Donation portion of Season Tickets for the coming year.

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Do you think had Clayes been retained as coach there would have been a decrease? Just me, but I think they would've rolled back the donation portion to some degree.
 

Hard to say. I think you're probably right, but who knows. I am trying to imagine how much excitement there would be around the program right now in that situation and I can honestly say I feel there would be not a whole hell of a lot.
 

I highly doubt it.

They already went announced last fall they were freezing the year 2 to year 3 jump. I'm guessing with Claeys they would have stayed at year 2. They need to freeze that baby for another 5+ years to create demand.
 

Good point. I think the season ticket base would have continued to drop even if the donations had remained the same (as was announced). The "Fleck Effect" probably allowed them to keep the year #2 increase in place.
 

Good point. I think the season ticket base would have continued to drop even if the donations had remained the same (as was announced). The "Fleck Effect" probably allowed them to keep the year #2 increase in place.

My first knee jerk reaction was no way! Lower donations after a nine win season? Then I realized that is only one factor. I agree with this post.
 


Do you think had Clayes been retained as coach there would have been a decrease? Just me, but I think they would've rolled back the donation portion to some degree.

I agree with you, i.e. it is just you, but we will probably will never know. I assume you asked the question because you are bored. Since I am also bored I going to ask you how do you feel about Wisconsin?
 


Probably would have stayed the same, but I think they could sell more tickets with $100 or $150 knocked off. I've heard fans complain they don't want to pay rock concert prices for an average game.
 

Stopping the increase and dropping prices are two very different things.

Ultimately winning is what sells. I don't think selling them at a bargain is a good way to grow the base of fans.



Gopher Football

Hey, at least we're charging you less...

That's not a good look....
 



Stopping the increase and dropping prices are two very different things.

Ultimately winning is what sells. I don't think selling them at a bargain is a good way to grow the base of fans.



Gopher Football

Hey, at least we're charging you less...

That's not a good look....

If they dropped the price to a reasonable level I'd probably get season tickets again. I am a pretty diehard fan, but once my season ticket price was projected to nearly double, I was out.

I also think you'll get more casual fans if there is a cheaper option. I think Fleck has piqued interest among casual fans and getting them in the door with cheap tickets could be a good way to grow the fan base.
 


I think what your implying with the question is that season ticket renewal would have been so anemic without a coaching change that they would have been compelled to try to win back fans with lower prices.
The real question should be do you think attendance this coming season would be higher or lower if they had stayed with Claeys. It feels like PJ has brought some excitement back to a program that had plateaued in fan interest due to a number of factors including replacing a well loved charismatic coach with a hard to love uncharismatic coach. Claeys may have been a better coach inside the lines, but it seems pretty clear that PJ does a better job outside the lines so far and if that translates into better athletes on the field, it may result in a net improvement in the program which is what we all hope for.
 

If they dropped the price to a reasonable level I'd probably get season tickets again. I am a pretty diehard fan, but once my season ticket price was projected to nearly double, I was out.

I also think you'll get more casual fans if there is a cheaper option. I think Fleck has piqued interest among casual fans and getting them in the door with cheap tickets could be a good way to grow the fan base.

Casual fans already have a cheaper option, Stubhub... they're either going or not going already.
 



Do you think had Clayes been retained as coach there would have been a decrease? Just me, but I think they would've rolled back the donation portion to some degree.

Yes, but marginal at best. Having Nebraska and Wisconsin on the Home schedule guarantees a pretty solid sale of Season Tickets. Also guarantees good sales of 4 games. The NE and WI games will be sellouts or near-sellouts. Plus whatever 2 games they hook to them.

Now NEXT year, if the Fleck haters are right, and the team has to stretch to get to 6 wins? Then Season Tickets for 2018 will be a very hard sell.

Particularly if they lose to Wisconsin again.

I'm going with them winning 7-9 games this year. Of course unlike the haters, I count a Bowl win too.
 

Yes, but marginal at best. Having Nebraska and Wisconsin on the Home schedule guarantees a pretty solid sale of Season Tickets. Also guarantees good sales of 4 games. The NE and WI games will be sellouts or near-sellouts. Plus whatever 2 games they hook to them.

Now NEXT year, if the Fleck haters are right, and the team has to stretch to get to 6 wins? Then Season Tickets for 2018 will be a very hard sell.

Particularly if they lose to Wisconsin again.

I'm going with them winning 7-9 games this year. Of course unlike the haters, I count a Bowl win too.

Why are you labeling people as haters that predict 6 wins? They're either a 6 team win or not regardless of what anyone thinks.
 

