All Things Final Four in Minneapolis Thread

Livingat45north

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Thought I'd start a thread on our hosting this year's Final Four. Tickets to the championship game are going for about $150, but you'll need binoculars to see the court. And there is a lot of events going on beside the games themselves.
 

For those going to the games, I am curious what your ticket strategy is. Did you get tickets through the public drawing or are you buying on the secondary market?

We are in the latter scenario and are keeping an eye on prices. Tickets for an event like this often drop as the event approaches, unless there is a regional team that would draw really well, or if Zion makes it as he seems to have star power that we haven't seen in the college game in a while.

I am looking forward to enjoying a lot of the festivities that are in town that week.

Go Gophers!!
 

Thought I'd start a thread on our hosting this year's Final Four. Tickets to the championship game are going for about $150, but you'll need binoculars to see the court. And there is a lot of events going on beside the games themselves.

Buy them now because when the Gophers shock the world and get there will cost alot more than $150
 

For those going to the games, I am curious what your ticket strategy is. Did you get tickets through the public drawing or are you buying on the secondary market?

We are in the latter scenario and are keeping an eye on prices. Tickets for an event like this often drop as the event approaches, unless there is a regional team that would draw really well, or if Zion makes it as he seems to have star power that we haven't seen in the college game in a while.

I am looking forward to enjoying a lot of the festivities that are in town that week.

Go Gophers!!

I have a buddy that used to travel to every final four (stopped a couple years ago). He would wait until after the first game of the semifinals and there are always fans of the losing team that leave and sell their tickets for the remaining sessions. Bring some cash, you never know.

I am in the latter group as well.
 

My kids are on Spring Break that week, so I'm thinking at the very least checking out the Fan Fest at the convention center. It's only 8 bucks and kids 12 and under are free.
 
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Buy them now because when the Gophers shock the world and get there will cost alot more than $150

If the gophs make it people wouldn’t show up for the championship game because it’s a School night and the roads might be icy. And if they do show up they’ll not make it for tip-off.
 


My kids are on Spring Break that week, so I'm thinking at thevery least checking out the Fan Fest at the convention center. It's only 8 bucks and kids 12 and under are free.

What all goes on at the fan fest? Our kids are adults now; would it hold any of our interest?

I vaguely remember last time one of the hotel lobbies being a hive of activity; ESPN programs being broadcast live from there; walking right past Jim Valvano. Where does that kind of stuff take place this year?
 

If the Gophers make it, I'll wait outside after Minnesota beats Duke in the semi's so I can grab cheap tickets for the finals from some upset Duke fans.
 



What all goes on at the fan fest? Our kids are adults now; would it hold any of our interest?

I vaguely remember last time one of the hotel lobbies being a hive of activity; ESPN programs being broadcast live from there; walking right past Jim Valvano. Where does that kind of stuff take place this year?

There's definitely more for younger kids to do. From what I can tell, it's mostly games (not all basketball-related), but there's stuff like shooting a free throw while they pump in noise and put up those giant heads behind the basket while they try to distract you. There's autograph stuff and I think there's a kind of travelling museum with items from past Final Fours.
I just found out that if you have a Capital One credit card, you can get two free tickets.
 

There's definitely more for younger kids to do. From what I can tell, it's mostly games (not all basketball-related), but there's stuff like shooting a free throw while they pump in noise and put up those giant heads behind the basket while they try to distract you. There's autograph stuff and I think there's a kind of travelling museum with items from past Final Fours.
I just found out that if you have a Capital One credit card, you can get two free tickets.

Thanks for the info!
 

I’m hoping for some fun and free outdoor concerts on Nicollet mall like there were for the Super Bowl.
 





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Go Gophers!!
 

For those going to the games, I am curious what your ticket strategy is. Did you get tickets through the public drawing or are you buying on the secondary market?

We are in the latter scenario and are keeping an eye on prices. Tickets for an event like this often drop as the event approaches, unless there is a regional team that would draw really well, or if Zion makes it as he seems to have star power that we haven't seen in the college game in a while.

I am looking forward to enjoying a lot of the festivities that are in town that week.

Go Gophers!!

