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DCI Office Interaction re: Finals week experience


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DCI isn't equipped to manage audiences, which is ridiculous. They are designed to manage a schedule of events around the country from the performer side of things only, it seems. Cesario claiming in a video earlier this summer that they need the audience interest to grow. Well, start taking your audience seriously, and maybe you can maintain it better which would help it grow. Keep the parents that come for their kids coming back by making the experience better. 

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2 hours ago, NJbirder said:

DCI isn't equipped to manage audiences, which is ridiculous. They are designed to manage a schedule of events around the country from the performer side of things only, it seems. Cesario claiming in a video earlier this summer that they need the audience interest to grow. Well, start taking your audience seriously, and maybe you can maintain it better which would help it grow. Keep the parents that come for their kids coming back by making the experience better. 

The problem as I see it is that DCI could manage crowds at DCI events in the past. There are always ample volunteers in Allentown. I believe there is at least one woman who has been there since the early days. Last year in Indy when they were trying to make sure large groups did not gather in one place, there were many volunteers around, not to mention the people in yellow shirts that either work for LOS or are contracted by LOS. If there were problems in the past, i didn’t experience them. The length of the lines at concession stands has always been an issue, but that is not DCI. They could not manage crowds this year. They also did not consistently enforce policies regarding entering the seating area while shows were taking place. At this point there will probably not be an answer that will satisfy everyone. I just hope notes are being taken and the problems don’t resurface next year.

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Dan is a great ambassador for DCI.  You have only to spend a few seconds with him to see how much he cares about drum corps.  Seriously - I've had several opportunities to interact with him in various capacities, and he's always impressed.

I have my own opinions about needing more separation between the event promotion / coordination arm from the sanctioning body arm, as DCI is a weird Frankenstein one-size-fits-all organization, but that's for another day.

Mike

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I didn't go to finals Saturday but I was surprised at line length for Semis both times I used the gates: 3:30 and 7:30. It only approached 30 minutes, and not an hour, but here are my "Thoughts."

We will probably never know if the issue lies with DCI or LOS or to what extreme. DCI has a very important relationship with LOS, the convention center and the folks that operate the facilities. That is how they ended up in Naptown to begin with. I would expect them to work on resolving the issues privately among themselves. Should DCI make a solo public statement that blatantly points fingers at LOS operators, I would read that to mean their relationship is on the brink of fracture. Also, I would never expect a facility the size and scale of LOS to make a joint statement with DCI admitting any fault. That's the dynamics.

I am willing to give a bit of a pass this year. It is easy to forget that DCI missed an entire year of revenue in canceling the 2020 season. Depending on the industry, some businesses got a few months of dollars churned in 2020, and then things trickled through the rest year. DCI almost exclusively makes all of their money in the summer tour season. Either at the gate or in tour related sponsorships and giving. Then in 2021, a small number of corps did a micro-tour with attendance that you would expect on the back end of a pandemic. Low. That obviously affects the balance sheets. Then DCI had to try and rebound and support a full tour this year with what looks like record attendance at finals week using 2 years of nickels and dimes and tapping into any saved or loaned dollars. If they couldn't afford to pay LOS for premium staffing levels this year, I could understand.

Also seemingly related to the pandemic, filling the job ranks in the lower tiers of pay has been a big issue nationally. It wouldn't surprise me if LOS has had trouble rebounding from the pandemic on those usher and ticket-scanner jobs.

And in another twist, they suddenly started enforcing the clear-bag policy in full force this year, of all years. That was a lot of bag  change and (as mentioned) scan change related chaos. 

Hopefully they are ready to take on the challenge after learning things with the new struggles that have developed on the backside of the pandemic.

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8 hours ago, NJbirder said:

DCI isn't equipped to manage audiences, which is ridiculous. They are designed to manage a schedule of events around the country from the performer side of things only, it seems. Cesario claiming in a video earlier this summer that they need the audience interest to grow. Well, start taking your audience seriously, and maybe you can maintain it better which would help it grow. Keep the parents that come for their kids coming back by making the experience better. 

DCI is the corps. and any expense to staff means money away from them. not saying its a good strategy, but it is the reality

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5 hours ago, MikeN said:

Dan is a great ambassador for DCI.  You have only to spend a few seconds with him to see how much he cares about drum corps.  Seriously - I've had several opportunities to interact with him in various capacities, and he's always impressed.

I have my own opinions about needing more separation between the event promotion / coordination arm from the sanctioning body arm, as DCI is a weird Frankenstein one-size-fits-all organization, but that's for another day.

Mike

Make him Director Emeritus & Ambassador,  and bring in new blood.  
Assuming that DCI can afford it. 

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13 hours ago, Tim K said:

The problem as I see it is that DCI could manage crowds at DCI events in the past. There are always ample volunteers in Allentown. I believe there is at least one woman who has been there since the early days. Last year in Indy when they were trying to make sure large groups did not gather in one place, there were many volunteers around, not to mention the people in yellow shirts that either work for LOS or are contracted by LOS. If there were problems in the past, i didn’t experience them. The length of the lines at concession stands has always been an issue, but that is not DCI. They could not manage crowds this year. They also did not consistently enforce policies regarding entering the seating area while shows were taking place. At this point there will probably not be an answer that will satisfy everyone. I just hope notes are being taken and the problems don’t resurface next year.

Allentown has a committee that has been going since the 70's. many deep ties in the region and tons of contacts. thats how they get the bodies.

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On 8/18/2022 at 7:56 PM, keystone3ply said:

The PAS Rhythm Discovery Center is under the Weber Grill

Have you ever wondered how many random people went to the PAS Rhythm Discovery Center only to find out that they have no actual natural rhythm?

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