Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps
Subject: Re: Stadium sites will and have sucked!
From: eputnam@vax1.umkc.edu
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 19:08:55 GMT
Organization: University of Missouri - Kansas City

In article <1992Aug17.151520.5102@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, tmv@blitzen.uucp (26129-vandewater) writes:
> In article <1992Aug16.210140.1@vax1.umkc.edu>, cputnam@vax1.umkc.edu writes:
>> 
>> What did everyone think of Camp Randall?
> 
> In summary..
> 
> BAD POINTS:
> - the seats WERE too small, as Nick wrote
                                 ^^^^ my brother's name is Chris!!!

> - no parking at the stadium
> - you could not reenter the stadium once exiting (but this is probably 
>   a DCI decision and not a Madison Camp Randall decision)

Actually, this is the policy of the Stadiums.  The DCI admin people couldn't
believe it when they were told that Rich Stadium (Buffalo) wouldn't allow
"pass-outs."  As my simple mind recalls, KC does allow pass-outs and was the
last site to have done so.

> - the seats WERE too small (they were so small I had to mention it twice!)

Toooooo small, no armrests, and no space between rows (depth)!  Most people
ended up waiting until a standing ovation and then walked down the wooden
planks to get to seats.

> - airport is too small...I had to fly into Milwaukee 75 miles away.
> 
> GOOD POINTS:
> + plenty of parking at the dorms about 10 minutes away

Make up your mind!  ha ha  Is the parking good or bad?  I personally thought
that it sucked.  Silly me, I thought that the parking should be at the 
stadium and easily found.  I have a problem parking in places which are not
clearly "Stadium Parking."

> + people in Madison were very nice and proud that Madison was
>   hosting DCI....I immediately felt welcome when I drove into the city

I agree with this.  The people in Madison did seem to appreciate having the
activity there.

> + dorms were nice and cheap...only $15 bucks a night for a bed!  and
>   the dorm was full of drum corps folks which made for a fun time at
>   the dorms.
> + the weather was PERFECT marching weather (but cold in the upper deck)

I concur, but this isn't a necessary trait of the site.  I believe that in
1985 the place was supposed to be quite warm.  Just like KC, the weather is
a wide swinging variable.  Sat. in KC the high was 75 (just like Mad), but
all DCI people remember was the '88 champs which were very hot even by KC
measurements (but I doubt by Jackson* standards).

> + there were no ushers at each entrance...this is a plus to me since
>   I frequently moved around to get better seats!

I hated this aspect.  Ushers stop the loser fans from walking into the seating
area during a performance and then demand that everyone move so that they 
can get to their seats (always in the center of the section!).  We even
had a guy selling Cokes during a performance (Imagine a soft passage ruined
by "Watered down Cokes $1.75!").

> + $25 admission, in my opinion, is appropriate for finals.

I don't mind this price, but I expect better facilities for the price.

> + I thought the sound quality was fine, but I heard that seats under
>   the overhang couldn't hear that well.

> + Madison, for some unknown reason, has absolutely incredible and
>   delicious ice cream!!  (does anyone know why?)  for this reason
>   alone I'd go back.

Maybe the ice cream was good, but try to get a selection of food from the
concession stands in the stadium.  Hot dogs, Cokes, and Pizza if you want to
walk ALL the way down to the ground to get it.

> + food was cheaply priced..but then again, I'm frequently in
>   Manhattan!

Food and gas costs in KC don't exceed Madison's.  Price per gallon in KC is
only 95.9 cents compared to Madison's 114.9 cents!

> 
> Overall, I'd give it a thumbs up!
> Also, I thought Madison was better than Kansas City!
> 

For those of you who haven't realized it yet, I did not like Madison.  The
site doesn't hold a candle to KC or even Rich (even as much as I disliked it).
I pray that DCI rethinks its position on not using KC as a permanent site.  It
seems to me that the selection committee considers a seat in KC stadium to be
equal to a seat in stadium X.  They are not perfect substitutes!!!  I don't
mind the trip to Madison for the 20th anniv show, but I don't plan on EVER
returning to it.  I go for the stadium/competition not for the local
hospitality.

Sorry if I have offended any Madison fans/citizens.  This was not intended as
a flame (except the people who call my brother "Nick"); it was intended to 
continue discussion of site selections.  I really would like to hear any 
counter opinions as well as supporting opinions.  I also realize that I am
probably biased on this topic (I live and love KC), but I sincerely believe
that my judgement is NOT significantly affected by this.


Eric (not Chris) Putnam
Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps