MNUFC's $10M deal for UMN"S TCF Bank Stadium

Donate To GopherHole

Sweet deal!

- 25 free tickets for Suite 1 and 12 nonpremium seats

Wow 12 whole non premium tickets! Way to go for the hail mary on that aspect of the contract ;)

I'm kinda excited as I know the soccer fans aren't big on this but I like TCF and this seems like a good fit.
 

Well hot dang, doesn't this pay for the Lineman facility?
 

What is the timing of their season?
 



GoldenRodents said:
Well hot dang, doesn't this pay for the Lineman facility?
Click to expand...

Slow down, Tex. We have investigations to fund, committees to pay, former coaches to buy out, boat houses to build and underwater basketweaving complexes to renovate.

Unrelated, I just hope to Christ-on-a-Bike that there are cool soccer lines drawn on the field for our football games.
 

BarnBoy said:
Slow down, Tex. We have investigations to fund, committees to pay, former coaches to buy out, boat houses to build and underwater basketweaving complexes to renovate.

Unrelated, I just hope to Christ-on-a-Bike that there are cool soccer lines drawn on the field for our football games.
Click to expand...

OMG THEY'RE GOING TO DRAW ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD!

https://gfycat.com/DishonestCheerfulAtlanticbluetang
 

Good deal for both. MNUFC moves to MLS early and the Gophers get millions of dollars.
 





gopherjay said:
That would make too much sense. After the overhead of having games there, money will be gone.
Click to expand...

like just breaking even on selling $8 beers the first season?
 


Seems like an awful lot of money to me. No concession income and no parking income. Their ticket income goes almost completely to rental expenses, if the $10 million is accurate. Where does all the rest of the money come from to pay players, coaches, front office personnel, advertising, ticket sellers, travel expenses etc etc. They need a lot of sponsors, which is a whole other constraining contract I'm guessing, limiting what's permissible with UofM sponsor contracts. Why wouldn't they just keep playing in Blaine?

Do they have a TV contract? Will they get to a stadium of their own at these numbers, with two years of this lease? I guess if they can fund $150 million to build their own stadium...they can subsidize two seasons of losses before they get there. Aren't they paying big money to join the league on top of these expenses? Obviously, I know nothing about soccer...somebody explain it please?
 



It sounds as if they STILL haven't worked out a deal to build their stadium in St. Paul (they were supposed to break ground in June). If the process continues to drag on, could they end up playing 2 full years in TCF? (or is the agreement for just the 1.5 years--I'm assuming it could be extended)
 

60's Guy said:
Seems like an awful lot of money to me. No concession income and no parking income. Their ticket income goes almost completely to rental expenses, if the $10 million is accurate. Where does all the rest of the money come from to pay players, coaches, front office personnel, advertising, ticket sellers, travel expenses etc etc. They need a lot of sponsors, which is a whole other constraining contract I'm guessing, limiting what's permissible with UofM sponsor contracts. Why wouldn't they just keep playing in Blaine?

Do they have a TV contract? Will they get to a stadium of their own at these numbers, with two years of this lease? I guess if they can fund $150 million to build their own stadium...they can subsidize two seasons of losses before they get there. Aren't they paying big money to join the league on top of these expenses? Obviously, I know nothing about soccer...somebody explain it please?
Click to expand...

I have nothing valuable to add except that one of these two teams involved lost money trying to sell beer.

Maybe we should be concerned that the Gophers got played?
 

mnsportsgeek said:
I have nothing valuable to add except that one of these two teams involved lost money trying to sell beer.

Maybe we should be concerned that the Gophers got played?
Click to expand...

Agreed. Hope they fire Maturi
 

60's Guy said:
Seems like an awful lot of money to me. No concession income and no parking income. Their ticket income goes almost completely to rental expenses, if the $10 million is accurate. Where does all the rest of the money come from to pay players, coaches, front office personnel, advertising, ticket sellers, travel expenses etc etc. They need a lot of sponsors, which is a whole other constraining contract I'm guessing, limiting what's permissible with UofM sponsor contracts. Why wouldn't they just keep playing in Blaine?

Do they have a TV contract? Will they get to a stadium of their own at these numbers, with two years of this lease? I guess if they can fund $150 million to build their own stadium...they can subsidize two seasons of losses before they get there. Aren't they paying big money to join the league on top of these expenses? Obviously, I know nothing about soccer...somebody explain it please?
Click to expand...

It does seem like a lot, but the soccer team will be fine when they finally figure out their stadium (that has very little parking...) and in the meantime I'm happy to see the University get the money.

