TCF Stadium Seat Selection

[Foster]

This thread may be out there already but I wasn't sure. Does anyone know if seat selection has started yet for the first group of seats? We are at about 7,000 and I believe we pick in March but was just wondering how this is going to work. I've heard we get an hour or so to pick the spots we would like and then if you miss it you have to pick after the next person. Is this correct?

We have 6 seats and I don't want to get screwed because I am at the office or in a meeting while my time to get the best seats is up.

Also, can we have permanent seat cushions on the benches? The little chairs that flip up that can ensure I sit in my actual # and not down 3 because some fat guy is sitting in the row? :D

[Gold Vision]

Seating Selection started at least 3 months ago, I would think they are into the waiting list by now...

[tjgesquire]

Timing:
You will have an opportunity to select your seats in TCF Bank Stadium during the first half of 2009. In March 2009 you will receive final notification of your Gopher Points total, which includes your ranking amongst all season ticket holders. You will also receive a date and time for you to select your seats.

Your Points:
All assigned dates and times will be determined by point totals accumulated as of December 31, 2008, with the highest Gopher Points total selecting first beginning April 2009 and then proceeding in descending order until all season ticket holders have had an opportunity to select their seats in TCF Bank Stadium. More detailed information on the seat selection process will be mailed to you fall of 2008.

Group Seating:
Season ticket holders wishing to sit with friends in TCF Bank Stadium will have an opportunity to do so. The date and time to select seats for the group will be determined by the season ticket holder with the lowest Gopher Points total. More detailed information on the group seating option will be mailed to you fall of 2008.

[Gold Vision]

Joking.

[GoBigGold]

Let's hope it's not like Camp Randall...prior to the 1993 season seats were fine, but then they renumbered them.....skinny guy like me stands sideways the whole game.

[Donovan]

I'm number 70 on the wait list. What seats do you think I'll have a shot at? I'll be happy with any seat above row 10 or so (I'd take the last row before the 1st row). I really don't like seats too close to the field level. Am I in the majority or minority in this opinion?

[GoAUpher]

I'm number 70 on the wait list. What seats do you think I'll have a shot at? I'll be happy with any seat above row 10 or so (I'd take the last row before the 1st row). I really don't like seats too close to the field level. Am I in the majority or minority in this opinion?

If you're on the wait list I don't think this will be a problem for you.

[Noonan]

Foster - If you are picking around 7,000, you will not have to worry about benches. All seats between the goal lines are seat backs (i.e. same as the dome, but better color). I confirmed with soemone at the U that they are indeed chairs and not benches with a solid back on them. Enjoy you lumbar support!

[PlayHosea]

Foster - If you are picking around 7,000, you will not have to worry about benches. All seats between the goal lines are seat backs (i.e. same as the dome, but better color). I confirmed with soemone at the U that they are indeed chairs and not benches with a solid back on them. Enjoy you lumbar support!I thought everything in between the 20s (premium seats) were actual seats, while everything else is bleachers.

[UpnorthGo4]

TCF BANK STADIUM SEATING AND GOPHER POINTS GUIDE - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question 12 - What will the seats be like in TCF Bank Stadium?

Answer 12 - TCF Bank Stadium will have a mixture of both chair back and bench seating. Current plans call for chair back seats in every section between the goal lines. This means that approximately 50% of the seats in TCF Bank Stadium will be chair back seats. The remaining seats will be traditional collegiate bench style seating.

[GoBigGold]

If you're on the wait list I don't think this will be a problem for you.

Probably have to wait til 2010 for seats is my guess.

[denguegopher]

SEATING AND GOPHER POINTS GUIDE - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question 12 - What will the seats be like in TCF Bank Stadium?

Answer 12 - TCF Bank Stadium will have a mixture of both chair back and bench seating. Current plans call for chair back seats in every section between the goal lines. This means that approximately 50% of the seats in TCF Bank Stadium will be chair back seats. The remaining seats will be traditional collegiate bench style seating.

Am I reading this correctly? Only 50% of the seats at the new stadium are between the goal lines? I've never thought about this but it seems low, especially considering the configuration (at least the one in my mind-a large scoreboard at one end with few seats there) of the new stadium. I suppose that from the goal line to the back of the endzone is not counted in the 50%, so that would add up to 40 yards worth of seats. I'm sure that Upnorth is correct, but still seems low. Anyway I'm really looking forward to the new digs and can't wait to see a game there. The Metrodome era has exired (obviously) and I have never seen a Gopher game there. The same will not be true of the Bank. Go Gophers!

[Gold Vision]

I'm very curious to see how quickly the premium seating will go. I'm guessing the $100 and $250 will go fairly quickly, but a lot of people might have a chance at those $500 premium seats after they get passed by. At 26,000 I unfortunately won't have that option.

[dlw4gophers]

All seats between the goal lines are chair seats. All seats between the 20's are extra contibution seats.

[PlayHosea]

All seats between the goal lines are chair seats. All seats between the 20's are extra contibution seats.Pretty safe to assume that all of the chair seats that aren't premium will be gone in a flash.

