$27 for a 4 corps show?

[hsreed]

I never said DCI dictates to a show sponsor what to charge for their event. However, DCI and many of it's delusional directors and designers are attempting to brainwash anyone who will listen that their "product" is a superior "art form" and therefore it justifies outrageous tickets prices. Drum corps is nothing more than a marching band. It is in no way shape or form on the same parallel as an off Broadway show. Ticket pricing for some shows are way out of line. This is caused manily by the high guarantees DCI demands from each ot it's sponsors.Eventually, DCI will probably price themselves right out of business. Thats a fact.

I agree. I use to purchase 8 tickers for a local show in additional to attending every local SoCal show with my drum corps buddy. I didn't have a problem finding 7 people to go to the show. Over the past several years, things have changed. A combination of boring shows and not providing enough quality drums corps has affected interest in drum corps shows. This year I purchased 4 tickets and had to take my 6 year old daughter to fill one of my two empty seats. I planned on attending one of four local shows, but one just happened to be in my back yard this year. The entertainment to dollar exchange is dropping like a rock. Frame it anyway you want, artistic shows are generally boring and unentertaining to me, lowering the value of the product. 2003 was the last year when the entertainment value matched ticket prices.

[WWonka]

You are my new hero!

Well seriously. That's a heck of a lineup and some ######## shows for $10.00. You can't go to the movie and get popcorn and a drink for that price. And with the preshow, performances and encore that's over 3 hours worth of drum corps.

And anyone that has seen the top Div II and III lately knows they rock. I have not seen Academy yet but if they are half of what everyone says they are....

And to the OP I kinda agree. 4 corps = $27.00 is a bit steep. But isn't that show in Neb's stadium? The venue may be a big chunk of that price.

[bawker]

Well..

Here is an alternative..and it helps benifit everybody's favorite Cream-Clad drumcorps!

CrownTickets

DCI also has an inhouse ticket service, but they are contractually obliged to use TM as certain venues.

Crown seems to charge quite a bit for premium seats as well...37.50 for between the 40's for a June show at a high school (Benson) is a little much as well, whereas a few ticks north, at the Salem, VA show, seats for a comparable size and quality show are only 20 dollars...and that show is the only one in its region, more or less.

Although, some of the other Crown ticket shows are moderately priced...but not the ones that are "local" (Columbia, Benson, Charlotte) to the corps. Are there extra hoops to jump through with stadium rental or the like here or something?

[Blackstar]

I'm surprised that only one person touched on the real reason for ticket prices. The cost to sponsors. I contact DCI about doing a show here in Delaware. The cost from DCI was 20-30K. That doesn't include cost of the Stadium.

So you're looking at 30-40K for a show

Income comes from ticket sales but you have to factor in not a sell out but maybe 2/3 crowd. so if you have seats for 3000 you figure the cost at 2000. So a medium cost of 35K means a ticket price of $17.5 to break even on the DCI cost.

Advertising, might be another $2-$4,000 or $1-$2 per ticket. So you charge $25 for a profit of $5 per ticket. When you sign up to sponsor a show DCI does not tell you how many corps you'll have until the schedule is made So you might have 8 or 4. they do try to get you as many corps as possible but what happens when someone folds.

It cost alot to run a show and rewards are not set in stone.

[BlueCollarDrumCorps]

Believe it or not, I took 9 people out to see the Salem show. I opted for the less expensive seats. What occurred at the stadium was a little embarrassing. The prime seats were of course in the middle of the stands. They were at 10%-15% capacity. I have never experienced that marching so I was wondering how it must have looked to have the vast majority of the crowd weighing down the sides of the bleachers. I made my choice to purchase those tickets and sit were I did but it also seems so did everyone else. I hope they rethink the pricing structure. It could also be the next show is 30 minutes up the road 2 days later.

Bill

[WWonka]

Believe it or not, I took 9 people out to see the Salem show. I opted for the less expensive seats. What occurred at the stadium was a little embarrassing. The prime seats were of course in the middle of the stands. They were at 10%-15% capacity. I have never experienced that marching so I was wondering how it must have looked to have the vast majority of the crowd weighing down the sides of the bleachers. I made my choice to purchase those tickets and sit were I did but it also seems so did everyone else. I hope they rethink the pricing structure. It could also be the next show is 30 minutes up the road 2 days later.

