Gopher football fan demographic

UpAndUnder43

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I have a theory that gopher football fans are comprised of people my dads age (63) AND older OR my age (32) and younger. The lost generation of gopher fans is a huge problem. Utter lack of success is to blame. I grew up during the mason era. Bowl games became EXPECTED. How do we prevent losing another generation of gopher faithful? Is winning enough?

Took a visual survey of fans in our section at Nebraska. My theory holds true.
 

People are more interested in pro sports, unless the college team is a traditional power (think Gopher Hockey). As for millenials, they are shying away from sports all together. Wasn't it the NFL that was down like 20% in attendance or viewership or such?
 

Look around you in Minneapolis. I think you are off. What does it matter anyway? Fans of all ages are welcome. We are short serious fans of all ages.
Signed : 50 ish.
 
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My nephews are in their 40's and have tickets. I think in general you are correct as I see many younger fans at the Vikings games.
 

Look around you in Minneapolis. I think you are off. What does it matter anyway? Fans of all ages are welcome. We are short serious fans of all ages.
Signed : 50 ish.
People want excitement, which stems from talent and a winning tradition. Pros are more talented than college athletes, and the Vikings win far more often than the Gophers. Also, the U is a school. Would someone who went to St Cloud or Mankato cheer for Gopher football when they are hockey rivals to us? I don't think it's a difficult concept to grasp.

The only people who are likely to follow the U is (former) students, football fanatics, and people raised on U sports. The rest are prone to watching the Vikings.

Signed: 40ish.
 


People want excitement, which stems from talent and a winning tradition. Pros are more talented than college athletes, and the Vikings win far more often than the Gophers. Also, the U is a school. Would someone who went to St Cloud or Mankato cheer for Gopher football when they are hockey rivals to us? I don't think it's a difficult concept to grasp.

The only people who are likely to follow the U is (former) students, football fanatics, and people raised on U sports. The rest are prone to watching the Vikings.

Signed: 40ish.

Mankato grad here who is a Golden Gopher fan because I grew up a fan. Hockey fans are passionate about their team. I don't think there is a significant number of them at SCSU and Man St to impact what the average sports fan who attends either school views U of M as a rival because of hockey though.
 

This equation has been solved on here many times. Winning is the only way attendance will improve and the fan base will grow. All the other nonsense that some thought would do this was and still is nonsense.


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I was at the game yesterday with 3 others of my age.

--I'M A MAN, I'M 40!
 

I'm mid 50s. My oldest son is 34, and buys the tickets for what has become our traditional appearance at the home opener ... probably because he enjoyed going to games with me as a kid.

I have an 18-year-old daughter who would be a fan if there was any reason to be.

JTG
 



55ish


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The only people who are likely to follow the U is (former) students, football fanatics, and people raised on U sports. The rest are prone to watching the Vikings.

Signed: 40ish.

Early 60s and a transplant since the early part of this century

I like college football and this is the only D1 program in the state. Who else are you going to follow? I guess I could just watch my alma mater but ----

a) did that for about 35 years and felt it was time for a change; and b) my alma mater isn't an underdog and I like pulling for the underdog.

I must say though that it's much tougher being a fan of this team (in both football and basketball) than a fan of some other teams.
 


Whities who enjoy their Coor's Light in a bottle. [emoji41] [emoji481][emoji482]
 



34 and 35 here. We were in Nebraska for the game. Bad to base demographics based on an away game. The ages you state are less likely to have an entire open weekend with kids. Home games I see plenty of families with kids which got that missing demographic of the away games.
 

Mankato grad here who is a Golden Gopher fan because I grew up a fan. Hockey fans are passionate about their team. I don't think there is a significant number of them at SCSU and Man St to impact what the average sports fan who attends either school views U of M as a rival because of hockey though.

In the same boat, except I went to the other Minnesota State in Moorhead. Didn't go to the U but have always been a fan of the Gophers and really respect what the school does for the state in terms of research and outreach. Turned 30 in May.
 



Regardless of the demographics, we all want a competitive, winning team. For those who have been following the Gophers more than 20 years, we are so hungry for it that I don't believe others can truly comprehend our hunger. Personally, I started watching the Gophers as a young kid in the the mid-60's as my dad played for the Gophers in the 50's and I have hooked (or doomed) my son's, in their 20's, as well. The coaches, administration and most of the media can't truly understand where we are coming from. Sid gets it
 


I am in that late 30's grouping and I think this is pretty spot on. Just by doing an quick look around that age group is very underrepresented. Not to beat a very dead horse but the donation increase hit that group very hard. Most of the season ticket holders my age I knew dropped them. Young families and less financially established and that money especially hurt. I know it hit the older season ticket holders too, but many of those I talked to have more disposable income and shifted money they were already donating into the U to their seat donations.

