Age of audience at DCA Finals

[JimF-LowBari]

Attended in person 2005-2011 and 2012-2022 watched online when held. From what I saw and told by people who attended that average age was going up due to little new blood in the stands. 
This could be one of the reasons for attendance numbers to go down. Especially after the Williamsport “were the hells the handrail” stadium fiasco. 
And then the HS and college age folks have this not so little conflict called school.

So what did the crowds look like the last few years?

[Jeff Ream]

can't speak to finals. Bucs show in August looked younger than it had been

[C.Holland]

someone should poke Kevin Gamin on this.  He was there.

 

I can say that last year at Bush's show the stands were filled with families and youth friends of the NJ teams.   So I felt not young, but also not the oldest.  (That's the guys 4 rows behind us who couldn't stop "this isn't drumcorps... " crap throughout the entire evening) 

[JimF-LowBari]

4 hours ago, C.Holland said:

someone should poke Kevin Gamin on this.  He was there.

 

I can say that last year at Bush's show the stands were filled with families and youth friends of the NJ teams.   So I felt not young, but also not the oldest.  (That's the guys 4 rows behind us who couldn't stop "this isn't drumcorps... " crap throughout the entire evening) 

Lol every time I heard “that ain’t drum corps” I’d say “first time I heard that was…. 1975!!!”. 

 

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, JimF-LowBari said:

Lol every time I heard “that ain’t drum corps” I’d say “first time I heard that was…. 1975!!!”. 

 

i think the thing for finals is distance and time commitment. the diehards want to go to finals. the long drive for most of the corps probably chase some families away....they can watch the livestream.

 

now add in the possibility of seeing DCI finals next year and you may see some change

[burdettsky]

I'm 47 years old, and I am quite certain that more were older than me than younger.  

Honestly speaking, I felt a little bad for the performers.  Not necessarily for the size of the crowd, as finals had a lot more people there than last year, but the lack of applause moments.  There were some moments from some of the drumlines for example where some serious stuff was being played, and I almost felt wrong for being the only one clapping.  I think the age is too high for some to appreciate what exactly is being presented.  Not a dig, just an observation, I appreciated it.

I am excited for the Indy venture.  I think there are more pros than cons, and wish everyone luck in making it a success.  I'm more excited at the prospect of a few northeast shows where you get 5 or 6 DCI Open Class corps with a helping of 5 or 6 DCA corps.  I think that potential is exciting!

[camel lips]

2 hours ago, burdettsky said:

.  I think the age is too high for some to appreciate what exactly is being presented. 

I

Here lies the problem with what is being presented today. Too much of the programming is being written for a judging panel and NOT for the audience members. Band Directors and designers of these shows are writing this material to play to the judging panel and to the sheets. Its a one upmans every season to see how can create a more complex and bizzaro show that plays to these sheets that they have left the popcorn eaters in the stands out. So you are left with the golf clappers and lost your core audience. The mothers and fathers and family members of the kids marching the shows and a few people that are willing to stick around the circuit no matter what. 

Someone said it best. If you can't leave the stadium humming it or tapping your toes to it when you leave. It was probably garbage. You just don't have shows like that anymore. 

[camel lips]

2 hours ago, burdettsky said:

I'm 47 years old, and I am quite certain that more were older than me than younger.  

Honestly speaking, I felt a little bad for the performers.  Not necessarily for the size of the crowd, as finals had a lot more people there than last year, but the lack of applause moments.  There were some moments from some of the drumlines for example where some serious stuff was being played, and I almost felt wrong for being the only one clapping.  I think the age is too high for some to appreciate what exactly is being presented.  Not a dig, just an observation, I appreciated it.

I am excited for the Indy venture.  I think there are more pros than cons, and wish everyone luck in making it a success.  I'm more excited at the prospect of a few northeast shows where you get 5 or 6 DCI Open Class corps with a helping of 5 or 6 DCA corps.  I think that potential is exciting!

I think Indy years ago had the potential to be a great thing for DCA and DCA finals  when you had corps like Empire Statesmen, Renegades Kilties and Cadets2 , just to name a few off the top of my head  . Next year you are going to have what????? Maybe 4 units that are really competitive at the top? DCI fans are going to go to this show for the first time because they have nothing else to do and buy a ticket and see this as a reflection of what DCI All Age is suppose to be and get completely turned off by it. Understanding of Course what the DCI audience is use to by this point in the season. A good many of them have been to several shows by this point in the season. Seen many of the units on the big screen. Followed them extensively. Full and complete shows and many participants on the field. When they see some of the starting line ups with maybe 50 members on the field early on they may not even stick around till Cabs or Buccs hit the field. 

 

I don't want that to be a knock on some of the lower tier units but its just a harsh reality and reasonable expectation of what fans will typically encounter. 

[Jeff Ream]

4 hours ago, burdettsky said:

I'm 47 years old, and I am quite certain that more were older than me than younger.  

Honestly speaking, I felt a little bad for the performers.  Not necessarily for the size of the crowd, as finals had a lot more people there than last year, but the lack of applause moments.  There were some moments from some of the drumlines for example where some serious stuff was being played, and I almost felt wrong for being the only one clapping.  I think the age is too high for some to appreciate what exactly is being presented.  Not a dig, just an observation, I appreciated it.

I am excited for the Indy venture.  I think there are more pros than cons, and wish everyone luck in making it a success.  I'm more excited at the prospect of a few northeast shows where you get 5 or 6 DCI Open Class corps with a helping of 5 or 6 DCA corps.  I think that potential is exciting!

DCI dropped another all age article today on their site...they've done more for all age PR in the last month than DCA did for itself for many years.

[Jeff Ream]

1 hour ago, camel lips said:

Here lies the problem with what is being presented today. Too much of the programming is being written for a judging panel and NOT for the audience members. Band Directors and designers of these shows are writing this material to play to the judging panel and to the sheets. Its a one upmans every season to see how can create a more complex and bizzaro show that plays to these sheets that they have left the popcorn eaters in the stands out. So you are left with the golf clappers and lost your core audience. The mothers and fathers and family members of the kids marching the shows and a few people that are willing to stick around the circuit no matter what. 

Someone said it best. If you can't leave the stadium humming it or tapping your toes to it when you leave. It was probably garbage. You just don't have shows like that anymore. 

there has never been an era where the sheets weren't designed for by the most successful corps.