$27 for a 4 corps show?

[Jamesdrum007]

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.

THE PRICE OF TIX FOR A DRUM CORPS SHOW? Last year I paid $125 each for four premium seats at DCI Finals in Foxboro. My wife said I was crazy (I told her not to change the subject). They were great seats on the 47 yd line, purchased thru Friends of DCI. They were cushioned, upholstered chairs with armrests and cupholders. The concession stands behind us were air conditioned, with a tasteful (albeit pricey) menu that included lobster dogs, plus a full service bar with stool seating.

This year in Madison, DCI is again charging $125.00 each for these Finals tickets. However, I'm told that the accomodations aren't nearly as plush. In fact, I'm told that, although renovated, the Madison stadium still has bench seats. Is this true? If so, DCI may see a lot of backlash and complaints for charging the same $125 price as last year but not providing the same comforts and amenities in Madison that the Gillette family did in Foxboro. Regardless, it'll be another great show that I intend to fully enjoy.

Jim

[MaestroBen]

I thought about driving to Lincoln, NE(500 miles) to meet up with a friend of mine and introduce her to the world of drum corps. The best seats are $27 and there is only 4 corps scheduled.

Hello from Lincoln (I have to walk about 5 blocks to this show, so I'll be there!). I agree that the price might be a bit steep, and, yes, it is just the 4 corps performing (Cadets, Cavies, XMen, Bluestars for those of you that haven't gone to the show's site).

However, I think this show has a lot going for it. Most importantly, Memorial Stadium should be an almost perfect drum corps venue. Both home and visitor stands are right on top of the field, and they're steep, so the sound should be brilliant (not counting any amp issues, key of horns, number of valves, or any other possible faults of modern drum corps). And, to get to the $27 seats, you go through the club level, a place very few of us 'mortals' have been on a normal footbal Saturday in Lincoln.

This is the first show ever in Lincoln. One was scheduled for last summer (with the same 4 corps I think), but Bill Callahan decided in May that the stadium had to have a new playing surface installed, so the show was cancelled. There has been more advertising around town (billboards, pre-movie ads, posters everywhere, etc.) than for any local show I can recall seeing around the country.

If $27 is just too much, the lower level $22 seats should be quite good as well, and, if you get up towards the top of one of the lower sections, the view will still be good.

So, to wrap up my first post here on DCP, I would recommend this show to anyone who can make it. Hopefully there will be a great response, and we might see a more significant show here in the near future.

(F.Y.I., I have no affiliation with anyone running the show here, except that I obviously know most of them, and I have no affiliation with the show itself at all. I'm just glad to be in the audience, and glad that the show wasn't scheduled for one day later, as I would be travelling to Madison to rehearse with the Alumni Corps).

-Ben

[27SOA]

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?

Um, CrownTickets supports the care and feeding of a competitive Division I drum corps.

Salem does not.

[bawker]

Um, CrownTickets supports the care and feeding of a competitive Division I drum corps.

Salem does not.

Um, ok.

Maybe you can use that to justify paying 20 dollars more per ticket, then.

(Cue the "for the kids" argument).

[tubamann]

Um, ok.

Maybe you can use that to justify paying 20 dollars more per ticket, then.

(Cue the "for the kids" argument).

Salem Stadium, Salem VA-Capacity 7,157..about 4500 on the concert side.

WJHS Stadium, Benson, NC-Typical NC HS football stadium. Capacity 1,900. (the # of tickets printed)

One venue is more than twice the size of the other, yet the sanctioning fee is about the same. To boot, the Salem show has been going on for more than 15 years, and yes, the Salem show does not pay for a drumcorps.

When you consider that even with a monsoon, rainout, and a move indoors, more than 1500 people stuffed into the Gym at West Johnson HS, I would say that the price wasn't too much.

BTW..when the show was moved indoors, the Crown Events guys went into high gear. They roped off the center section for the premium ticket holders, lowered the GA price to $15, and coordinated with the corps to play to both sides of the packed gym.

There you go.

[mistertoo]

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Edited July 14, 2006 by mistertoo

[bawker]

Salem Stadium, Salem VA-Capacity 7,157..about 4500 on the concert side.

WJHS Stadium, Benson, NC-Typical NC HS football stadium. Capacity 1,900. (the # of tickets printed)

One venue is more than twice the size of the other, yet the sanctioning fee is about the same. To boot, the Salem show has been going on for more than 15 years, and yes, the Salem show does not pay for a drumcorps.

When you consider that even with a monsoon, rainout, and a move indoors, more than 1500 people stuffed into the Gym at West Johnson HS, I would say that the price wasn't too much.

BTW..when the show was moved indoors, the Crown Events guys went into high gear. They roped off the center section for the premium ticket holders, lowered the GA price to $15, and coordinated with the corps to play to both sides of the packed gym.

There you go.

Well, were I attending the show, I'd for sure at least try to recoup the price of the ticket, standstill or no. Kudos to the staff for that.

The issue, to me, is that there are three seperate shows that Crown runs, all with the same pricing structure....and that's it.

No local shows like out in the Midwest, or even down south in GA/FL.

In regards to that, how much do other corps "home shows" run? I just remember local shows at Winston-Salem, Boone, Tarboro and other places costing significantly less. Nightbeat has been around a while, so I can see that "cache" that it has as a draw....the others I'm still a little fuzzy on.

Is there a reason that there are no more local "band booster" shows around here now?

Furthermore, since we're all belaboring the point that these shows "pay for a drum corps" how much does Crown see from these shows once everything is said and done?

Enquiring minds, etc... :)

[27SOA]

I look at it this way.

This is America. We have a free enterprise system.

If you want to buy a ticket to something you want to see bad enough, you will. If it's too much for the wallet, don't go.

Also, there are price points for all 3 Crown shows for all wallets. No one is forced to pay for the premium tickets only.

[bstar82]

The question was not if I was willing to spend the gas money to drive 500 miles. The question is a 4 corps show that should be done in probably 90 minutes at most. A couple of D2 or D3 corps added to the lineup could show a newcomer to the activity the different levels of drum corps. Trust me the money is no issue with me. I spent 600 in Columbia, MO, 800 in Birmingham, and 1200 last weekend for my trip to NoCal, housed 3 kids in a D1 corps to the tune of $800 in groceries, and I have my tix for Denver, San Antonio, Atlanta and Madison. Don't question my ability to pay and spend money on a activity I go all out for. A show with 4 corps seems a little small in my 30 years of participating and supporting drum corps. And if I'm going to a show, I'm going to buy the best seats that are available. I'm not a cheapskate willing to sit at the 10 yard line with a bunch of high school kids talking during the entire show.

UNL Online Ticketing

I'm sure you can find something to do before/after the show in Lincoln. It's Lincoln, there's always something to do there. If you get there early, you could always go watch the corps at rehearsals then go over to the show- then your friend could see some of the "behind the scenes" of drum corps too. I know Crossmen are staying in South Lincoln. Not sure where anyone else is though.

If it's the only show you are going to see this year, I say go for it and buy the mid level tickets. Heck, I'm jealous that you will get to be in Memorial Stadium to see the show!

[bstar82]

Jamesdrum007, Like you, I also was a Friend of DCI coughing up $600 for my tix. This year though I chose to donate my money to my local corps and the three kids I housed. I felt a instant connection in the way my donation was being utilized, unlike at Friends of DCI where I felt it kind of got lost in the mix so to speak. Not that friends of DCI is a bad thing, but for myself, I really enjoyed having these kids in my home and making a difference in their lives. I didn't have the heart to take a dime from them. Just my way of giving back when others 20 years ago were doing the same for me.