Gophers football is a hotter ticket - season ticket sales are up

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per Marcus:

Nothing very significant, but it's better than season ticket sales going down like they had been!

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_26408774/gophers-football-is-hotter-ticket

There have been 5,043 football student season tickets sold as of Tuesday, surpassing last year's total of 4,975.

Overall season ticket sales for football are ahead of last year's pace, 33,385 as of Tuesday to 33,284 total in 2013.
 

That's encouraging. It would be nice to someday get to the point where we don't need 1,000's of Nebraska, Wisconsin, or Iowa fans to buy tickets (beyond their allotment) to fill the place. But there's still rows and rows of seats available in sections 210/211, between the 40's. Lots of lost revenue, because those are donation seats.
 

Would nice to see more of an increase as opposed to the numbers basically staying almost identical to last year at this point but as Marcus pointed out on the good side at least they have gone up and not down.
 

Student sales will also jump in the next couple days as they arrive on campus, do welcome week, head to the bookstore, etc.
 

And Nebraska isn't even in town this year! So only Iowa fans are inflating the numbers :)
 


afurry91 said:
And Nebraska isn't even in town this year! So only Iowa fans are inflating the numbers :)
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I bet it is the Middle Tennessee State fans buying up all of the tickets in search of snow.
 

AuEGO4 said:
I bet it is the Middle Tennessee State fans buying up all of the tickets in search of snow.
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I think you are right. They try load up with snow, go back home and market sno-cones. They are advertised as "MADE IN MINNESOTA".
 






STrib: Gophers football student-section forecast: More, but still not many

There is some good news for the University of Minnesota, which is trying to find ways to fill the empty seats in the student section at TCF Bank Stadium.

In the continuing struggle to address student apathy toward football — and with the Gophers’ season starting with a home game Thursday — the school announced it has sold 1,647 football-only student season tickets so far, a modest increase from the 919 sold at this point a year ago. The total still is down from the 1,787 sold at this point two years ago, and the 2,754 sold by late August 2011. The school, however, has had some additional success by pairing student season tickets for football with those for men’s basketball and hockey — bringing the overall total for student football season tickets as of Monday to 5,043 and counting.

Overall season- tickets sales for football also are slightly improved: So far 33,385 have been sold, compared with 32,383 at this time a year ago. School officials reported that, in just a three-day period ending Monday, they had sold 357 more season tickets.

With more than 30,000 undergraduate students expected on campus this fall, school officials have conceded that it remains a challenge to get more students to go to games at the school’s five-year-old, on-campus stadium and that large rows of empty student-section seats have become an all-too-familiar sight.

Student season tickets for football remain a relative bargain, costing $90 for seven home games. A student season-ticket package that includes football and men’s basketball and hockey costs $258.

The problem for school officials can be found in the attitude of Grady Bell, a junior from White Bear Lake majoring in chemistry.

“I’d love to go, but I have a lot of commitments just as any other college student,” he said. “To be honest, we’re not that good of a team.”

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/272817681.html

Go Gophers!!
 

I think there is a breaking point to this, Juniors and Seniors saw some pretty tough Gopher Football seasons, last years Freshman saw a winning season and an upset against Nebraska and taking the Bell from Penn State. Get a team that has a favorable shot against Wisconsin and Iowa and you'll put butts in seats and it's a tipping point. We're seeing stabilzation in the numbers which refelects a stabilization in the program, but 18-22s are always late to the party. Beat Michigan and the place will be packed.
 

Win and play quality opponents, that's the solution to the ticket issue. Not the Wifi or other "fan experiences" that are made up.
 




A lot is based on perception of not just whether the team is any good, but whether the game is seen as a fun place to be. It is hard to change perceptions, but it looks like things are moving in a positive direction. The more crowded the stadium is, the more people will want to be there. I've been to some small college games at the Metrodome, and it felt like a tomb, but the same crowd in a small stadium would make a great atmosphere.

Sent from my LG-L38C using Tapatalk 2
 

BleedGopher said:
STrib: Gophers football student-section forecast: More, but still not many

There is some good news for the University of Minnesota, which is trying to find ways to fill the empty seats in the student section at TCF Bank Stadium.