You could have asked me, BLEED! This will only be like my 13th Final Four. We used to get tickets through the public drawing, and stopped because the seats are so awful. This year, I was lucky that a friend sold me lower level ticket for cost, and there are a lot of people in the cities that work with the FF that I bet would. Many of them go un-used because people that work so hard, just want to go home.

Final Four tickets aren't like usual markets. There are the few that go every year, the rest depends on the schools. If a Kentucky or Kansas is there, you're screwed. They travel well and buy all the tickets. When VCU/Butler was in, we got lower level seats at cost. It will all depend on that, so cheer for the smaller schools without big following and then scalp the day of. Duke actually doesn't travel that well just because they're smaller, and often ther.e

I have a buddy that used to travel to every final four (stopped a couple years ago). He would wait until after the first game of the semifinals and there are always fans of the losing team that leave and sell their tickets for the remaining sessions. Bring some cash, you never know.

I am in the latter group as well.

It's funny - I tried to do this. We'd have the nosebleed seats and ask to buy tickets as people were leaving, and had a really hard time. Thought it would be easier, but many sell to scalpers.

If the gophs make it people wouldn’t show up for the championship game because it’s a School night and the roads might be icy. And if they do show up they’ll not make it for tip-off.

SO GOPHER. Lol!

What all goes on at the fan fest? Our kids are adults now; would it hold any of our interest?

I vaguely remember last time one of the hotel lobbies being a hive of activity; ESPN programs being broadcast live from there; walking right past Jim Valvano. Where does that kind of stuff take place this year?

I think they had the fan fest at the convention center, I volunteered the last time it was here. It was mainly for kids and families. What I would say is fun, is just being down there. Go to the coaches hotels and grab drinks, everyone is so accessible and you can just talk hoops with tons of people. I've enjoyed meeting the other fans that go every year. So many great people in town.

Concerts are free and indoors at the Minneapolis Armory. Performers haven't been announced but I'd expect it soon.

http://www.startribune.com/final-four-no-outdoor-concerts-smaller-venue-new-four-day-party-on-nicollet-mall/504456622/

I have no Strib clicks left, but believe they announced Katy Perry as one of the shows. They always do it outside, but since it's cold here, it will be limited at the Armory.
 

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Go Gophers!!
 

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Go Gophers!!
 

3 wins away! Can you imagine the Gophers playing in a Final Four a mile from campus? Holy hell that would be insane.
 

STrib: Final Four ticket buying scramble intensifies with potential for Zion Williamson in Minneapolis

The pricey tickets to the men’s basketball NCAA Final Four next weekend could get an extra squeeze from a mononymous 18-year-old freshman at Duke: Zion.

At 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds, the improbably balletic forward Zion Williamson is a once-in-a-generation player and fans have been paying a premium to see him all season.

According to ticket reseller SeatGeek, when Duke was on the road this season the resale value of tickets at the host school went up 178 percent, almost threefold.

While Duke is heavily favored, it isn’t guaranteed to be one of the Final Four teams playing in the semifinals April 6 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Regardless of who survives and advances, fans now must rely on the secondary market for tickets — and be prepared to crack open their wallets wider for Zion.

The NCAA tightly controls tickets for the Final Four, its marquee event. The tournament ends with the championship game on April 8, expected to draw the largest crowd ever to U.S. Bank Stadium — 72,000 ticketed guests. That’s about 4,400 more than attended the 2018 Super Bowl.

SeatGeek analyst Chris Leyden is already tracking the market live and predicts it will be as bouncy as ever.

“Right now prices are fairly average, although so much of the buying doesn’t happen until the matchup is set that the prices at this point are of little indication of where they will end up,” Leyden said.

According to the NCAA, 35,000 tickets were allocated for the general public, and most of those were sold through a lottery system that opened a year ago. Fans paid a nonrefundable $25 to enter the draw, which included seats for all games.

Each fan could purchase up to four seats. Prices for lower level seats started at $330; upper level seats started at $210.

NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn noted that’s the largest allocation of tickets to the general public of any national sporting event. Fans still can get tickets through the official NCAA exchange or through premium hospitality options, she said.

