BranchHill Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Perhaps this? More smaller stadiums, like Middle Tennessee State and, yes, Whitewater. Acknowledging the weather implications. Thing is: they would be less costly, and because they are smaller venues, might sell out more readily. Nothing boosts crowd interest like a SOLD OUT sign. For me, both sight and sound vantages are better in smaller stadiums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersnyder Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 7 minutes ago, BranchHill said: Perhaps this? More smaller stadiums, like Middle Tennessee State and, yes, Whitewater. Acknowledging the weather implications. Thing is: they would be less costly, and because they are smaller venues, might sell out more readily. Nothing boosts crowd interest like a SOLD OUT sign. For me, both sight and sound vantages are better in smaller stadiums. I agree with smaller stadiums. The snag is almost always housing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 10 hours ago, Glenn426 said: <snip> Now mentioning that the corps are paid out performance fees, I wonder if this is not also a driving force for the corps that have survived the last 20 years to try and keep their numbers low, so that these performance fees stay in their pockets at much higher payouts than say if there were a total of 30-35 WC corps and the payouts would have to be diluted so that all performing corps get their cut. <snip> This is not as I would expect human nature to present this scenario. If there were 35 WC corps performing (well, there are 22 now!), the gate proceeds would be boosted by fans and the corps would stand to make more for everyone to share when DCI cuts up the pie at the end of the season. Having shows and taking as much money out of fans' pockets is <THE> business angle of drum corps, and having more corps equals more shows equals more fans and, finally, should equal more gate revenue net of expenses to share among the corps. More corps, not less corps, is the ultimate answer to the survival of the activity if not the survival of the corps we know and love today. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 14 hours ago, garfield said: Also, another thought: Drum corps producers NEVER rent just the stadium at a venue. They also have to rent facilities for the host school corps and for all the corps in the show. It's most likely that those costs are also included in the school rental costs. Every year at our show the school was very quick to point out that they could be renting their facilities to others for a lot more than what we were paying. Almost every year we figured we had to clear $15,000 to keep the school from claiming they were giving us an unfair price break. Also, we have to subtract the amount of other (unkowable) stuff that gets thrown into "show expense" before we draw our assumptions down to actual stadium rental cost. I have all of the P&Ls for the Dublin show for over decade, but those might not be either normal or valid today. agreed. when Five Star Brass sued Herco for breaking the agreement for the Hershey show, details came out about what all was involved, and then when Herco tried to find a solution the details of an even worse contract came out. mindboggling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 3 hours ago, cixelsyd said: So cost savings matter to you. I have seen that in more than one of your ideas. (We have common ground!) But to move forward, the DCI collective will need to be convinced that cost matters. Right now, they only seem to care about revenue. Their strategic plan has multiple directives addressing revenue, and a whole task force created just to pursue revenue ideas. But there is no Cost Control Task Force, and there are not even any strategic plan items focused on the cost side of the equation. This will take some time and persuasion. agreed. can't agree enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 10 minutes ago, garfield said: This is not as I would expect human nature to present this scenario. If there were 35 WC corps performing (well, there are 22 now!), the gate proceeds would be boosted by fans and the corps would stand to make more for everyone to share when DCI cuts up the pie at the end of the season. Having shows and taking as much money out of fans' pockets is <THE> business angle of drum corps, and having more corps equals more shows equals more fans and, finally, should equal more gate revenue net of expenses to share among the corps. More corps, not less corps, is the ultimate answer to the survival of the activity if not the survival of the corps we know and love today. not just bigger corps, but more corps? you sure this is where the powers minds are at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cixelsyd Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 9 minutes ago, garfield said: More corps, not less corps, is the ultimate answer to the survival of the activity if not the survival of the corps we know and love today. Now you are speaking my language. Quote having more corps equals more shows equals more fans and, finally, should equal more gate revenue net of expenses to share among the corps. Now you are speaking their language. Oh, if only people piloting the DCI strategic plan could make the same connection you just did. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Just now, Jeff Ream said: not just bigger corps, but more corps? you sure this is where the powers minds are at? Yes, I'm pretty sure they are ready to have these discussions. If we treat it like a math equation: Shows x corps = revenue If we increase the shows and not the corps, you kill the corps. BD is not going to let DCI tell them they need to do a show that they don't want, or can't justify, going to regardless of DCI's scheduling quandary. And all the corps are more focused now on member experience and the ultimate is to do only 20 shows a season and stay in hotels the whole tour. If we increase the corps we can increase the number of shows without overtaxing any of them, and still increase revenue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said: not just bigger corps, but more corps? you sure this is where the powers minds are at? Absolutely, and that's why A/I makes sense to me ONLY if they don't increase the member limit. I know you disagree, but that act is, at least, the beginning of creating the bodies needed to start more corps. The stuff I'm hearing leads me to believe that the notion of "Activity First" is as high as it's ever been. That cuts don't now go "down-class" to march after being cut, energy put towards promoting the notion that making a dream corps, except in extraordinary cases, begins down class in hopes of moving up. Interestingly, that also forces those orgs to improve themselves to induce that "corps-hopper" to stay with his/her "first corps" because they love it even if they're not assured a ring or even an appearance on Saturday night. If DCI's PRIMARY mission is an event-planner, then the member corps' PRIMARY mission is to keep those cut kids in the activity, marching, and involved. The corps have not done a good job of that to my eye even as the member experience "down-corps" is at the highest it's ever been to my eye. Edited January 15, 2020 by garfield 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersnyder Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 For more corps and more events to equal more revenue, there would need to be more fans or existing fans would have to go to additional shows during the season. increasing supply would not necessarily create more demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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