In the continuing struggle to address student apathy toward football — and with the Gophers’ season starting with a home game Thursday — the school announced it has sold 1,647 football-only student season tickets so far, a modest increase from the 919 sold at this point a year ago. The total still is down from the 1,787 sold at this point two years ago, and the 2,754 sold by late August 2011. The school, however, has had some additional success by pairing student season tickets for football with those for men’s basketball and hockey — bringing the overall total for student football season tickets as of Monday to 5,043 and counting.

Overall season- tickets sales for football also are slightly improved: So far 33,385 have been sold, compared with 32,383 at this time a year ago. School officials reported that, in just a three-day period ending Monday, they had sold 357 more season tickets.

With more than 30,000 undergraduate students expected on campus this fall, school officials have conceded that it remains a challenge to get more students to go to games at the school’s five-year-old, on-campus stadium and that large rows of empty student-section seats have become an all-too-familiar sight.

Student season tickets for football remain a relative bargain, costing $90 for seven home games. A student season-ticket package that includes football and men’s basketball and hockey costs $258.

The problem for school officials can be found in the attitude of Grady Bell, a junior from White Bear Lake majoring in chemistry.

“I’d love to go, but I have a lot of commitments just as any other college student,” he said. “To be honest, we’re not that good of a team.”

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/272817681.html

Go Gophers!!
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The FB/BB/Hockey packages are completely sold out because the Hockey tickets are gone. Given the numbers in the article, the best decision the U made was offer combo packages at a slight discount. Not just a buy one get one. Sure, students mat want to watch the hockey team a little more than football right now (playing in the championship game has that effect), but I don't think enough students would think to game the system just to ensure they get Hockey tickets. Holding off the sale of hockey tickets as an individual game package until the fall was another smart move.

As for the one student quoted, I really don't think he watched the games last year anyway. There is still a bit of a cultural issue in the student body that just thinks the football team isn't good. Kinda like the Cleveland Indians in the movie Major League. It never mattered how well they played, people still said they were lousy - but they went to the games.
 

Kind of interesting how the two different papers decided to share this news. When I read the Pioneer Press I felt pretty good about the ticket sales numbers. When you read the Strib's version it's a mostly negative slant on the topic.
 

A lot of committments like any other college student? What is wrong with this kid. My fall weekends consisted of going out Friday night. Watching college football on tv if the Gophs were out of town, or going to the game if they were in town, and then going out at night. Sunday was for recovery and lounging. Why did they interview a kid who isn't even a sports fan?
 

DLguy said:
A lot of committments like any other college student? What is wrong with this kid. My fall weekends consisted of going out Friday night. Watching college football on tv if the Gophs were out of town, or going to the game if they were in town, and then going out at night. Sunday was for recovery and lounging. Why did they interview a kid who isn't even a sports fan?
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Amen! We had the same weekend experiences at the U. This kid probably goes home to suckle from his mother while she does his laundry on the weekends.
 

It's easy, if the U really wants to sell out student ticket packages or every home game, lower the prices. Alabama students are offered two packages 4 games for $40 and 3 games for $30. $70 total compared to $90 at the U. Not much of a difference but Alabama is still cheaper, and it's freakin Alabama.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
It's easy, if the U really wants to sell out student ticket packages or every home game, lower the prices. Alabama students are offered two packages 4 games for $40 and 3 games for $30. $70 total compared to $90 at the U. Not much of a difference but Alabama is still cheaper, and it's freakin Alabama.
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Alabama must be something of an anomaly (or the SEC is, I don't know). I do know we're at the low end of the B1G.

Michigan -- $275 for 7 games
Ohio State -- $252 for 7 games
Penn State -- $218 for 7 games
Wisconsin -- $188 for 7 games
Iowa -- $175 for 7 games, $165 with future alumni group discount
Michigan State -- $175 for 7 games
Nebraska -- $166 for 7 games
Purdue -- $119 for 7 games
Illinois -- $99 for 7 games
Rutgers -- $99 for 6 games
Minnesota -- $90 for 7 games
Indiana -- $60 for 6 games
Maryland and Northwestern -- tickets free with full tuition and student fee payment

Source: http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/06/as_michigan_student_ticket_sal.html

Some schools are even worse. Oregon's student tickets are $367 for 7 games.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
It's easy, if the U really wants to sell out student ticket packages or every home game, lower the prices. Alabama students are offered two packages 4 games for $40 and 3 games for $30. $70 total compared to $90 at the U. Not much of a difference but Alabama is still cheaper, and it's freakin Alabama.
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Makes sense, the students are only making about $1.50/hr working the fields after class.
 

