necessary. That's one purpose of the contract in the first place. So, again, I'm assuming Minnesota exercised the "back out" provision of the contract. Whether that includes any payment to DCI is unknown (by me anyway).

If there was no contract in place, oh well, sucks to be you, DCI. Kinda late in the game to not have something this basic taken care of. Hence the posts questioning the competence of the front office I suppose.

Edited May 2, 2016 by HockeyDad

[C.Holland]

As someone who has spent my career in events, you need two things to secure an event venue.

A signature on a letter of agreement, and a deposit. The article i read stated they didn't have an actual contract. Only a verbal agreement.

Without either of these, there is never a guarantee that you actually will have the space when you requested it.

If there was a verbal agreement, fine, if there was an email... yay. But honestly, if you've been burned before without a contract, why on earth would you attempt to schedule an event without getting a signature and dropping off a deposit in person?

I just don't understand how you can leave yourself, your event, and the people you represent open to that risk when it has happened before.

Edited May 2, 2016 by C.Holland

[Ghost]

I just don't understand how you can leave yourself, your event, and the people you represent open to that risk when it has happened before.

And if this is what actually took place, the PIC of that negotiation will still keep their job.

[Sparky69]

If Friday,July 15 is a real alternative (although totally unfair to anyone with a job), would swaping the Rochester and Minneapolis events be feasible?

No dome.

Otherwise, the UW/Camp Randall,and City of Madison have always welcomed DCI events with open arms,(with guv goober at the helm of WI, we can use all the business revenue that may fall into our lap).

[Everyfan]

Sounds like DCI needs to learn how to contract.

Agreed. Note that the DCI West show at Standford had to move this year also due to a conflict. I would think DCI would be planning its major events FAR in advance to avoid this type of thing...ESPECIALLY events that happen at the same venue on the same weekend EVERY YEAR. Wasn't this supposed to be one of the benefits of having finals in the same place every year? So the tours would be roughly the same every year?

[C.Holland]

Agreed. Note that the DCI West show at Standford had to move this year also due to a conflict. I would think DCI would be planning its major events FAR in advance to avoid this type of thing...ESPECIALLY events that happen at the same venue on the same weekend EVERY YEAR. Wasn't this supposed to be one of the benefits of having finals in the same place every year? So the tours would be roughly the same every year?

These are concerns from years past when the tour changed, and lost venues due to it. Some of them do care about generating outside revenue. I'm going to assume many universities of Div 1 don't, because their primary mission is to serve the residents of there stadiums and campuses first, and then give out dates based upon that availability. But this just seems odd to not have dates, contracts, and deposits handled a year out.

[perc2100]

Agreed. Note that the DCI West show at Standford had to move this year also due to a conflict. I would think DCI would be planning its major events FAR in advance to avoid this type of thing...ESPECIALLY events that happen at the same venue on the same weekend EVERY YEAR. Wasn't this supposed to be one of the benefits of having finals in the same place every year? So the tours would be roughly the same every year?

Yeah it's weird if this has happened multiple times in one season. The people at DCI have been doing this for awhile, you'd think they'd make this as iron clad as possible for themselves.

Of course, that's all easier said than done, and not knowing the explicit circumstances who knows what things are like behind-the-scenes...

[phantombob]

DCI will always have problems with football stadiums---just the nature of the game---anyone remember the fiasco with Denver in 86? Camp Randall came through and 3 consecutive finals were held there. DCI does not know the dates for events till the fall of each year so they are dependent on the availability of stadiums. Always been that way---always will be . One of the reasons why they finally signed a long term contract with Indy---moving finals every year was a financial and stressful loser.