Gopher Athletics Announces New Tailgate Options

BleedGopher

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per the U:

Gopher Athletics, along with its partners at Gopher Sports Properties, announced today a new partnership with Blockparty, a fan-focused hospitality and entertainment company. Fans of the Golden Gophers will now have access to custom, turnkey tailgating options on game day for groups of all sizes.

"Blockparty can help us take the game day experience at TCF Bank Stadium to the next level," said Athletics Director Mark Coyle. "Our fans have told us how much they value the opportunity to tailgate around our home football games and this new partnership allows us to be on the forefront when it comes to full-service tailgating options."

Blockparty will offer customizable tailgating options in areas around TCF Bank Stadium. Options include bellhop service, tailgate attendants, catering options, tailgate games and event-day service via Blockparty's SMS on-demand service platform FanTextTM. From premium lounge furniture to media packages with HD satellite service and an integrated sound bar, Blockparty offers fans the ultimate hassle-free tailgating experience.

"Golden Gopher Football has a proud history, and we are honored to become a part of its future," said Blockparty CEO Adam Ward. "Our premium services and amenities will enhance the already vibrant tailgating atmosphere on campus and allow fans to concentrate on having fun with family and friends."

Blockparty tailgate packages will be available for purchase immediately via the website (https://blockpartypresents.com/minnesota), by email at [email protected], or by phone at (612) 324-4966.

https://gophersports.com/news/2018/8/2/premium_tailgating_gopher_athletics_blockparty.aspx

Go Gophers!!
 

Here I thought we’d make an actual block party, not add concierge services
 


Good Lord, COME ON Gopher athletics! Another high-end option to make the tailgating around the stadium even more sterile. Hooray. I was pretty excited when I saw the thread title and thought they might actually start opening those spots up to fans who will come early and stay late to tailgate...or that they'd shut down the streets for tailgating...or some other creative option to get people partying up until gametime. Ugh. Clueless.
 

If a friend did not already do all the work to plan and execute our tailgate, I would be so up for this.

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This. I get most of this for bringing a 12 pack and drinking almost all myself.

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Good Lord, COME ON Gopher athletics! Another high-end option to make the tailgating around the stadium even more sterile. Hooray. I was pretty excited when I saw the thread title and thought they might actually start opening those spots up to fans who will come early and stay late to tailgate...or that they'd shut down the streets for tailgating...or some other creative option to get people partying up until gametime. Ugh. Clueless.

This sounds exactly spot on! How can they not get this?????????????


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They blew it again!

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This is beyond tone-deaf. This is coming from people who DO NOT understand their own fan base.

Fans just want to have fun - not some pre-packaged, managed experience. "OK kiddies, time to have fun......"

Open up the freakin' lots. put out some grills, a place to sit or stand, maybe some music, and then get the bleep out of the way and let people do their own thing.

Bellhop service. Bellhop service. Jeeeeeeeezussssssssssss. Freakin' bellhop service.

Not to mention the premium lounge furniture. Because nothing says "gameday" more than premium lounge furniture.

Arrrrgh.
 

Seems like the trend is making things nicer for the people who spend a ton while making things worse for the average fan. I'm sure they have research showing that's the best financially but it's no wonder games don't sell out anymore. Hard to be a program that people nationally care about if people here don't even care about them because it's too expensive to be a fan.
 

Oh how adorable, the common people seem to be disgruntled.

*adjusts monocle*

/s
 



And to think that we now have that Gopher Fan Advisory Board and that this idea either originated from them or was approved by them. How do a group of 20 people not bring up any of the thoughts above.


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And to think that we now have that Gopher Fan Advisory Board and that this idea either originated from them or was approved by them. How do a group of 20 people not bring up any of the thoughts above.


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They are doing this at a lot of schools now. This is not a Minnesota thing. I don't see how this is a negative. It will either work and people will do it or it won't work and they won't sell the slots.

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$400/game BASE PRICE.... ughh.

I want to like this simply for the fact it looks like (from pictures at other uni's) this will be either on the mall or in the grass part next to the stadium off university and maybe that will open the door to allowing fans to tailgate the entire campus, but I doubt it. I mean I would gladly park in one of the ramps and bring my whole set up to the knoll or mall and set up shop, but if i have to pay a premium for that access count me out.
 

Wisconsin will be laughing right about now for this. This thread should reach 50+ pages and generate numerous emails to the Gopher "Oops I did it again" Fan Advisory Board if we truly have a decent fan base.

50+ pages of ridicule....go.
 

Tailgating is about getting out of fans' way and giving them locations to tailgate, not adding more. Until they do a better job facilitating real tailgating and not this canned crap, I hope they don't ever wonder why they aren't getting more ticket revenue. Our athletics department is so incompetent, its no wonder all three of our revenue sports teams are coming off horrible seasons.
 

I'm sure the price is going to be obscene, and the bellhop aspect totally opens this for ridicule. But I'm a little surprised at the completely negative reaction to this.

Our group has a block of (10) tickets in section 246. We almost always do Stubs or the Corner Bar pregame, with the occasional tailgate at East River Flats. We'd LOVE to tailgate more often, but cannot do so for two major reasons:

*Most importantly, NOBODY wants to be stuck having to drive home. We're all pretty big drinkers and love having fun on gameday Saturdays. Doing a proper tailgate necessitates a truck/SUV for haul and base purposes.
*Prep, setup, take down of tents, chairs, coolers etc is a huge pain in the ass

This new options solves both problems for our group. Blockparty may be overpriced and sterile, but I'm going to withhold judgement until I see the pricing and setup in action etc.
 

