The Only One goes in search of Black college football fans

BleedGopher

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per Hallman:

One longtime football fan told me he’ll watch college games on television but won’t go in person because he “don’t feel welcome,” since he isn’t an alumnus and doesn’t have a connection of some kind with the school or schools.

Minnesota Athletics Director Mark Coyle said last week that based on fan feedback, “We made the changes you’ll see on game days” at Gopher home football games this season. The Only One last Thursday arrived at the stadium a couple of hours before kickoff to check out these new changes.

We found Nella’s Barbecue food truck parked outside the new “Gopher Garden” in front of Mariucci Arena. The truck, whose proprietor is Michael Esaw, a 1979 Minneapolis North graduate, is among the new food and beverage options offered outside and inside the school’s football stadium.

“We got a full-service kitchen and an 800-pound smoker. We got State-approved, and the Minneapolis [Health Department’s approval] right away,” explained Esaw as he handed me a sample of his barbecue jerk chicken. “It’s a great Golden Gopher atmosphere,” he said.

“These are small but very positive steps toward building a better fan experience,” said Coyle on the game-day changes.

But some things we’re afraid haven’t changed, such as finding Black fans. As we strolled through the tailgating area — an on-campus parking lot otherwise — the “Why are you here?” stares from some White fans came our way before we finally ran into Brenda Williams. She told us that a co-worker got her tickets.

“Today we’re having buffalo meat because they [Minnesota] are playing Buffalo,” noted Williams, an experienced tailgater, though not usually at college games. “I am a big football fan, but pro football,” she admitted. “Food tastes better when you’re tailgating.”

“You won’t see a lot of people who look like us in a setting like this,” reported LaTia James, whose son plays for the Gophers. “Our network is Gopher parents…that look like me.”

http://spokesman-recorder.com/2017/09/07/one-goes-search-black-college-football-fans/

Go Gophers!!
 

It's an interesting question from a marketing perspective. I do think that most regularly attending gopher fans are sort of on an island compared to other places ... that happens to be largely white.
 

per Hallman:

One longtime football fan told me he’ll watch college games on television but won’t go in person because he “don’t feel welcome,” since he isn’t an alumnus and doesn’t have a connection of some kind with the school or schools.

Minnesota Athletics Director Mark Coyle said last week that based on fan feedback, “We made the changes you’ll see on game days” at Gopher home football games this season. The Only One last Thursday arrived at the stadium a couple of hours before kickoff to check out these new changes.

We found Nella’s Barbecue food truck parked outside the new “Gopher Garden” in front of Mariucci Arena. The truck, whose proprietor is Michael Esaw, a 1979 Minneapolis North graduate, is among the new food and beverage options offered outside and inside the school’s football stadium.

“We got a full-service kitchen and an 800-pound smoker. We got State-approved, and the Minneapolis [Health Department’s approval] right away,” explained Esaw as he handed me a sample of his barbecue jerk chicken. “It’s a great Golden Gopher atmosphere,” he said.

“These are small but very positive steps toward building a better fan experience,” said Coyle on the game-day changes.

But some things we’re afraid haven’t changed, such as finding Black fans. As we strolled through the tailgating area — an on-campus parking lot otherwise — the “Why are you here?” stares from some White fans came our way before we finally ran into Brenda Williams. She told us that a co-worker got her tickets.

“Today we’re having buffalo meat because they [Minnesota] are playing Buffalo,” noted Williams, an experienced tailgater, though not usually at college games. “I am a big football fan, but pro football,” she admitted. “Food tastes better when you’re tailgating.”

“You won’t see a lot of people who look like us in a setting like this,” reported LaTia James, whose son plays for the Gophers. “Our network is Gopher parents…that look like me.”

http://spokesman-recorder.com/2017/09/07/one-goes-search-black-college-football-fans/

Go Gophers!!

No need to photoshop black fans. I've been going to games since 96'. I've only missed about five in all of those seasons . Ran a tailgate from about 03' to 08' in the Metro-Dump parking lot. Couldn't afford to keep things going once the move to TCF happened(BTW I am so glad it did.). With that said, more outreach to many communities needs to take place.
 

I was at both games, Augsburg and Gophers. The Auggie games always have more diversity in the crowd than Gopher games from a percentage point of view. I was also at the Augsburg event and for sure the crowd at the game was more diverse than the football alumni and parents event in the park. We need to work on that.
 

-What would encourage people of color to choose to cheer for the Gophers?
-What percentage of the U of M student population is people of color?
-What percentage of the U of M alumni association is people of color?
 