As for other ticket allocations, the Final Four teams share 25 percent of the tickets, or 18,000 — 4,500 tickets for each team. The host committee receives 5 percent, or 3,600 tickets. Minneapolis committee spokeswoman Maggie Habashy said the committee gave its tickets to financial and in-kind donors, but declined to say who received them.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches, which holds its annual meeting in the days before the games, receives 3,600 tickets, along with Division I member schools. CBS Turner Sports, the broadcast partner, gets another 5 percent, as do various NCAA committee members.

Some lucky students attending Final Four schools get floor seats for $40 each. The competing schools have 600 student tickets to distribute as they choose. Students from the two teams that play Monday night get free floor seats.

This year’s ticket market is considerably different from that of 2001, when 46,000 fans watched the Final Four at the Metrodome. Those tickets initially sold for $120, $140 or $160.

That year, all 13 Minneapolis City Council members were allowed to buy tickets from what was then the Sports Facilities Commission. Today the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA), which oversees U.S. Bank Stadium, gets nothing.

MSFA spokeswoman Jenn Hathaway said the NCAA has control of the two 18-person luxury suites usually controlled by stadium operators SMG for marketing at Vikings games and concerts. In exchange, she said the NCAA gave 22 Final Four tickets to SMG that will be forwarded to potential hosts of future events; the names of those recipients will be available after the event under state data practices law, she said.

One oddity with the Final Four, according to Leyden, is that the Monday night championship game is often a cheaper ticket than the Saturday games. Tickets often become available as fans of the losing teams and coaches leave town.

As of Tuesday, Leyden’s tracking showed that the average ticket for each of the two games Saturday was going for $403 and a championship ticket for $406.

Last year at this time, seats for the Final Four at the Alamodome in San Antonio were selling for $354 for the first two games and $332 for the final. In 2017 at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, tickets were going for $452 for the first two games and $361 for the final.

In 2015, seats for Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis were markedly more expensive, going for $691 and $515. Duke made it into that round, as did nearby Kentucky.

Zion Williamson was still in high school back then. Duke won anyway.

http://www.startribune.com/final-fo...r-zion-s-appearance-in-minneapolis/507733582/

Go Gophers!!
 

STrib: College basketball's biggest event bounces into Minneapolis next weekend

No sunglasses will be necessary inside U.S. Bank Stadium for NCAA Final Four men’s basketball tournament events taking off Friday and peaking next Monday night with the national championship game.

The $5 million blackout curtains were installed and drawn late last week, as media got a sneak preview of the shiny, custom-made hard court locking into place for college basketball’s biggest weekend. Come Saturday, 72,000 fans will arrive in Minneapolis to watch the four teams play in two semifinal games. The two winners will vie for the championship April 8 and the one-in-a-million experience of playing beneath the NCAA’s 100-foot high, 80-foot wide octagonal scoreboard.

“It will be loud. It will be electric,” SMG general manager Patrick Talty said. SMG operates the building and is in charge of the extensive, carefully timed maneuverings in the building for the event. “The student-athlete has worked their entire life to play on this court and play for a championship.”

http://www.startribune.com/college-...nces-into-minneapolis-next-weekend/507889481/

Go Gophers!!
 



Looks like there'll be a block party on Nicollet Mall each of the days (Fri thru Mon). Not sure what that entails, but it seems worth checking out. I think they're calling it the tipoff tailgate or something.
 

I'm going to both games on Saturday (my 60th birthday gift from my son and daughter-in-law). I'll be outfitted in Gopher gear and will be high-fiving my fellow BIG brethren Spartans!
 


Looks like there'll be a block party on Nicollet Mall each of the days (Fri thru Mon). Not sure what that entails, but it seems worth checking out. I think they're calling it the tipoff tailgate or something.

I think I’ll bring some of my product and a few of my women down there.
 


Forecast says 60’s for the weekend and Monday. I’ve seen a few national media members whining about the F4 being in MN. They act like it was going to be -10.
 

Forecast says 60’s for the weekend and Monday. I’ve seen a few national media members whining about the F4 being in MN. They act like it was going to be -10.

If there is one thing I’ve learned about the American workforce, they whine about literally everything. Small talk revolves around whining about something. If you’re not whining, you’re just not cool. It could be on a private island in the Caribbean and they would whine about the security line at the airport.
 
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