$400/game BASE PRICE.... ughh.

I want to like this simply for the fact it looks like (from pictures at other uni's) this will be either on the mall or in the grass part next to the stadium off university and maybe that will open the door to allowing fans to tailgate the entire campus, but I doubt it. I mean I would gladly park in one of the ramps and bring my whole set up to the knoll or mall and set up shop, but if i have to pay a premium for that access count me out.

I wouldn't pay $400 if I got to take the tent, chairs and cooler home with me when I'm done. They can eff right off with this nonsense.
 


I went to the Tennessee-LSU game last year in Knoxville & they have something similar to this and it was used by a lot of people. They would have numbered stalls & tents and then the people would choose different packages in terms of food, drinks, TV, etc.

Maybe it had to do with the whole Butch Jones situation, but I wasn't overly impressed with the atmosphere at Rocky Top; I was kind of expecting more.

I don't see it as something that will be overly popular & used at Minnesota, but this isn't something unheard of. I think the conversation is more regarding if it's practical here. I'd prefer more regular tailgating, but is what it is.
 

If the cost is really $400/game for the basic package, then this is complete nonsense
 

I'm sure the price is going to be obscene, and the bellhop aspect totally opens this for ridicule. But I'm a little surprised at the completely negative reaction to this.

Our group has a block of (10) tickets in section 246. We almost always do Stubs or the Corner Bar pregame, with the occasional tailgate at East River Flats. We'd LOVE to tailgate more often, but cannot do so for two major reasons:

*Most importantly, NOBODY wants to be stuck having to drive home. We're all pretty big drinkers and love having fun on gameday Saturdays. Doing a proper tailgate necessitates a truck/SUV for haul and base purposes.
*Prep, setup, take down of tents, chairs, coolers etc is a huge pain in the ass

This new options solves both problems for our group. Blockparty may be overpriced and sterile, but I'm going to withhold judgement until I see the pricing and setup in action etc.

I don't see this as a negative thing, but I have a negative reaction. Tailgating and gameday activities have been a sore spot for Gopher fans for years. There are plenty of simple things they could do to make it more festive around the stadium, and they choose not to. When they finally do put some thought into it, they come up with a plan that they know 98 percent of fans (or more) will ignore.

Oh, they'll make money. They're all about making money. But for 98 percent of their fan base the experience stays the same.
 



Hat's off to whoever thought up this concept...I'm sure it works at some high end programs...but man does this conjure a different definition of ELITE(ism). Said it many times before, most of the tailgate lots are fun...just need to bring a 6/12-pack to contribute and wander around. Someone will invite you to join their party and you'll then have a place to stop every game. I get to the stadium a good 1 1/2 hours before kickoff and the tailgate lots east of the stadium are usually full.

Winning at an elevated level will ramp up the tailgating.
 

I went to the Tennessee-LSU game last year in Knoxville & they have something similar to this and it was used by a lot of people. They would have numbered stalls & tents and then the people would choose different packages in terms of food, drinks, TV, etc.

Maybe it had to do with the whole Butch Jones situation, but I wasn't overly impressed with the atmosphere at Rocky Top; I was kind of expecting more.

I don't see it as something that will be overly popular & used at Minnesota, but this isn't something unheard of. I think the conversation is more regarding if it's practical here. I'd prefer more regular tailgating, but is what it is.

I live out of state and can't attend our games so not sure of MN tailgating situation in detail but if you go to The Quad in Tuscaloosa (sorry, daughter went there), almost all the tents there are rented with some people catering food and drink and some bringing there own. The tent company supplies big screen, high definition TV' and generators and tables and chairs. It's packed with tents. Of course, it is 100,000 they are accomodating

It's a good atmosphere though with cheerleaders and band playing in the area. About 2 hours before kickoff, they close down University Avenue and Nick and the team drive to the stadium with police escort (Motorcycles, HWP, lights and sirens). Nick leads in a big black suburban with Windows tinted out followed by 3 bus loads with the team. The band then starts playing and marches in behind them down University to the stadium. Pretty good show.

Back to subject of thread, I'm sure demand helps and the fact they have these acres of open grass they use for tailgating, but the concierge tailgating is used there.
 

IMO, this is just in a similar overall vein of carving out a piece of the overall gameday "product offering" towards the high-end consumers. For example, premium seating.

People who buy loge boxes or club seats, who obviously have excess cash to spend, and who might want to get in on the tailgating experience without having to invest a lot of personal time and effort setting things up. That's what this seems like, to me.


Not saying that they're right to ignore the desires of the regular bench seating GA/season ticket fans.
 

MN does not have luxury of a lot open spaces in a tight urban sprawl. For this to work, it must be accessible to all fans.

They'll have to buy adjoining land and businesses and maybe do what they are planning on doing in the old Rhondo neighborhood between Cretin and Snelling Avenue over I-94. I heard something about putting that stretch of I-94 under a tunnel and spanning over I-94 and re-connecting the Rhondo neighborhood.

Can they possibly put the railroad under a tunnel from north of the Microbiology Research Lab and Ski-U-Mah Lot to the businesses near 24th Ave SE and Kasota Avenue?

Leave some of that space as open parking lots and develop part of it. Designate part of it for tailgating and not develop it for building. I know I know, it is expensive and land is a premium. Maybe some rich donors will put money up for adjoining land acquisition project.

In Tokyo, they use building tops for golf courses. That is how scarce land is.
 




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