I was at both games, Augsburg and Gophers. The Auggie games always have more diversity in the crowd than Gopher games from a percentage point of view. I was also at the Augsburg event and for sure the crowd at the game was more diverse than the football alumni and parents event in the park. We need to work on that.

Augsburg is closer to neighborhoods and the ticket prices are more affordable. The U needs to reach out more to minority communities through visits in the communities/schools and promotional deals.
 

-What would encourage people of color to choose to cheer for the Gophers?
-What percentage of the U of M student population is people of color?
-What percentage of the U of M alumni association is people of color?

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Alumni probably reasonably close to current student body in make up. So basically if your black you should expect about 1 out of 25 people you see at an event to also be black in order to be represented as in the Student/Alumni/State population. Minnesota as a whole is 3.5% black. Minneapolis is 18% black. So the student body and alumni match the state demographic pretty closely but are about 5 times lower than the surrounding city of Minneapolis.

I'm not sure why white folk are so scary. I really don't think there are white people roaming the stadium that see black people also at the game and internally are asking themselves "Why are THEY here?" When I travel to Atlanta I don't cower in the hotel because the majority of people at every bar, restaurant and event are going to be black. Not sure we are combating racism on a generational level if the expectation is that black people only want to attend events where they can expect to be over represented compared to the population. Can't we just go to a game with our friends and literally not give a crap of about the genetic background of every person around us? If your cheering for the gophers and we score a touchdown I promise to high five you if your in my row (or in front of, or behind) regardless of the color of your skin. Just don't sit next to me in Badger gear.
 

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Alumni probably reasonably close to current student body in make up. So basically if your black you should expect about 1 out of 25 people you see at an event to also be black in order to be represented as in the Student/Alumni/State population. Minnesota as a whole is 3.5% black. Minneapolis is 18% black. So the student body and alumni match the state demographic pretty closely but are about 5 times lower than the surrounding city of Minneapolis.

I'm not sure why white folk are so scary. I really don't think there are white people roaming the stadium that see black people also at the game and internally are asking themselves "Why are THEY here?" When I travel to Atlanta I don't cower in the hotel because the majority of people at every bar, restaurant and event are going to be black. Not sure we are combating racism on a generational level if the expectation is that black people only want to attend events where they can expect to be over represented compared to the population. Can't we just go to a game with our friends and literally not give a crap of about the genetic background of every person around us? If your cheering for the gophers and we score a touchdown I promise to high five you if your in my row (or in front of, or behind) regardless of the color of your skin. Just don't sit next to me in Badger gear.

Careful, you might offend someone! I agree with you 100%, especially on the Atlanta deal...and most importantly the Badger gear!
 




First world problems.

Keep churning boys and girls. Why are Black and White capitalized?
 

What is the ethnic makeup at any other high priced sporting event in MSP? What about at other Big 10 or other Power 5 school? My guess is not a lot different. Attend a show in the theater district. A lot of diversity on the sidewalk and on the stage but not in the audience. The institutions all preach diversity but price the people in near North out of the product.
 

Without any facts to back it up, just experience, this is not a Minnesota problem, it is the same fan make up of any power five school in the country.
 

Without any facts to back it up, just experience, this is not a Minnesota problem, it is the same fan make up of any power five school in the country.

That might change depending on local demographics, as would the expectations.
 



I went to Nebraska game last year, boy do they ever need more diversity in their crowd! I felt like I was at a huge Barry Manilow concert or Gopher game or something. White faces everywhere I looked. I guess they need mo' BBQ to bring in the black folk like our administration is doing?
 

A solution looking for a problem.
 



I don't care what color their skin is...just as long as they are wearing maroon and gold.
 


The hubris on this guy - to think that even one person looked at him and assessed his "worthiness" to be there. I've been going to Gopher games for 20 years and have not spent a single second wondering about the racial makeup of the crowd, nor spent any time at all devising plans to keep the scary Black folk out of my White stadium. I very much doubt that anyone else has either. As others have said, focus on the real problems that exist and how to solve them, rather than inventing new ones to be all in a twist about.
 

The hubris on this guy - to think that even one person looked at him and assessed his "worthiness" to be there. I've been going to Gopher games for 20 years and have not spent a single second wondering about the racial makeup of the crowd, nor spent any time at all devising plans to keep the scary Black folk out of my White stadium. I very much doubt that anyone else has either. As others have said, focus on the real problems that exist and how to solve them, rather than inventing new ones to be all in a twist about.

Agreed. Our tailgate is at a very busy location. We look at EVERYONE that walks past us. One of the enjoyments of tailgating is the people watching. I have never assessed the "worthiness" of those people. Even if they are wearing a random Notre Dame jersey or something like that.
 




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