Metrodome era

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DarrenTheGreek said:
I still can sing the Hormel Row Of Fame song by heart. When I do, my kids think I've gone completely insane.
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Haha, glad I'm not the only one...Great for lunch, great for dinner, you could be a weiner winner at the...!
 

On a really nice autumn afternoon, it felt like a horrible waste of time sitting inside that grey roof.
The atmosphere was sterile and echo-y.

Didn't feel right for a low attendance game.
 


Only remember attending one gopher game at the dome, many Twins games and a handful of Vikings games. For whatever reason on TV the dome seemed to always look darker for Gophers games than it did for the Twins and Vikings.

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I was there for many rivalry games and the loudness was secondary to ear splitting piped in sound because there were rarely enough fans and the fans were stoic and somber.
I thought it was pathetic.
 


Flash30 said:
The dome was an awful place to watch the Gophers play. I remember going to an Ohio state game and I think the score was 60 something to 10. I went with my dad and even the Ohio state fans felt sorry for us. We also never leave games early. The dome was ugly with its purple seats and a lot of empty chairs.
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Seats were blue.
 

I attended a ton of games in the Metrodome over the years, usually a game or two up until we got good in the Mason era and then most home games from then until the end of our run at that stadium. I was never a season ticket holder because there was rarely any reason to be. I had a group of half a dozen friends and the running plan was we'd buy tickets on our own for whatever section we could and then all meet in an upper deck section more or less at home plate parallel to the third base line if it was a baseball game. There were rows upon rows of empty seats, so it was easy for whoever of us that turned up to sit together. We only bought in advance for visits of Iowa and Wisconsin along with the occasional huge game like Michigan in 2003.

The atmosphere was not good for college football. As the years went on, the U of M tried very hard to improve it. Maroon and Gold banners were hung field side and on the midlevel boxes. Eventually we had end zone decorations after not having them in the early years. They'd put some block M's on the field too. The Cannon Man guy came along. My recollection was that in the early days there was either no student section with the kids all spread out or maybe an overly small one. Eventually all students were put in the tunnel corner and the south end zone, which improved the atmosphere a lot.

I can see why the U of M thought the Metrodome was a good idea. Bare bones as it was, the place was new, people would be sheltered from the elements no matter what, you could theoretically sell recruits on playing in an NFL stadium, it wasn't that far from campus in terms of travel time although no thought was given to shuttle buses for students in the early years, and Memorial Stadium was in lousy condition, would need a ton of dough to get fixed up, and for all the people who claim to have gone all the time to games, the attendance at Memorial Stadium over its last dozen or so seasons was not very good. The problem was no one in power at the U of M or in the athletic department properly understood how the game going experience would change for the worst.

After the new stadium honeymoon ended and Lou Holtz walked, it became clear very soon that 64,000 seats were far too many for this program. The empty seats were depressing and hurt the supply/demand equation because you had generally one game per year with hard to get tickets. In the early days, before all kickoff times became dictated by TV, the Gophers played a lot of Saturday night home games to boost crowds because getting fans indoors on sunny fall days was so hard. Once TV got into the mix more, we wound up with the dreaded 11:00 AM kickoffs. Back then the Big Ten's featured afternoon game ran at 2:30 PM on ABC and we were rarely in it. No other Big Ten game could run against it. The conference booked few if any night games. It meant virtually all home games started at 11:00 AM and when that peak sun came through the Teflon roof, taunting you with how nice it was outside, it was hard to swallow. There have been tons of empty seats for most TCF Bank Stadium games beyond the 2009 and 2010 seasons, but being outside in a real and damn good college football stadium makes it somehow okay and much more fun.
 

I started at the U in the fall 2002. While the student crowd was indeed quite boisterous, the only time other than The Game That Shall Not Be Named that the place got super loud was when 30,000 Iowa or Wisconsin fans showed up.
 

It has struck me as odd that we'd get these crowds of 59,000 to 64,000 plus for visits of Iowa for the lifetime of the stadium and for Wisconsin from 1993 onward yet their games here haven't sold out in a while and there are generally plenty of empty seats. A friend speculated that the traveling fans from Iowa and Wisconsin still come in to get hotels and generally make a weekend of it, but the alums and TV fans here in the Twin Cities and outstate Minnesota within driving distance who'd drive to the stadium on Saturday and then go home after aren't coming in as great a number. He feels, believe it or not, that the lack of the Dome and it being 68 degrees and precipitation free for all games keeps these particular visiting fans away. A guy who graduated from Iowa, Wisconsin or for that matter Nebraska in 1979 or 1992 or even 2002, doesn't want to sit outside in the cold when he can watch at home but would have gone to the Dome. I'm not complaining at all. I hate those fans and chose seats at TCF Bank Stadium that were on the often cold home side just to avoid being near any official visitors sections, but the rate at which they vanished after we went home to campus is pretty interesting.
 