Gopher07 said:
Alabama must be something of an anomaly (or the SEC is, I don't know). I do know we're at the low end of the B1G.

Michigan -- $275 for 7 games
Ohio State -- $252 for 7 games
Penn State -- $218 for 7 games
Wisconsin -- $188 for 7 games
Iowa -- $175 for 7 games, $165 with future alumni group discount
Michigan State -- $175 for 7 games
Nebraska -- $166 for 7 games
Purdue -- $119 for 7 games
Illinois -- $99 for 7 games
Rutgers -- $99 for 6 games
Minnesota -- $90 for 7 games
Indiana -- $60 for 6 games
Maryland and Northwestern -- tickets free with full tuition and student fee payment

Source: http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/06/as_michigan_student_ticket_sal.html

Some schools are even worse. Oregon's student tickets are $367 for 7 games.
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Oregon doesn't even start school until October!
 

Student tickets are already pretty cheap. Lowering prices can backfire, it can create a sense that the product is cheap. With medicine, people tend to feel that the more expensive one is more effective.

Another problem is that if you make it so cheap that the purchase is insignificant, the tickets may be purchased by students who aren't very interested in going to the games. You wind up with tickets that sit in someone's sock drawer, and because they are so cheap there is little incentive to find someone' who wants the tickets.

Sent from my LG-L38C using Tapatalk 2
 

RodentRampage said:
Student tickets are already pretty cheap. Lowering prices can backfire, it can create a sense that the product is cheap. With medicine, people tend to feel that the more expensive one is more effective.

Another problem is that if you make it so cheap that the purchase is insignificant, the tickets may be purchased by students who aren't very interested in going to the games. You wind up with tickets that sit in someone's sock drawer, and because they are so cheap there is little incentive to find someone' who wants the tickets.

Sent from my LG-L38C using Tapatalk 2
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I just don't buy that argument when the product has been mediocre to bad for 50+ years. There's no reason the U couldn't or shouldn't adopt the mentality of Northwestern/Maryland and let students in for free with a school ID until the product is improved. Once the Gophers can improve to a more consistent winner, and demand becomes higher, then you can charge for student tickets.

What most likely goes through a student's head: pay $13 each week to spend 1.5-3 hours at a Gopher football game, or save that money, spend it on beer and watch the game at home, or just ignore it all together.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
I just don't buy that argument when the product has been mediocre to bad for 50+ years. There's no reason the U couldn't or shouldn't adopt the mentality of Northwestern/Maryland and let students in for free with a school ID until the product is improved. Once the Gophers can improve to a more consistent winner, and demand becomes higher, then you can charge for student tickets.

What most likely goes through a student's head: pay $13 each week to spend 1.5-3 hours at a Gopher football game, or save that money, spend it on beer and watch the game at home, or just ignore it all together.
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I really don't think cost of the tickets is a major deterring factor. Other B1G schools can fill up their student sections because the game is the place to be. It is what everyone is doing. Is there a bit of an attendance problem across the country? Yes. Have we moved to an era where everything needs to grab your attention? Absolutely.

If you let students in for free, you will have a hard time ever charging them for admission after cutting the price. The draw would fade.

Some students at the U might want to save some money and stay home to watch the game. But I honestly think the bigger problem is that the culture of the students doesn't revolve around college athletics like it used to. The AD has made attempts, but it tends to be really stale (see inflatables and face painting). Tour guides don't seem to talk up about the team. Students have proven they will show up for the big games. The U just needs to make football THE place to be on Saturday (and sometimes Thursday), and they will show up to all of the games.
 

If making tickets free would get students to show up, I would be fine with it. But would it really work? Would free tickets really get students to show up?

It would be difficult to start charging again once you made the tickets free.

Sent from my LG-L38C using Tapatalk 2
 



GopherWeatherGuy said:
It's easy, if the U really wants to sell out student ticket packages or every home game, lower the prices. Alabama students are offered two packages 4 games for $40 and 3 games for $30. $70 total compared to $90 at the U. Not much of a difference but Alabama is still cheaper, and it's freakin Alabama.
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Except all Alabama ST are $415 and EVERYONE has to pay a seat license from $50-$2200 per seat, averaging around $750. I guess the question is then, why don't we just go out and buy the ST for the students, because that's what the Tide ST are doing...
 

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