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jamesqI was chatting with a friend last night and we were lamenting the shrinking of the SCA. We concluded that the SCA's two main problems (and they're related) are the fact that the society is graying and money is becoming tighter. We need a new source of income that doesn't further strain the membership (because that will drive people away) and we need to appeal to younger folks.
I say we televiseCrown heavy fighting tournaments.
Think about it: Crown tournaments have much the same appeal that professional wrestling does. There are colourful characters locked in combat. It could also appeal to the sort of people who watch the Olympics - there's a human dimension to crown tournaments that can be tapped into. These people are just regular folks when they're not at events, winning doesn't just give them a prize, it also ensures a lot of work.
The tournaments could be filmed with "period-ish" colour commentary and explanation. In between battles we could do short biopics on the competitors and inspirations. Other aspects of the SCA could be given sound-bites. Non-competitors could be interviewed. We could show footage of some of the larger wars, which might drive up attendance.
It would be a way of exposing the SCA to a much wider audience - an audience that contains many potential members. If it were to become popular enough for even a minor television station, it could become a major source of revenues.
For example, SCA Inc's total projected revenues for 2009 (the most recent I could find) was $1,144,176.00. The total expenditures is $1,174,565.96. I don't know what the budget for a show like American Gladiators was, but the SCA could potentially license it in the first year for whatever the deficit was (about -27.3K in 2009) to break even.
If the show got good enough ratings, they could renegotiate an increase in fees. If costs were kept down, they could invest the difference as a rainy-day fund.
But the biggest advantage isn't the initial money, it's attracting new people to the SCA. Some of those people will stick around and buy memberships. Most of these people will be younger then the current average.
There's lots of potential downsides: SCA combat might get a reputation similar to proffesional wrestling (not fake per se, because you can't fake a 60" bicep, nor can you fake holding a 300 pound guy over your head before slamming him to the matt - let us say a reputation for the outcomes to be predetermined).
There is also a potential that a lot of our best fighters might simply not participate because they're unwilling to be on TV. Alternately, we might get outsiders competing simply because they will be on TV.
Finally, it might simply flop. I would watch it, but I'm already in the SCA. We want people who've never heard of the SCA to watch it.
The hardest trick is to layer the additions needed to make it television-worthy on top of our existing combat, rather then stirring it in. You will never get buy-in from the powers-that-be unless they can ignore the additions. It's not that the additions need to invisible, just ignorable.
I think if one of the more populous Kingdoms were to try this (perhaps splitting royalties with the BoD), it would be a useful proof-of-concept test that wouldn't risk the rest of the society.
I say we televise
Think about it: Crown tournaments have much the same appeal that professional wrestling does. There are colourful characters locked in combat. It could also appeal to the sort of people who watch the Olympics - there's a human dimension to crown tournaments that can be tapped into. These people are just regular folks when they're not at events, winning doesn't just give them a prize, it also ensures a lot of work.
The tournaments could be filmed with "period-ish" colour commentary and explanation. In between battles we could do short biopics on the competitors and inspirations. Other aspects of the SCA could be given sound-bites. Non-competitors could be interviewed. We could show footage of some of the larger wars, which might drive up attendance.
It would be a way of exposing the SCA to a much wider audience - an audience that contains many potential members. If it were to become popular enough for even a minor television station, it could become a major source of revenues.
For example, SCA Inc's total projected revenues for 2009 (the most recent I could find) was $1,144,176.00. The total expenditures is $1,174,565.96. I don't know what the budget for a show like American Gladiators was, but the SCA could potentially license it in the first year for whatever the deficit was (about -27.3K in 2009) to break even.
If the show got good enough ratings, they could renegotiate an increase in fees. If costs were kept down, they could invest the difference as a rainy-day fund.
But the biggest advantage isn't the initial money, it's attracting new people to the SCA. Some of those people will stick around and buy memberships. Most of these people will be younger then the current average.
There's lots of potential downsides: SCA combat might get a reputation similar to proffesional wrestling (not fake per se, because you can't fake a 60" bicep, nor can you fake holding a 300 pound guy over your head before slamming him to the matt - let us say a reputation for the outcomes to be predetermined).
There is also a potential that a lot of our best fighters might simply not participate because they're unwilling to be on TV. Alternately, we might get outsiders competing simply because they will be on TV.
Finally, it might simply flop. I would watch it, but I'm already in the SCA. We want people who've never heard of the SCA to watch it.
The hardest trick is to layer the additions needed to make it television-worthy on top of our existing combat, rather then stirring it in. You will never get buy-in from the powers-that-be unless they can ignore the additions. It's not that the additions need to invisible, just ignorable.
I think if one of the more populous Kingdoms were to try this (perhaps splitting royalties with the BoD), it would be a useful proof-of-concept test that wouldn't risk the rest of the society.
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no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 07:20 pm (UTC)Maybe rather than have it be Crown - where we do at least hope the person is entering with the plan to rule the Kingdom well and not cause they might be on the telly - what if we planned a huge prize tourney with wikked prizes so that it would be incentive to get quality fighters in - and that way we could also set terms on quality of appearance/armor - that makes better tv afterall - and then have a thing that would thrill the TV viewers and generate revenue without complicating our Crown list.
It has potential...
no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 07:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 07:25 pm (UTC)Hmmmm this is something I could see us sucessfully pitching to agroup like the History Channel or Discovery Channel ..... or even Spike if we amped the pummeling aspect...
I wonder if that would be an issue with the not for profit status... guess it depends how much money we made.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 08:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 07:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 08:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 08:10 pm (UTC)At Coronet, a few of us went into town in garb, we ran into a few locals who were aware of the event, had attended at some point during the day and thought it was pretty cool. <--their words.
Perhaps just more media awareness, papers, local community groups, schools, etc, can be papered/emailed, pamphlets/posters with info on the society. Gives the community we are coming into the chance to come out and see first hand what goes on. Then, follow-ups by troll or maybe a few dedicated roving folk who will speak face to face with the visitors, encourage them to come out more often, maybe get involved.
I imagine this may all have been done before…but I do agree with you, more media means more exposure of all the really fun things we do, which may mean more people interested in becoming involved.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 09:15 pm (UTC)In the dim past, prior to having media officers, one of our coronet tournies was taped for some Canadian reality show about alternative hobbies. I think it was the tourney that Eric and Cailleach won... but it might have been the one before it. I remember the film crew, because I was an inspiration at that event. They were a bit pushy/invasive... so not great for a Coronet/Crown.
I think yainga's idea of a prize tourney or alternately something during a war might work.
During a longer war it seems to me there is a bit more emotional buy in for the people involved then with a prize tourney (the same as there is more buy in during a crown or coronet then with a prize tourney). Typically the more folks that emotionally buy into what's happening the better the TV will turn out.
just my 2c
no subject
Date: 2010-06-09 11:54 pm (UTC)It was definatley Eric and Cailleach - I remember that bit.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-11 03:27 am (UTC)It could have just been a tourney - but if it was then Eric wasn't prince yet, and I don't recall S. fighting at Silverwolf which again is why I think it was a coronet of some sort. The only Silverwolf I remember attending with S. was the one that was really cold and had the hagis for the feast (I don't recall a film crew at that)