I loved the dome, you could get cheap tickets in November, sit in the second deck on the corners, not a bad seat for watching, comfortable 70 degrees, I am more of a fan of the game than the atmosphere though so not being on campus wasn't a big deal for me.
 

Like previously stated, the low-attendance games were the worst; it felt like you were in a poorly-lit, echo-filled warehouse. For the bigger games (Iowa, Wisconsin, the Michigan night game), it was rocking and I had no issue.
 

I would say Memorial would be number one, TCF second and last Metrodome.
 

Plato said:
I was there for many rivalry games and the loudness was secondary to ear splitting piped in sound because there were rarely enough fans and the fans were stoic and somber.
I thought it was pathetic.
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Complete BS post.
 



I've had season tickets at both the Dome and TCF. No contest. TCF is wonderful.
 

IrishGoph55 said:
I have been to the Metrodome for Vikings games but I never made it for a Goph game.
Been to TCF a bunch of times and love it. How is TCF compared to the dome?
Did the dome feel like Gopher football or always felt out of place like step children?
I feel bad for Pitt.
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Completely out of place....
They painted the endzones, etc...but blue seats, banners covering Twins and Vikings things,
sometimes dirt infield if the Twins had a playoff run.
 


maroonfive said:
It is a place best forgotten.
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Disagree. It's like history...need to learn from it or doomed to repeat it. Don't want to see TCF in 30-50 years in shambles because it wasn't maintained/updated correctly and the Gophers looking for options.

One thing I like about Target Field, the Twins have done a good job making small improvements every year to keep the stadium current. I hope the U does that with TCF. Has the U done many updates besides new turf and TVs in the concourse?
 

pharmacygopher said:
Disagree. It's like history...need to learn from it or doomed to repeat it. Don't want to see TCF in 30-50 years in shambles because it wasn't maintained/updated correctly and the Gophers looking for options.

One thing I like about Target Field, the Twins have done a good job making small improvements every year to keep the stadium current. I hope the U does that with TCF. Has the U done many updates besides new turf and TVs in the concourse?
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Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think they put in extra elevators going to the 2nd deck. Or else I only noticed them all recently.
 

pharmacygopher said:
Disagree. It's like history...need to learn from it or doomed to repeat it. Don't want to see TCF in 30-50 years in shambles because it wasn't maintained/updated correctly and the Gophers looking for options.

One thing I like about Target Field, the Twins have done a good job making small improvements every year to keep the stadium current. I hope the U does that with TCF. Has the U done many updates besides new turf and TVs in the concourse?
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The point above is very valid. One of the BS reasons for moving to the Metrodome that kept getting raised was that Memorial Stadium was unsound could not be kept going much longer without massive investment.

The lead was always hidden on this story, but how the hell did the U of M neglect a War Memorial Stadium to the point where a mere 40 to 50 years after being built it was already falling down.

The reality was that it was never falling down (big agenda being pushed), but the U of M neglected it in a very major way, and I agree with the original posters. Has the U of M learned their lessons? Are they going to neglect and abuse TCF like they abused and neglected Memorial Stadium?

There should have been some improvements by now, as the Twins have always done. A new big scoreboard on the east roof should have been done by now.

There should have been some pub like gather space built by now on the north (sunny) side in the empty concourse space above the restrooms and concessions for fans to visit during the game. Even if the 30K upper deck never is built, the U of M could put of something over he North roof to draw fans into a covered and heated space with a good view the field and some upscale food and berverage options. (see Target field, center field top level - they charge a lot for those seats in- even in 100 loss years) That sort amenity would make the North side, upper level top row seats much more desirable.

The U of M just gets lazy and inefficient, sort of like the Post Office or East Germany.

The U of M is following the old, failed playbook at times.
 
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DarrenTheGreek said:
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but I think they put in extra elevators going to the 2nd deck. Or else I only noticed them all recently.
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No, those were all there from the start, and last year at least, they stopped anyone but disabled people from riding in those elevators.
 

As someone mentioned, the Dome did have one thing going for it. For baseball, you knew the game would be played, so groups from outstate MN, IA or the Dakotas felt safe in making plans to attend games.