Bill

I was at a show like that last year also. I like a goober paid for the "premium" seats. Looked around during the show and realized the center section of the stands was 60% empty and the crowd was all outside the crime scene tape they used to cordon off the "premium" section.

One of the best shows I went to last year was in Wichita, KS. The seat price was fairly cheep and they packed the house in a big stadium.

[kansasDC]

I was at a show like that last year also. I like a goober paid for the "premium" seats. Looked around during the show and realized the center section of the stands was 60% empty and the crowd was all outside the crime scene tape they used to cordon off the "premium" section.

One of the best shows I went to last year was in Wichita, KS. The seat price was fairly cheep and they packed the house in a big stadium.

And it will be a great show again this year. Eight corps, a stadium with 72 rows on one level, and the beautiful Kansas wind to keep you cool. I'll be there (but, I'll be working on the food truck, so I only see two corps).

[tubamann]

Crown seems to charge quite a bit for premium seats as well...37.50 for between the 40's for a June show at a high school (Benson) is a little much as well, whereas a few ticks north, at the Salem, VA show, seats for a comparable size and quality show are only 20 dollars...and that show is the only one in its region, more or less.

Although, some of the other Crown ticket shows are moderately priced...but not the ones that are "local" (Columbia, Benson, Charlotte) to the corps. Are there extra hoops to jump through with stadium rental or the like here or something?

To be honest, I am not sure of the priceing criteria here in NC/SC. I know CT's leaves the pricing up the the show folks (minus the service charge) In this case CC is "its own customer"

I would guess that the pricing depends on the following:

-Economics..ie supply vs. demand. You have three shows for the whole year, all with good lineups. For Raleigh, this is the first show since 2000 (we won't get into WHY <**> ) Also you have the only show all year in both Columbia and Charlotte.

-Costs: I listen alot to the Crown Event guys, and you wouldn't beleive the costs they have to deal with..Schools, jantitors, lights, securiity, athletic directors, DCI's fee (which in my estimation is reasonable), etc..it really adds up!

-West Johnson HS seats only 1800. Salem Staduim, nearly 5000. Less seats mean more per ticket!

A good point about CrownTickets is that the service itself is good for CC and the people putting o the shows. It keeps the $$ in the activity, goes to a good cause, and saves show folks and ticket buyers $$ over TicketMaster. In addition, it makes it easier. Crown tickets allows the fans to buy online and leaves the hassle of the administration of tickets out of the hands of the usually overworked show sponsor. A couple of days before the show, the tickets, both presold and walkup are Fed ex'd to them.

[bluecoats88]

premium seats at westminster were %50 for i div II and 7 div I corps.

I was on the 50 one row from the top and the center section was mostly full.

[Orange Roughy]

I was in line for tickets last year in Normal, and when the guy in front of me reached the ticket window, he starts screaming "Twenty Dollars? TWENTY DOLLARS?? To see the show??? NO WAY IN **** am I paying $20!!" He grabs his wife's hand and stomps off. I chuckled, gladly slapped down $100 for 5 tickets, and went in to see an outstanding show.

I mean, the guy gets home from work, changes clothes, gets in the car, drives all the way to the stadium (who knows how far), waits in a long line for tickets, and THEN decides that he needs to make a vocal protest? What were his thoughts as he walked to his car to see the stands 95% full with thousands of people who gladly paid $20 per ticket? Supply and demand, pal. If more than 5,000 people decided that $20 was a fair price, don't you think you're "what's something worth?" meter might need recalibration?

I recently paid $228 for six tickets to a Cardinal baseball game - outfield seats. I'd gladly pay that much or more to see a drum corps show. And i'm no rich man. On a tight budget, I once drove 11 hours round trip to see SCV 2004 because that was the closest Sheherezade came to my house. It was worth every minute and every penny.

Edited July 6, 2006 by Orange Roughy