TCF Bank Stadium Modifications to Begin This Week

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die hard gopher said:
As i have said before being able to see a big maroon block M in the middle of NFL games is the only reason why i was in favor of them playing at TCF and if i would have known that they would put a vikings logo on the middle of the field i would have let them play at St. Thomas. Even if there is little advertisment value which there is it is still a major sense of pride and it puts the vikes in their place.
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There will be plenty of aerial camera shots of all the stadiums and shots of the campus during each game. I would give the over/under of direct references to the University or the football program in particular (they just beat WI yesterday on this very field and today Green Bay is in town) at 3.5. There is plenty of advertisement value in addition to actual value of facility upgrades.
 

Sports_Realist said:
Why do the Vikings need to be put in their place? What does that even mean? It's come up from time to time since it became clear they'd be playing at The Bank for a couple of seasons and I don't understand the motivation.
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It means that when everybody watches the Vikings play at TCF they need to see a big maroon block M and maroon end zones to let them know that it is the University of Minnesota's field. Not the Vikings field.
 

lakesgopher said:
Lol you are really worked up about me being a smart ass. I think the gophers logo during a Vikings game is meaningless. We have what, 50k students, the U isn't and shouldn't be concerned about a field logo for advertising. We are doing pretty well without it
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Nothing I said indicated that I am worked up, you're just mistaken. If having your logo displayed is meaningless, why do companies pay so much money for it? If it is meaningless, then these companies that pay to have their logo displayed are foolish. Having the Block M on the field would have been good advertising, just like it is good advertising when companies have their logo displayed. The Vikings certainly thought having their logo on the field was worth money, and having their logo on the field should be less valuable, as people are already watching a Vikings game. I'm not shaking my fist at the U for not having the logo, I simply would have preferred the Block M on the field.
 

The Vikings will be put in their place in 2016, literally. I don't see any reason why simple things like this can't be balanced while they are using the U field. After all, the Vikings will soon depart for their fancy new dome and when they do... I wouldn't mind attending a neutral site Gopher game played there against Washington, LSU, Oklahoma, etc. some day. When that happens, I hope to see a block M at mid field in the dome. I also plan to catch a Gopher baseball game or two when they use that facility.

Everybody wins.
 

People who don't live in Minnesota or don't follow the Vikings will be COMPLETELY unaware of the stadium issues for the next two years, even if they see a game on TV. They won't know if its the Metrodome, TCF Bank Stadium, Ziggytown Field, or Met Stadium. No one outside of this forum cares, I'm dead sure of it.

We'll get a nice new field in 2016 with nice new Gopher and block M markings...and no one on the outside will notice.
 


Unregistered User said:
Well then...let's start with a new kick-ass design.

I'm not against what has been used since TCF opened. But I do like the Nebraska alternating five yard pattern:
<img src="http://media.dma.mil/2011/Sep/3/177939/-1/-1/0/110903-M-0341E-027.jpg" width="50%" height="50%">

I'd say no to trying to duplicate Maryland, or Tennessee (which I think is cool, but is really identified to them).
But doing something like LSU does might be pretty cool:
13474884757LSU.jpg


And I really like what Mizzou does as well:
13474884079Mizzou.jpg


Thoughts? Or am I looking for a solution where there is no problem?
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I agree. I've been saying I'd like for them to incorporate the 'new' football font for the MINNESOTA spelled out in the endzones and for the numbers. It's already on the uniforms, scoreboard, and used elsewhere in the media. Keep pulling it all together and building the Minnesota Football brand.

I like what LSU does with the alternate colors. Would love to see maybe the endzone closest to the students gold since the student generally wear mostly gold. I wouldn't mind both endzones being gold to bring some color to the stadium. Lots of darkness and maroon in the stadium, would like to bring in some brightness and gold as well. Just my 2 cents.
 

Thanks for the photo AO54

Thanks for the photo AO54. Please post more to keep us up to date on progress. I love this kind of stuff.
 

From what i've read previous, isthat they are installing a field similar to Metlife Stadium, and will have removable panels of turf
(i.e. like a basketball court->hockey) and that they can change out the panels for Gophers logos on Saturday and to Vikings logos
on Sunday, and back again. It's supposed to be of high quality turf, unlike what was first installed in 2009. And no, the Vikings
won't bring it with them, guaranteed they get all brand new stuff in the new stadium, costomed to the footprint of the bleachers.
 






Related topic - did the Coke vs. Pepsi thing ever get worked out b/w the U and the Vikings?
 





The lease allows the Vikings "limited display, use, promotion, and service of Pepsi and Gatorade products". The Vikes also agree to indemnify the U of M in the event Coca-Cola claims its contract with the school is somehow breached. What the items laid out in quotation marks constitute exactly are not listed in the user agreement itself, but rather in a separate and unattached letter that also fleshes out the matter further. My gut says the Vikings will get to promote Pepsi and Gatorade via the video board, signage, the PA system, promotional tables in the concourse, having Gatorade on the benches, and possibly some service of the products in certain private areas. I'd be very shocked if any Pepsi or Gatorade products were on sale to the general public.
 

