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Question for Moderators regarding the Hopocalypse & its fallout


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1 hour ago, Stu said:

Mind you I am saying this as a racing fan since the days of David Pearson and Wendell Wallace. Over the years I have attended tracks like Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, even TMS during the times when the grandstands were way overcapacity sellouts! DCI sure could learn something from today's NASCAR alright; how to lose droves of fans, suffer under massive yearly expenditures going in the red year after year, and flounder in image remake aftet image remake. None of the tracks are anywhere at grandstand capacity and many tracks have eliminated seats on the back straightaways and turns to blunt the poor TV optics. Neither the corporation nor any of the teams have ran in the financial black for a number of years; the tens of millions of dollars each year it takes (just per car) let alone the massive cost of running the corporation means that sponsorships now come and go like a revolving door. Rule change after rule change in both racing format and car structure have not yielded bringing fans back either. And if this all sounds familiar on a smaller scale called DCI then you are correct!!! I still love NASCAR and DCI; but the business downfalls and overreaching expenditures of both may lead to their demise.

I’m hoping I am seeing a different trend upwards in my introduction to NASCAR. Meaning... it’s all about the fans. I personally take every interaction I have when I have my NASCAR hat on to make each persons experience to be an awesome one. It’s ALWAYS about the fans... the customers and when any organization looses that focus, they will fall and fail. That is what true leadership looks like. My football analogy is to ‘Throw the long ball’ where EVERYONE is looking forward! DCI needs to find it’s bootstraps and be more product/customer focused. They, are on the defense with all of this. They need to pull up before it’s to late. Not to bring up, you know who, but he was down, exhausted and defensive... I gave him a pep talk on how he as a leader, he needed to be more forward focused and inclusive. Inclusive of those that felt excluded and unheard. He was all in, but it was to late to pull up. They made sure the stick was down and a crash occurred.  I still have hope!

Edited by Lancer79
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3 minutes ago, Lancer79 said:

I’m hoping im seeing a different trend upwards in my introduction to NASCAR. Meaning... it’s all about the fans. I personally take every interaction I have when I have my NASCAR hat on to make each persons experience to be an awesome one. It’s ALWAYS about the fans... the customers and when any organization looses that focus, they will fall and fail. That is what true leadership looks like. My football analogy is to ‘Throw the long ball’ where EVERYONE is looking forward! DCI needs to find it’s bootstraps and be more product/customer focused. They, are on the defense with all of this. They need to pull up before it’s to late.

Here is the flaw that is eluding NASCAR, and to some extent DCI. It should always be about The Product not the fans; the fans interest will grow exponentially as the product itself increases in competitive quality and second by second excitement. That will generate more fans who are willing to take time and money to go to the live event. The fans left NASCAR not because of metal benches instead of comfortable cushy seats nor did they leave because the were not accommodated with fan experience events and buildings apart from the racing; they left because the racing itself, for the most part, through rules and regulations became boring! And how are they deciding to rectify it? NASCAR is currently spending millions and millions of dollars on fan experience buildings, walkways, windows into the garage area, yet the product of racing remains rather uninteresting lap by lap by lap. DCI take note here!!!!

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46 minutes ago, Stu said:

Here is the flaw that is eluding NASCAR, and to some extent DCI. It should always be about The Product not the fans; the fans interest will grow exponentially as the product itself increases in competitive quality and second by second excitement. That will generate more fans who are willing to take time and money to go to the live event. The fans left NASCAR not because of metal benches instead of comfortable cushy seats nor did they leave because the were not accommodated with fan experience events and buildings apart from the racing; they left because the racing itself, for the most part, through rules and regulations became boring! And how are they deciding to rectify it? NASCAR is currently spending millions and millions of dollars on fan experience buildings, walkways, windows into the garage area, yet the product of racing remains rather uninteresting lap by lap by lap. DCI take note here!!!!

