The Drum Corps International annual winter business meetings got underway Friday, February 6, at the Alexander Hotel in downtown Indianapolis.
Among highlights of the joint session:
• Representatives from three prospective Open Class corps are in attendance at this weekend's meetings. Seven new Open Class groups joined the DCI Tour in 2014, with five more currently being evaluated for participation in 2015.
• DCI Chief Financial Officer Wayne Leide walked through the details of the $11.9 million budget approved by the DCI Board of Directors in the fall.
• Leide reported ticket sales are on a brisk pace for the summer of 2015, with single-night ticket sales for the DCI World Championship Finals currently trending more than 30 percent ahead of last year at this time. Sales for the DCI Southeastern Championship in Atlanta also are reported to be up more than 30 percent.
• Accompanying these robust advance ticket sales, hotel rooms for the DCI World Championships also are filling up at a record-pace, with properties closest to Lucas Oil Stadium almost completely booked six months out from the event.
• DCI Sr. Director of Global Business Development John DeNovi reported that interest in Drum Corps International's SoundSport and DrumLine Battle programs continues to grow internationally. Interest from groups in 15 different countries has led to upward of nine international ensembles making plans to travel to Indianapolis this summer for the DCI World Championships. Interest from prospective new corporate partners is on the rise as well.
• DCI Sr. Director of Marketing Bob Jacobs shared the plans for a new digital content delivery platform which will more seamlessly integrate the DCI Fan Network to provide a vastly enhanced user experience. DCI is partnering with an online video technology company on the project with a rollout of the new DCI.org anticipated before the start of the 2015 DCI Tour.