[BigEGopher]

Dear Gopher Football Season Ticket Holder:

The excitement is building for the start of the 2009 Gopher Football season in beautiful TCF Bank Stadium! We are less than seven months away from the opening kick-off on September 12, 2009.

You will be receiving your final Gopher Points mailing with your seat and parking selection date and time in the middle of March. The selection process will start in early April based on your Gopher Points ranking.

And

You will have three weeks from your final selection of seats and parking to pay your 2009 Gopher Football invoice.

[Maverick]

Dear Gopher Football Season Ticket Holder:

The excitement is building for the start of the 2009 Gopher Football season in beautiful TCF Bank Stadium! We are less than seven months away from the opening kick-off on September 12, 2009.

You will be receiving your final Gopher Points mailing with your seat and parking selection date and time in the middle of March. The selection process will start in early April based on your Gopher Points ranking.

And

You will have three weeks from your final selection of seats and parking to pay your 2009 Gopher Football invoice.


And...


<LI style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To guarantee that you select your seats at precisely the time you are assigned it is best to select your seats on-line. Based on customer volume, you may incur delays if you are calling or stopping in person to select your seats.

[RedPoo]

Probably have to wait til 2010 for seats is my guess.


Does anyone know what the situation looks like for someone at number 800 or so on the waiting list? I've had student tickets for the last 6 years or so, but evidently that and being an alumni got me nothing towards TCF tickets and I was slow on the draw for the waiting list.

[GoAUpher]

Does anyone know what the situation looks like for someone at number 800 or so on the waiting list? I've had student tickets for the last 6 years or so, but evidently that and being an alumni got me nothing towards TCF tickets and I was slow on the draw for the waiting list.

I don't think anyone has a clue. No one knows what the renewal rate will be for season tix.

[2nd Degree Gopher]

I don’t know if they will get to 800 on the waiting list, but I think that there is some significant fluidity to the “sold out” claims because, until people pony up the money, no one will know for sure who is renewing and who is not. For example, I have heard that many of the purchasers of the premium seating have, thus far, elected to retain their season tickets in the general seating area. Example-guy with four season tickets signs up for a loge box. Does he add the new seats in the loge box and keep the old ones or does he give up those other seats? He was probably asked that question at the time he purchased the box, but until he sees what the options are for the original seats and has to write the check, how does the U know whether he will? For now he is “guaranteed” those four seats, but if he elects to pass, they open up to the waiting list. The economy might have an impact on that as well for many people.

[LloydChristmas]

Do current season ticket holders have the ability to add more tickets at the time of seat selection (which may impact seat selection) or are the waiting list participants now first in line for seats?

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Lloyd--There was a window to add tickets to existing accounts and then average your Gopher Points over all the seats, but that window has closed. New seats now would be on the wait list.

[LloydChristmas]

2nd degree -

I intentionally ignored the e-mail they sent during the season because I didn't want to pony up to add for 2008 season tickets ... merely add for 2009.

Or was the said window after the season was over, and I missed the memo and the window?

Either way I'm not heartbroken and will eventually add more tix when the time is right. As long as I can be there ...

[GoAUpher]

I don’t know if they will get to 800 on the waiting list, but I think that there is some significant fluidity to the “sold out” claims because, until people pony up the money, no one will know for sure who is renewing and who is not. For example, I have heard that many of the purchasers of the premium seating have, thus far, elected to retain their season tickets in the general seating area. Example-guy with four season tickets signs up for a loge box. Does he add the new seats in the loge box and keep the old ones or does he give up those other seats? He was probably asked that question at the time he purchased the box, but until he sees what the options are for the original seats and has to write the check, how does the U know whether he will? For now he is “guaranteed” those four seats, but if he elects to pass, they open up to the waiting list. The economy might have an impact on that as well for many people.

Agreed. This refreshed my memory that I covered this in some posts back on the Yuku board. Here’s what I wrote previously (see here: http://thehole84398.yuku.com/reply/52014#reply-52014) following my tour of TCF:


This is how I understood the plan to work via Phil Esten when I toured TCF:
There are approx 2,700 seats left right now. These are the seats between the 30's that have the PSL (Priority Seat Licenses) attached to them. These will be held open until we all select our seats via Gopher Points. Current season ticket holders will get the first crack at the 2,700 PSL seats if they want them. Once these are filled (assuming they are) everyone else would be selecting from the remaining seats. After every current season ticket holder has selected their seats via Gopher Points next spring, the remaining seats will be sold to those on the wait list. This should be the same number of seats that they are currently holding (approx 2,700). The important Q is how many of these newly opened seats will be PSL seats. In other words, how many current season ticket holders will pony up to get between the 30's? How many season ticket holders do this will determine whether the majority or minority of the seats that folks on the waitlist would have access to would be PSL seats. I hope I'm making sense here... =)

So basically as I understood it, the first 2,700 folks on the waitlist will probably be ok to get seats. Sorry Redpoo…looks like I did have a clue and forgot all about it! I’m not promising this is correct…but it is the info I got last fall.

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Lloyd–I don’t remember when they declared the “sell out,” but until that time any season ticket holder could add seats. Once you had seats, you could elect to average your Gopher Points so that they would all have the same priority level and be seated together in TCF.