And sadly most of the ex-season ticket holders in my age group probably aren't coming back, at least as season ticket holders.
 

59 here. Our group of 4 have had season tickets for 14 years. We will most likely dump them after this year. I have better things to do with my $490 ($150 seat license to secure my seat in a half empty stadium?!). I will still be a Gopher Football fan, I just won't be a season ticket holder. We typically go to a road game each year and that will most likely continue. I can always pick up a ticket on the street or Stub Hub for the occasional home game.
 

38 and would grab some of these season tickets from you boat jumpers if I didn’t live 6 hours away.
 

I've been hearing since the 1980s that only old people go to Gopher games. If that were true, they would've all died off by now and the stadium would be empty. (That is, more empty than it is now.) I had basketball tickets for 23 years and have had football tickets for 11. I've always seen a lot of 30- and 40-somethings and a lot of parents with young children.

We definitely have a fan problem, but I've never bought that there are demographic issues compared to other schools.
 

34
Didn’t start following gopher football early as my dad wasn’t a big fan.
Went to my first gopher game in 2003 vs Wisconsin and have been hooked ever since. Wish we lived closer so I could attend more games and bring the kiddos to hopefully get them hooked.
Family makes it to homecoming each year and has a blast.
Hoping to get my dad or uncle to split cheap season tickets with me to somewhat force me to go more.
 

26

Wasn't a fan growing up. Not from Minnesota but I've followed them since I became a student
 

60, been to every home game since 1985, season tickets since 82. 75+ road games including bowls. Very close to not caring anymore and doing something else. Tailgated with a trailer and TV's 5 hours before games and stayed late after for many years. Went to all the events.

Sold the trailer and was forced to give up half my tickets because nobody wants to go. My crew down to 4 regulars and I still eat two tickets almost every week. My kids grew up at the dome but life has taken to other things.

For sure not blaming PJ Fleck, he wants to win.
 

I think your analysis is right on.

There’s been no PJ bump in tickets, maybe stemmed losses? Compare to Holtz. I don’t think it’s because Holtz had more enthusiasm. My dad was 41 when Holtz arrived and my dad saw Paul Giel play and was 17 when Warmath’s team won a natty. He was 34 when they stormed the field after beating Michigan. My dad is 75 now.

41 year olds today have never seen the Gophers finish above fourth in conference. Their DADS were 5 when the Gophers won a natty.
 

Old enough that I watched games as Memorial Stadium.. BTW hats off the the guy in my section (20) at Nebraska who managed to smuggle in a full sized oar..
 

People want excitement, which stems from talent and a winning tradition. Pros are more talented than college athletes, and the Vikings win far more often than the Gophers. Also, the U is a school. Would someone who went to St Cloud or Mankato cheer for Gopher football when they are hockey rivals to us? I don't think it's a difficult concept to grasp.

The only people who are likely to follow the U is (former) students, football fanatics, and people raised on U sports. The rest are prone to watching the Vikings.

Signed: 40ish.
I was one raised on Gopher sports due mainly to my Dad being an alum. He took us to William's for BB and a couple times to Memorial for FB, after that I was hooked. I also raised my son on Gopher sports and as a result he is now an alum.

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In regards to the OP, I had been at The Railyard (incredible spot) in Lincoln for about 4 hours when I wrote it...after tailgating for 4 hours before the game...so I apologize for the vagueness of it.

I wasn't trying to say ZERO fans exist in that age range but when I talk to a lot of people at games and look at people when I attend games, they look to be around my age (or younger) or my dads age (or older). I'm sure there are a lot of fans aged 35-55 but I bet its a lower % than the rest of the age ranges. I could be wrong but there was no success for those people growing up (in football)

I work in an office with about 20 people males age 35-55. 17 of them from Minnesota. 1 of them identifies as a Gopher football fan. I don't think that is a good percentage and its lower than the older and younger ranges in the office, by a lot. This is a microcosm of Gopher fans. It sucks but its unlikely a person in their 40s is going to suddenly starts liking the Gophers unless their kids attend the school or something like that.

Thanks for the responses.
 




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