Will DCA be around in 5 years?

[Fran Haring]

14 hours ago, Jeff Ream said:

and tying themselves to alumni corps that announced they were folding. In 13 they did better at reaching out in the area.

Yes, they definitely did in 2013. 

[Fran Haring]

16 hours ago, Keith Hall said:

Good luck for 2023! Hope more corps don't go inactive.

Yep... that's the bottom line, Keith. I wish them all well. 

[hairbear]

It occurred to me that when DCI was founded, and the touring drum corps model became imperative as a result, DCA wasn't competing with DCI for an audience. DCA had its own identity, audience and marching member base from which to recruit. The DCA corps were all in fine shape in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. DCI buried the neighborhood Jr. corps over time, when those corps lacked the extensive fan base of the big-name corps and naturally, the funding thereof. Even while this was going on, DCA thrived. Could it be that only when DCA began embracing the "DCI Lite" approach, attendance declined? I'm just trying to find the "elephant in the room".

[Fran Haring]

2 hours ago, hairbear said:

It occurred to me that when DCI was founded, and the touring drum corps model became imperative as a result, DCA wasn't competing with DCI for an audience. DCA had its own identity, audience and marching member base from which to recruit. The DCA corps were all in fine shape in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. DCI buried the neighborhood Jr. corps over time, when those corps lacked the extensive fan base of the big-name corps and naturally, the funding thereof. Even while this was going on, DCA thrived. Could it be that only when DCA began embracing the "DCI Lite" approach, attendance declined? I'm just trying to find the "elephant in the room".

Short answer: Yes, I believe that has been one factor. 

 

[Jeff Ream]

1 hour ago, Fran Haring said:

Short answer: Yes, I believe that has been one factor. 

 

agree. its one factor yes. trying to appease older fans at the expense of younger fans is also an issue. DCI ran into this and only finally started addressing it about 11 years ago. 

[C.Holland]

On 9/23/2022 at 11:46 PM, Jeff Ream said:

agree. its one factor yes. trying to appease older fans at the expense of younger fans is also an issue. DCI ran into this and only finally started addressing it about 11 years ago. 

Drum corps has an inherent problem that it created by evolving from a service activity to a production activity. Some things weren’t DCIs decisions as school systems changed how they operate and allocate resources, charge for them, and track them. 

DCA needs to decide if the Marching Member is the client and major buyer of the product, or the ticket buyer in the stands is the major buyer of the product.  
 

DCI (world class) has decided it’s about selling an experience to a marching member. Hence moving camps to BOA heavy sites, outsourcing housing, care, feeding, transport, and healthcare of the members. There could be 5 fans in the stands at a world class show and it doesn’t matter. The payout to the corps for performance barely makes a dent in the cost of housing at a school for a night. The product being sold isn’t to people in the stands, it’s to the kid on the field paying 4-6k to experience what we do in the concert industry. 
 

DCA needs to make some choices about the experience it’s selling. And everyone in the circuit overall needs to be on board with it.  Is it a service or a production? Is it a training ground for DCI (hence chasing younger members) or is it it’s own brand of entertainment?  Is the members dues more important than ticket sales? Or is it’s job to create entertainment that sells tickets?  I know what the website says but the sheets and operations tell me something different. 
 

this choice will affect the sheets, the ticket sales, the payouts to the corps for performance, and the flagship events. Because the one thing you can’t sacrifice is the care of members.   

[Jeff Ream]

the problem is the current ticket buyer is getting older, and isn't travelling. but DCA isn't doing much to get them. I attended 2 local shows this summer, and a good chunk of the crowd both shows were my age (53) or older. you need to engage recent alumni, and parents and family. this for the most part isn't a large touring circuit, a majority of the shows are within 3/4 hours of each other. you need to get bands and band circuits engaged.

[Fran Haring]

19 hours ago, C.Holland said:

Drum corps has an inherent problem that it created by evolving from a service activity to a production activity. Some things weren’t DCIs decisions as school systems changed how they operate and allocate resources, charge for them, and track them. 

DCA needs to decide if the Marching Member is the client and major buyer of the product, or the ticket buyer in the stands is the major buyer of the product.  
 

DCI (world class) has decided it’s about selling an experience to a marching member. Hence moving camps to BOA heavy sites, outsourcing housing, care, feeding, transport, and healthcare of the members. There could be 5 fans in the stands at a world class show and it doesn’t matter. The payout to the corps for performance barely makes a dent in the cost of housing at a school for a night. The product being sold isn’t to people in the stands, it’s to the kid on the field paying 4-6k to experience what we do in the concert industry. 
 

DCA needs to make some choices about the experience it’s selling. And everyone in the circuit overall needs to be on board with it.  Is it a service or a production? Is it a training ground for DCI (hence chasing younger members) or is it it’s own brand of entertainment?  Is the members dues more important than ticket sales? Or is it’s job to create entertainment that sells tickets?  I know what the website says but the sheets and operations tell me something different. 
 

this choice will affect the sheets, the ticket sales, the payouts to the corps for performance, and the flagship events. Because the one thing you can’t sacrifice is the care of members.   

Great points, young fella. 😎

I think DCA's priority has to be shows that put paying customers in seats. 

And I don't think corps necessarily need to sacrifice or lessen the "member experience" to do that. (By member experience, I mean the well-being of the members and the training/education they receive. I like the fact that DCA corps have made many positive strides in those areas, compared to the old days.) 

To me though, there's another aspect of "member experience"... and that is the sheer gratification/fun/thrill of performing a show that gets the fans on their feet wanting more. 

I  think the "DCI Lite" tilt the circuit has taken has kept members of some corps from experiencing that audience connection to its fullest. I wonder if that's a source of frustration for some members. I have no firm idea. About this, or anything. 😂

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by Fran Haring

[Fran Haring]

Chris, a shorter answer to your "service vs. production" point...

If DCA goes all in on the "service" option... then, in all honesty, why bother at some point?

Isn't that kinda what DCI Open Class is already doing? Less time and financial commitment, training ground for the World Class corps, and smaller audiences? 

DCA, to me, would become a "niche within a niche within a niche"... etc. 

[C.Holland]

9 hours ago, Fran Haring said:

Chris, a shorter answer to your "service vs. production" point...

If DCA goes all in on the "service" option... then, in all honesty, why bother at some point?

Isn't that kinda what DCI Open Class is already doing? Less time and financial commitment, training ground for the World Class corps, and smaller audiences? 

DCA, to me, would become a "niche within a niche within a niche"... etc. 

world class is a production selling a touring experience to performers with significant training.  Like broadway doesn’t teach performers how to perform, it teaches them the show they’ve being cast in.  The corps who have the most revenue (that is not music related) are the best situated to reduce their tuition, and they won’t as long as students are showing up in droves to pay it.  
 

open class is more of a service attempting to sell an experience.  They’re teaching more fundamentals and less show components. Their budgets are estimated but their revenue heavily dependent on tuition.  Their finances often volatile. 
 

DCA doesn’t know what it collectively wants to sell.  If members show up to pay fees, it doesn’t matter if the stands are empty.  Empty stands only hurt the corps who try to get the highest appearance fees, or it hurts the show if the show can’t afford them.  If they reduce show demand, to create more fan friendly performances and to bring in lesser experienced performers, it may hurt their membership numbers as students don’t want to pay for an experience less than the experience they’re already paying for in high school or indoor.