The only thing I'd like to see different when the Vikings leave is a darker maroon that actually matches our uniforms used in the endzones. That and have "Golden" spelled out in one endzone and "Gophers" in the other.
 

westcoastgopher11 said:
The only thing I'd like to see different when the Vikings leave is a darker maroon that actually matches our uniforms used in the endzones. That and have "Golden" spelled out in one endzone and "Gophers" in the other.
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I like that.

One end zone with Gold letters and Maroon background, and flipped for the other side.
 

Sports_Realist said:
From the beginning, it's been understood that the TCF Bank Stadium turf, which has been used for five seasons, would be replaced at the inception of the Vikings' tenure at the stadium. That new turf would then be used for the two seasons, or three in the event of construction delays, that the Vikes occupy the facility. After the Vikings depart, the turf will be replaced again at the NFL team's expense. This has never been in doubt or dispute. It is spelled out clearly in the user agreement to which the parties agreed.

Regarding the painting of the field during the period in which The Bank hosts the NFL, the Gophers and Vikings both want their logos on the field. NCAA and NFL fields also have some different markings. The arranged compromise is the best of both worlds. For all the talk from many fans about the importance of having U of M logos and markings on the field during Vikings games, it has never appeared to be much or possibly any concern to the U of M. They readily agreed to the Vikings' wishes on this front.

To close things out, the user agreement states that the field to be installed after the Vikings depart will be "new turf with permanent markings as selected by the University". It also says that all decisions regarding the installation of replacement rest with the U of M. So if we get a painted field in 2016 (or potentially 2017 in the event of construction delays) when the new turf goes in, it'll be because of a decision and desire by the University of Minnesota.
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Far too rational.

By the way, how did Illinois, Clemson, Vanderbilt, Washington, Arizona State, and for godsake USC survive this stuff?
 

highwayman said:
Far too rational.

By the way, how did Illinois, Clemson, Vanderbilt, Washington, Arizona State, and for godsake USC survive this stuff?
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In the case of USC, I suspect they had Lane Kiffin to divert their attention to other issues ;-)
 

westcoastgopher11 said:
The only thing I'd like to see different when the Vikings leave is a darker maroon that actually matches our uniforms used in the endzones. That and have "Golden" spelled out in one endzone and "Gophers" in the other.
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No.

The field was perfect the way is was.
 

^ agree except for the damn "W" in the middle of the field on the visitor's side.
 

westcoastgopher11 said:
The only thing I'd like to see different when the Vikings leave is a darker maroon that actually matches our uniforms used in the endzones. That and have "Golden" spelled out in one endzone and "Gophers" in the other.
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But does it match the seats?
 

westcoastgopher11 said:
The only thing I'd like to see different when the Vikings leave is a darker maroon that actually matches our uniforms used in the endzones. That and have "Golden" spelled out in one endzone and "Gophers" in the other.
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I like the more red end zones then maroon. It is just more colorful and honestly i wouldn't mind seeing everything be a more lighter maroon. Not all out Iowa State ketchup and mustard style but i do like the lighter and more colorful shades.
 

Today I sold a bunch of PPE equipment to the guys who are removing the drainage rock and then installing the heating coils at TCF. He said they have to have the turf back on by May 21st. Company is from Georgia. When he mentioned May 21st he turned to look outside and just said "ya right".
 



The Field Heating Headers
Bl6lN0BCEAA7usp.jpg
 

I biked past the stadium yesterday and stopped for a peak at the turf through the open end. The vantage point is not the greatest, but the new turf is either entirely installed or is nearly done. The new turf seemed a lot greener than the old, but from photos from 2009 and then 2013, it looks like the original turf faded due to the elements. So there may not be as great a difference. Yard line and sideline markers were in place, but the end zone at the band/student end had no markings (the end zone towards the plaza was not visible due to the angle), nor were there any markings at midfield. The temporary seating on the plaza end zone has not been installed yet. The Vikings are supposedly going to have a public workout of some sort or some other event at the stadium over the summer in advance of the NFL preseason in order to give the team's season ticket holders an early look at the stadium and their seats.
 

Picture of new turf

Sports_Realist said:
I biked past the stadium yesterday and stopped for a peak at the turf through the open end. The vantage point is not the greatest, but the new turf is either entirely installed or is nearly done. The new turf seemed a lot greener than the old, but from photos from 2009 and then 2013, it looks like the original turf faded due to the elements. So there may not be as great a difference. Yard line and sideline markers were in place, but the end zone at the band/student end had no markings (the end zone towards the plaza was not visible due to the angle), nor were there any markings at midfield. The temporary seating on the plaza end zone has not been installed yet. The Vikings are supposedly going to have a public workout of some sort or some other event at the stadium over the summer in advance of the NFL preseason in order to give the team's season ticket holders an early look at the stadium and their seats.
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The GopherFootball Twitter account posted this picture today:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Who wants to play some football? (Photo courtesy of <a href="https://twitter.com/TCFBankStadium">@TCFBankStadium</a> intern Jill Muehl) <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Gophers&src=hash">#Gophers</a> <a href="http://t.co/yP5u14d30O">pic.twitter.com/yP5u14d30O</a></p>— Gopher Football (@GopherFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/GopherFootball/statuses/473482600342777857">June 2, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 

Looking at that photo from today and one from the innaugural game against Air Force in 2009, the new turf definitely has a much darker, deeper shade of green to it.
 

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