So I asked this question to an owner... why is it you can’t just make a car that is faster than all the others. And WIN every race. He said that it use to be that way. But then it wasn’t about the drivers skills as much. This way, when the cars and the inspection process is so regulated, it levels the field and brings out the strategy and the individual drivers skills. I understand him. Kinda like how the top 7 corps have so much money, the activity is THEIR oyster! It shouldn’t  all be about money but skills and creativity. Right now who ever can afford the $100,000 drill writer has the best chance to win the game. Is winning what it’s all about? Or is it about an activity that builds excellent people? Teaching character. Teaching team building? Sometimes winning is put ahead of Victory. DCI needs to focus more on the story and less on the 11 minutes on the field. In other words, they need to market what is great about drum corps and that’s a heck of a lot more than the show.

Edited by Lancer79
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3 hours ago, Stu said:

tens of millions of dollars each year it takes (just per car)

Last heard... 20-30 million a year per car. Sadly cheap compared to Formula One where the guesstimates put Ferrari in the neighborhood of 300 million a year to run their 2 car team.. and last I researched, Red Bull about 120 Million.

 

Really... if costs keep rising in DCI, I think you may see far more heavy sponsorships.

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4 minutes ago, BigW said:

Last heard... 20-30 million a year per car. Sadly cheap compared to Formula One where the guesstimates put Ferrari in the neighborhood of 300 million a year to run their 2 car team.. and last I researched, Red Bull about 120 Million.

 

Really... if costs keep rising in DCI, I think you may see far more heavy sponsorships.

That’s why we need to market to a larger audience! Building a bigger more inclusive tent! 

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4 hours ago, BigW said:

 

 

Really... if costs keep rising in DCI, I think you may see far more heavy sponsorships.

And before the directors vote against it, you’ll see corps with spandex style NASCAR costumes.

Edited by Ghost
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4 hours ago, Stu said:

Mind you I am saying this as a racing fan since the days of David Pearson and Wendell Wallace. Over the years I have attended tracks like Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, even TMS during the times when the grandstands were way overcapacity sellouts! DCI sure could learn something from today's NASCAR alright; how to lose droves of fans, suffer under massive yearly expenditures going in the red year after year, and flounder in image remake aftet image remake. None of the tracks are anywhere at grandstand capacity and many tracks have eliminated seats on the back straightaways and turns to blunt the poor TV optics. Neither the corporation nor any of the teams have ran in the financial black for a number of years; the tens of millions of dollars each year it takes (just per car) let alone the massive cost of running the corporation means that sponsorships now come and go like a revolving door. Rule change after rule change in both racing format and car structure have not yielded bringing fans back either.

N/M. I see you pretty much answered my question earlier!

Edited by Fran Haring
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50 minutes ago, Ghost said:

And before the directors vote against it, you’ see corps with spandex style NASCAR costumes.

Well. one already sees the percussion logos on most of the equipment. Wouldn't be surprised if one might see logos on any costume they wear in the future much like Soccer... NFL...Folks can dodge it, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it.

 

There was a NJ corps called Fantasia III that caused a raving stink circa 1980 when they took a sponsor flag (thinking Burger King) out with their Main Guard... everyone panned it, they were forced to get rid of that... Well, anyone else remember them? Are they still around? Food for thought.

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2 hours ago, Stu said:

Here is the flaw that is eluding NASCAR, and to some extent DCI. It should always be about The Product not the fans; the fans interest will grow exponentially as the product itself increases in competitive quality and second by second excitement. That will generate more fans who are willing to take time and money to go to the live event. The fans left NASCAR not because of metal benches instead of comfortable cushy seats nor did they leave because the were not accommodated with fan experience events and buildings apart from the racing; they left because the racing itself, for the most part, through rules and regulations became boring! And how are they deciding to rectify it? NASCAR is currently spending millions and millions of dollars on fan experience buildings, walkways, windows into the garage area, yet the product of racing remains rather uninteresting lap by lap by lap. DCI take note here!!!!

I guess I must be the exception in that I was put off by the fans in the stands....Dad and I still remember the guy who clocked his GF and knocked her out cold in front of Pocono. yeah, we have our crazy Drum Corps stories, but sheesh.... the ones that nearly ended up getting Dad and I embroiled in bad situations and having to start swinging to protect ourselves and each other were all NASCAR, not DCA, not Garden State, not DCI...

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