Also TCF is a fun place to watch a game so I'll probably go.
 

60's Guy said:
Seems like an awful lot of money to me. No concession income and no parking income. Their ticket income goes almost completely to rental expenses, if the $10 million is accurate. Where does all the rest of the money come from to pay players, coaches, front office personnel, advertising, ticket sellers, travel expenses etc etc. They need a lot of sponsors, which is a whole other constraining contract I'm guessing, limiting what's permissible with UofM sponsor contracts. Why wouldn't they just keep playing in Blaine?

Do they have a TV contract? Will they get to a stadium of their own at these numbers, with two years of this lease? I guess if they can fund $150 million to build their own stadium...they can subsidize two seasons of losses before they get there. Aren't they paying big money to join the league on top of these expenses? Obviously, I know nothing about soccer...somebody explain it please?
Click to expand...

MNUFC wanted to keep their momentum going so they decided to ask MLS if they could enter the league as soon as possible and not wait another year. Currently, MLS attendance averages around 22k per game and currently Blaine only holds 10k so it looks like the lower bowl of TCF Bank will be a great fit with the club.

The league has a TV contract with Fox, ESPN and over 100 countries around the world. Not including America the league is the most popular American sports league around the world.

The club is waiting for the state of Minnesota to again approve and sign their previous property tax deal with the state of Minnesota. Once that is done the club will likely have a ceremony to break ground on their new home in the Midway area.

Currently, MNUFC ownership group is estimated to be worth over 7 billion dollars I don't believe they are too concerned with a $10 million dollar deal with the university of Minnesota. I have heard the group is more than happy to give the U of M money towards a 2 year lease. It's better them than the Wilfs.
 

mnsportsgeek said:
I have nothing valuable to add except that one of these two teams involved lost money trying to sell beer.

Maybe we should be concerned that the Gophers got played?
Click to expand...

I don't post on here often, but one of the most frustrating comments for me are comments like this. Serious posts or not, anyone who understands business should realize there are start up costs involved with any capital investment of this nature. Find me an investment where there is no risk involved or an initial capital required and I will invest immediately. Maybe they realized the way they were selling originally was less profitable than it could be and that's why the U has moved to can beer. At the end of the day however, saying the U "lost" money on beer is ridiculous.
 

UST_Gopher said:
I don't post on here often, but one of the most frustrating comments for me are comments like this. Serious posts or not, anyone who understands business should realize there are start up costs involved with any capital investment of this nature. Find me an investment where there is no risk involved or an initial capital required and I will invest immediately. Maybe they realized the way they were selling originally was less profitable than it could be and that's why the U has moved to can beer. At the end of the day however, saying the U "lost" money on beer is ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I always thought the university didn't want to sell beer.... the legislature forced their hand to sell it to everyone or nobody. So they stuck it in a back corner and lost money, possibly even out of the hopes the legislature would change the rule.

After that didn't work they actually tried and it has been fine since it has been easily available.

Either way once they actually put some effort into it they've been fine.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I always thought the university didn't want to sell beer.... the legislature forced their hand to sell it to everyone or nobody. So they stuck it in a back corner and lost money, possibly even out of the hopes the legislature would change the rule.

After that didn't work they actually tried and it has been fine since it has been easily available.

Either way once they actually put some effort into it they've been fine.
Click to expand...

IIRC, they only wanted the beautiful people to enjoy an adult beverage in the stadium.

I think the biggest factor in allowing beer sales is the benefit it provides for attracting concerts and events like this. I know i don't like going to concerts sober but maybe thats just because I have other problems.
 

UST_Gopher said:
IIRC, they only wanted the beautiful people to enjoy an adult beverage in the stadium.

I think the biggest factor in allowing beer sales is the benefit it provides for attracting concerts and events like this. I know i don't like going to concerts sober but maybe thats just because I have other problems.
Click to expand...


Amen Brotha!
 

UST_Gopher said:
I don't post on here often, but one of the most frustrating comments for me are comments like this. Serious posts or not, anyone who understands business should realize there are start up costs involved with any capital investment of this nature. Find me an investment where there is no risk involved or an initial capital required and I will invest immediately. Maybe they realized the way they were selling originally was less profitable than it could be and that's why the U has moved to can beer. At the end of the day however, saying the U "lost" money on beer is ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it was canned beer from the get-go, but I could be wrong. I thought the whole reason they didn't make any money was because they signed a lousy contract with their concessions vendor to handle the beer sales.
 

