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ESPN Broadcast: +'s and -'s


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Oh, they don't show the full shows? =/ i guess i didn't pay that close of attention last year. last year was when i was first introduced to drum corps

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I've got to disagree that only 1% of the viewers are new people checking it out because it's on ESPN2. I don't know the figure, but it's got to be WAY more than that. Someone might have the numbers from last year...I remember ESPN being a bit surprised at the numbers it pulled in...and guess how many real drum corps fans there are compared to that.

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I've got to disagree that only 1% of the viewers are new people checking it out because it's on ESPN2. I don't know the figure, but it's got to be WAY more than that. Someone might have the numbers from last year...I remember ESPN being a bit surprised at the numbers it pulled in...and guess how many real drum corps fans there are compared to that.

Didn't they report last year that the ratings were higher than the average NHL game shown on ESPN2, or something like that?

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Still doesn't make sense to me not showing complete shows.

Problem with attracting new fans is the shows these days are so theme based, if you try to watch only a third of it, you are REALLY missing out.

While it would be shortchanging some corps in some peoples eyes, they should take a 2 hour slot, show the COMPLETE shows of the top 6, and fill the rest with the "this is corps" stuff. That way people could get a real feel for what a show is, and the long time fans can watch the top 6. seems like a win-win to me.

When it comes right down to it, I would MUCH rather see between 4 and 6 complete shows than chopped up bits of 12 shows.

Doesn't make sense? I think you actually stated why it makes sense. As we have established, the target audience of the broadcast is NOT us, or the current members or anyone who is well-versed in DCI. So, why attract a new audience member and then show them everything they might want to see for free? By only showing parts of shows, they may entice the new viewer to consider purchasing a video product from DCI. This gets the new fan to go to the website, and from there, they can order tickets to events, check the schedule, learn more about DCI, etc...It makes TOTAL sense not to show entire shows.

Also, regarding the last part of the quote above...well...DCI already had that format (a 2 hour program, full top 6 corps, with some filler), and well...it wasn't successful in the long run. The PBS broadcast was a fundraiser for PBS, and DCI was not a huge money maker. Viewership might have been decent, but the money wasn't great. And ultimately, we were there to serve PBS's interests, not DCI's. So moving into a new format was inevitable...

Finally...lets be honest, in today's ADD society, a new viewer just isn't likely to want to sit through 11.5 minutes of a corps show. I've tried to show my friends videos, and they stop watching or talking about halfway through. Unless someone is already a fan and interested in the ENTIRE show, or are seeing it live, a "best-of" approach is more appropriate to getting people to stick around and watch the whole program. It is the people, the personal testimonies, the behind the scenes stuff that will keep new viewers interested long enough until they get the drum corps bug and are interested in seeing more of what the corps have to offer from a performance standpoint.

That's my take-

M

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Doesn't make sense? I think you actually stated why it makes sense. As we have established, the target audience of the broadcast is NOT us, or the current members or anyone who is well-versed in DCI.

My point was we may not be the TARGETED audience, but we ARE the audience.

The average person who has never heard of it is not likely to tune in, and even if they do, they are not getting to see the actual product. They are getting to see a watered down version that has continuity issues and does not really give the full effect that a corps can produce.

I find it very hard to believe that any Corps broadcast, regardless of format, will be a "money maker".

The only people inherently interested in watching drum corps on TV are those who already are fans.

I am sure a few newbies stumble into it, but I would be very surprised if more than 95% of the people who tune in for the broadcast are not existing drum corps fans.

It just seems weak to me to sacrifice what the 95% want to see for what they seem to think the 5% need to see.

I don't think its a stretch to say most of us want to see complete shows.

If I was introducing someone who had never seen corps before to the activity, I would pull out a few DVDs and show 87 cadets, 89 regiment, 94 BD, 96 scouts, and a recent cavies show (COMPLETE shows) to show the different corps and styles.

I wouldn't show a few minutes of this corps then a few minutes of that corps.

Does that make sense?

I see the point you are making as well. this is just what makes sense to me

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...

I am sure a few newbies stumble into it, but I would be very surprised if more than 95% of the people who tune in for the broadcast are not existing drum corps fans.

...

Personally...and I have nothing to back this up with other than my own opinion...I would bet that the bulk of people watching this show are interested in the marching arts (translation: band students) who have learned about the broadcast through friends or a band director and have never even been to a corps show.

We who are already fans will be the minority by far among those watching.

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Personally...and I have nothing to back this up with other than my own opinion...I would bet that the bulk of people watching this show are interested in the marching arts (translation: band students) who have learned about the broadcast through friends or a band director and have never even been to a corps show.

We who are already fans will be the minority by far among those watching.

I don't know if I agree with that, the thing I don't understand is why/how they can produce the show and send it out to a couple of hundred theatres around the country and they can't get it on PPV. I really doubt there are many non-DC people at the theatre viewings. I think it all comes down to controlling the product, just like every other production company does with their product. Until the numbers show the possiblity of profit, it just doesn't happen. So in stating it another way. It all comes down to the MONEY!

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It's like tuning into watch the Super Bowl and just getting an overview on Football instead of actually getting to see the game.

It's not supposed to be like the live Super Bowl broadcast, though. Not anymore. A closer comparison would be to an "NFL Films" special.

.

Didn't they report last year that the ratings were higher than the average NHL game shown on ESPN2, or something like that?

Which is probably why the NHL is no longer on ESPN.

Edited by Orpheus
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