My Bro-in-law just dropped his four season tickets despite Fleck, despite an interesting home schedule, and despite the donation amounts staying the same. I think the only thing that would have saved him would have been eliminating the donation requirements or perhaps going back to year 1 levels. He hung out one extra year to see if they would drop the donation requirements. They didn't. He is gone. He is going to buy after market tickets at a lower rate to attend a couple/few games this year.
 


I agree with you, i.e. it is just you, but we will probably will never know. I assume you asked the question because you are bored. Since I am also bored I going to ask you how do you feel about Wisconsin?

Funny....But actually, no. We had a group of friends drop out because of the donation increases.
When Coyle came aboard an indicated they were going to review the ticket program about half of the group said they would be back in if prices were rolled back. Now, including ourselves we've decided to share tickets and get back in because of Fleck. This works good for us , because we leave Ely for Arizona after Halloween. So now, all our friends are back in with the share program. Nothing against Clayes, but this would not have happened had Clayes stayed,
unless of course they would've rolled back prices.
 

Casual fans already have a cheaper option, Stubhub... they're either going or not going already.

If you can get them to commit to season tickets they are going to 7 games rather than maybe a few at most. I think when people commit to season tickets they become more invested in what's going on with the team too.
 

If you can get them to commit to season tickets they are going to 7 games rather than maybe a few at most. I think when people commit to season tickets they become more invested in what's going on with the team too.

I get the appeal, but I don't think lowering prices will change that much.

Wins is what they need.
 

I get the appeal, but I don't think lowering prices will change that much.

Wins is what they need.

Never underestimate the cheapness of MN fans.

yes, Fleck is generating a little more interest/curiosity about Gopher FB, and some of that may translate to ticket sales. But, based on my long years of observing Mn fans, money generally trumps all other considerations.

As I see it, the Gophers under Teague mis-read the fan base and pushed the donation levels too high, too fast. If they would have spread out the increase over a longer period (say 5 to 7 years), it might have been more palatable to the fan base. But, the way the increases were handled, too many fans thought they were being price-gouged.

And being stubborn Minnesotans, it will take quite a bit to get those fans back. Barring a significant price drop, or some type of incentive, it will take several really good years in a row to bring the disgruntled fans back as season-ticket holders. I suspect a lot of the people who dropped their season tickets will still attend selected games, but they'll cherry pick the schedule for the most attractive games and try to scoop up discounted tickets on the secondary market.
 

Never underestimate the cheapness of MN fans.

yes, Fleck is generating a little more interest/curiosity about Gopher FB, and some of that may translate to ticket sales. But, based on my long years of observing Mn fans, money generally trumps all other considerations.

As I see it, the Gophers under Teague mis-read the fan base and pushed the donation levels too high, too fast. If they would have spread out the increase over a longer period (say 5 to 7 years), it might have been more palatable to the fan base. But, the way the increases were handled, too many fans thought they were being price-gouged.

And being stubborn Minnesotans, it will take quite a bit to get those fans back. Barring a significant price drop, or some type of incentive, it will take several really good years in a row to bring the disgruntled fans back as season-ticket holders. I suspect a lot of the people who dropped their season tickets will still attend selected games, but they'll cherry pick the schedule for the most attractive games and try to scoop up discounted tickets on the secondary market.

If they're the cheapest of fans, again stubhub is the best way to go. Those folks are not buying season tickets.
 

2017

I am not sure if I renewed my season tickets because of the Claeys firing/Fleck hiring or despite the Clayes firing/Fleck hiring.
 

Ticket donation...

I think it is pretty hard to roll back donation levels once you have them in place. However, there are lots of seats without donation available + scalpers + stub hub. One thing MN fans seem to have a hard understanding: If you want to compete with the "Big Boys", you're going to have to spend a little money...
 

I think it is pretty hard to roll back donation levels once you have them in place. However, there are lots of seats without donation available + scalpers + stub hub. One thing MN fans seem to have a hard understanding: If you want to compete with the "Big Boys", you're going to have to spend a little money...

Or go the North Dakota, North Dakota State and Wisconsin routes and start axing programs.
 



If they dropped the price to a reasonable level I'd probably get season tickets again. I am a pretty diehard fan, but once my season ticket price was projected to nearly double, I was out.

I also think you'll get more casual fans if there is a cheaper option. I think Fleck has piqued interest among casual fans and getting them in the door with cheap tickets could be a good way to grow the fan base.

"Reasonable" is a relative thing. Compared to what? If Fleck wins right out of the gate, as I expect, and continues to build the win total, reasonable in a few years will be current prices at a minimum.
 

Anyone happen to know what the renewal rate percentage is?

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