60's Guy said:
L
Do they have a TV contract? Will they get to a stadium of their own at these numbers, with two years of this lease? I guess if they can fund $150 million to build their own stadium...they can subsidize two seasons of losses before they get there. Aren't they paying big money to join the league on top of these expenses? Obviously, I know nothing about soccer...somebody explain it please?
Click to expand...

The legislature screwed up the wording of the bill that the stadium bill was a part of. It would've cost the state millions of dollars. Gov. Dayton was forced to veto it. The legislature wanted the gov. to sign it and they would fix it in the next session. It was vetoed because that they as the safest route. The new bill should be re-passed with no issue in the coming session.
 

Also, mostly due to stadium size, but the MLS has the 3rd highest attendance of the major sporting leagues. With changing demographics, millennial fans, and the WC due in the US/North America in 2026, the sport is primed to explode. We will see if it actually does.
 

I hope the team does well. I am a very casual soccer fan - mainly watch the USA team in the World Cup and Olympics.

But - I am old enough to have been around for the days of MN Kicks games at Met Stadium. (basically, people who didn't know squat about soccer getting stoned and drunk in the parking lot, then stumbling into the stadium at some point during the game and trying to figure out what was going on.)

From that time (mid-70's on) I have been hearing the same story every 4-5 years. "Soccer is the next big thing. All the kids are playing soccer. The young people and suburban parents are embracing soccer and will turn away from football, because football is too violent and causes too many injuries."

hasn't happened yet. Soccer (IMHO) is a niche sport in the US - similar to hockey. Big in certain areas and cities, but lacks true national appeal.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
But - I am old enough to have been around for the days of MN Kicks games at Met Stadium. (basically, people who didn't know squat about soccer getting stoned and drunk in the parking lot, then stumbling into the stadium at some point during the game and trying to figure out what was going on.)
Click to expand...

Were you there for "Kicks Halter Top Day?" Now that was a classic giveaway that could have only been topped if they would have followed it up with "Tube Top Day!"

short ornery norwegian said:
From that time (mid-70's on) I have been hearing the same story every 4-5 years.

hasn't happened yet. Soccer (IMHO) is a niche sport in the US - similar to hockey. Big in certain areas and cities, but lacks true national appeal.
Click to expand...

Very true, but this time I believe it is different. With the popularity of the World Cup(s) and availability of every English Premier League game every weekend, along with the global demographic shift in the US, I think soccer is truly about to break out.

I think the biggest threat to the MLS is the EPL's popularity. I think the MLS is somewhat akin to NFL-Europe. Same game, but why not watch and follow the main show. I am a die-hard Tottenham fan, but am considering tickets for MN United now they are getting a stadium that is in the same time zone as me.
 

Tlsbhansen said:
Were you there for "Kicks Halter Top Day?" Now that was a classic giveaway that could have only been topped if they would have followed it up with "Tube Top Day!"



Very true, but this time I believe it is different. With the popularity of the World Cup(s) and availability of every English Premier League game every weekend, along with the global demographic shift in the US, I think soccer is truly about to break out.

I think the biggest threat to the MLS is the EPL's popularity. I think the MLS is somewhat akin to NFL-Europe. Same game, but why not watch and follow the main show. I am a die-hard Tottenham fan, but am considering tickets for MN United now they are getting a stadium that is in the same time zone as me.
Click to expand...

I remember those promotions, but the oddest promotion in Minnesota history has to be Minnesota Twins free pantyhose night back in the 1960s. Broadcaster Halsey Hall--who was known to tip a few during the broadcast--was announcing up-coming promotions reminded the listeners not to forget "free pantywaist night." I think it was an inning or two when the booth got back to the game because the laughter went on forever.
 

Thank you guys!

Thank you guys! I appreciate the background info and comments to my soccer curiosity. Appreciate it.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I hope the team does well. I am a very casual soccer fan - mainly watch the USA team in the World Cup and Olympics.

But - I am old enough to have been around for the days of MN Kicks games at Met Stadium. (basically, people who didn't know squat about soccer getting stoned and drunk in the parking lot, then stumbling into the stadium at some point during the game and trying to figure out what was going on.)

From that time (mid-70's on) I have been hearing the same story every 4-5 years. "Soccer is the next big thing. All the kids are playing soccer. The young people and suburban parents are embracing soccer and will turn away from football, because football is too violent and causes too many injuries."

hasn't happened yet. Soccer (IMHO) is a niche sport in the US - similar to hockey. Big in certain areas and cities, but lacks true national appeal.
Click to expand...

+1 with one comment: "....then stumbled into the stadium at some point during the game..." I think more forgot about going to the game and just continued to party in the parking lot. At least that was the group I belonged to. Went to every game and only went in once. That took care of that.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom