Factor Analysis
In order to make some sense of how these variables fit together, or how fans respond as they do, DCW performed a factor analysis on the data from these 13 questions. Put simply, factor analysis is an advanced statistical technique that allows a researcher to perform several tests on the data and see what the test results have in common.

From a substantive perspective, a factor analysis can show variables that tend to work together to produce a given result or to describe a behavior. In this case, several questions may present underlying themes that explain a certain aspect of fan behavior. The questions within a factor are all related to each other, but not necessarily to the same subject matter.

Preliminary evaluation shows that DCW's sampling of fans presents a great deal of information and correlation that is statistically significant and substantively important. The sampling itself appeared to be more than adequate (impressive scores on both the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin MSA and Bartlett’s tests).

An underlying structure among the questions themselves was thought to exist and the analysis tends to bear that out. Breaking the 13 questions into three groups, the analysis leaves us with three "factors." A factor is a combination of the original variables. Between the three factors, approximately 57 percent of response is adequately explained.

The first factor included questions 1, 2, 8, 10, 12, and 13 (using the numbers above) -- I term this factor the "drum corps satisfaction" factor. Factor one is important because it is the biggest determining factor in whether or not a fan is happy with drum corps. If the fan likes the music and likes the shows, he or she is likely to think that the activity is changing for the better. To the extent of drift from that ideal, fan dislike tends to play a larger role in overall opinion of drum corps than the other two factors.

The second factor included questions 3, 4, 5, and 6 -- this could be termed "Scoring interest and fan involvement in outcome." Factor two is next in importance, but it takes on a heightened significance since it involves grass-roots support of drum corps and the kind of word-of-mouth advertising that has recently been the cornerstone of DCI’s marketing effort. Fans who talk about drum corps and bring their friends to shows enjoy the activity a great deal (factor one) and are all the more likely to speak glowingly of drum corps and entice friends to attend competitions. Not surprisingly, fans that do not like where the activity is going in terms of evolution are not as likely to bring their friends. However, most fans still attend shows and bring their friends, even if they answer more negatively on the factor one questions.

The other half of factor two is interest in competitive scoring as a component of overall satisfaction. This determinant co-varies with talking about drum corps and bringing friends. Apparently, the fan that feels drum corps scoring is consequential -- and that he or she would be less interested in the activity if scoring were eliminated -- is often the same fan that talks about drum corps and invites his or her friends. Thus, the sporting, competitive aspect of drum corps is one of the most rewarding aspects of the activity for many fans, and a significant selling point for fans looking to bring their friends. Note that factor two separates scoring and fan involvement from enjoyment of music and show design -- the two act in a manner that is much more mutually exclusive than what one may have guessed.

Finally, questions 7, 9, and 11 were included in the final factor, "ticket pricing." This factor is certainly relevant, but tends to lag behind the other two factors in its capability of determining attitudes and affecting outcome as far as fan satisfaction is concerned. There are a number of possible explanations for this.

The first is perhaps the most obvious -- that drum corps is an activity that many hold dear, and that tends to be of greater importance than the price of a ticket.

The second is that many, in light of what they know about Drum Corps International and its affiliated organizations, are willing to accept the prices as reasonable. As far as more typical entertainment events are concerned, drum corps is an expensive proposition, as drum corps tickets more generally involve significant travel expense in addition to the cost of the show ticket. Many fans travel great distances to see shows; approximately 62 percent of fans must travel farther than 100 miles to get to the show site.

Professional sporting events perhaps match drum corps most closely in terms of ticket cost, but the added expense of travel generally puts drum corps in a league of its own. Certainly, Broadway fans also spend a great deal of money to travel to hot spots like New York City and only to pay as much as $100 a ticket for the big musicals.

While drum corps fans are concerned about what they are paying, they seem to be largely undaunted by ticket cost and, speaking generally, would not stop attending drum corps shows given present ticket costs alone. Even if offered lower ticket prices, it is not clear that drum corps fans would attend more shows.

Factor two ("Scoring interest and fan involvement in outcome") is highly dependent on factor one ("drum corps satisfaction"), as high results in factor one encourage similarly high results in factor two; factor one should therefore be the principle emphasis of any drum corps marketing effort.

From the factor analysis -- particularly the scoring of factor one as being the biggest determining factor of overall satisfaction with drum corps -- it can be said that satisfaction with the drum corps product (its music and design) is absolutely essential for the continued contentment of the average drum corps fan.

On the surface, this suggests that fans attend shows to see certain corps that tend to be more crowd-pleasing than others. However, the survey results suggest that most people are, in fact, satisfied with the drum corps product -- the shows of the top five finalist corps included. This seems to indicate that people in the stands are happy with the product overall, not just from a few corps in particular.

Still, the growing resentment of the vocal minority could prove to hinder drum corps’ growth, considering that fan support is essential to the effectiveness of a marketing campaign emphasizing grass-roots efforts and volunteer participation. Drum corps simply cannot afford to alienate its fans -- any of them.

Demographics
Map of Survey Participants
Discussion
Factor Analysis
Regression and Correlation
Acknowledgements
Part 1: DCW Survey Results