And for football, you knew it would be 68 or 70 degrees inside, and you could watch the game without fear of the elements.

Sad to say, but for all the romanticism of the old Met stadium and the 'Brick House,' the outdoor Vikings and Gophers games in bad weather often had a significant # of empty seats.

Yes, the dome was severely lacking in amenities, but you were guaranteed to see a game, without having to see your breath. there is some value in that.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
As someone mentioned, the Dome did have one thing going for it. For baseball, you knew the game would be played, so groups from outstate MN, IA or the Dakotas felt safe in making plans to attend games.

And for football, you knew it would be 68 or 70 degrees inside, and you could watch the game without fear of the elements.

Sad to say, but for all the romanticism of the old Met stadium and the 'Brick House,' the outdoor Vikings and Gophers games in bad weather often had a significant # of empty seats.

Yes, the dome was severely lacking in amenities, but you were guaranteed to see a game, without having to see your breath. there is some value in that.
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Being comfortable in the Metrodome was like being comfortable in a rotten nursing home with a view of hog sewage pond.

I have been to every cold weather game at TCF and the energy at those games has always been very high. Wearing a real REI type head covering, proper layers or a real heavy coat and some OK gloves solves the problem. I have not even bothered to wear boots, just regular old running shoes with the other features mentioned above, and the games have been great.

Being outside is what makes it great, not sitting in some rotten climate controlled tomb. I think the weather actually gets the fans invested in the experience, which is why the crowd gets so much more vocal like Purdue last year or Nebraska this year..
 

oak_street1981 said:
The point above is very valid. One of the BS reasons for moving to the Metrodome that kept getting raised was that Memorial Stadium was unsound could not be kept going much longer without massive investment.

The lead was always hidden on this story, but how the hell did the U of M neglect a War Memorial Stadium to the point where a mere 40 to 50 years after being built it was already falling down.

The reality was that it was never falling down (big agenda being pushed), but the U of M neglected it in a very major way, and I agree with the original posters. Has the U of M learned their lessons? Are they going to neglect and abuse TCF like they abused and neglected Memorial Stadium?

There should have been some improvements by now, as the Twins have always done. A new big scoreboard on the east roof should have been done by now.

There should have been some pub like gather space built by now on the north (sunny) side in the empty concourse space above the restrooms and concessions for fans to visit during the game. Even if the 30K upper deck never is built, the U of M could put of something over he North roof to draw fans into a covered and heated space with a good view the field and some upscale food and berverage options. (see Target field, center field top level - they charge a lot for those seats in- even in 100 loss years) That sort amenity would make the North side, upper level top row seats much more desirable.

The U of M just gets lazy and inefficient, sort of like the Post Office or East Germany.

The U of M is following the old, failed playbook at times.
Click to expand...

While I agree there are some easy updates but it’ll be much easier to fundraise those when they’re done paying for new athletics facility
 

I think the maintenance and upkeep at TCF Bank Stadium are fine. It's nothing at all like how Memorial Stadium had its upkeep neglected. It's a difference of decades and there is an entirely different attitude towards sports stadium upkeep and management now that barely existed by the end of Memorial Stadium and didn't exist for much of its lifespan.

Regarding the lack of things like something up on the upper concourse on the sunny side, I don't think that hasn't been done out of any issue of neglect or inefficiency. I think it comes down to how much can be spent, on what, and when as well as a measurement of the return on investment. Eventually some sort of renovation is coming, but we are only a decade in and to have done something like that by now would have meant getting the money and doing the planning as far back as 2014 which doesn't seem as feasible as waiting if you need state money or are hitting up donors who might want to expand the stadium club or expand the Gophers' locker room but might be less interested in building a bar space they'll never use to the benefit of regular fans.

The Twins are in a different situation. They have 81 home games to sell while the Gophers need 7. The cost of building certain improvements isn't going to be much different, but the number of games to recoup the expenditure is vastly different. The Twins also need to find ways to keep people coming and entertained, especially in those mediocre to bad seasons when the team is done by the All Star break. One of the magical things about college football, and the NFL for that matter, is that having far fewer games means the games are more important and the millions of bowls means there is still a goal to attain even when we're fighting to get 6 wins. You don't need to focus the fans on the social aspect of coming to games as much.
 

TCF opened my senior year and I remember thinking, man the tailgating is going to be awesome being on campus. Sadly it has not been so. The dome games for tailgating were some of the best times i had at college. It used to have a sea of parking lots that are now giant apartment buildings but we had a blast. Wish we could get something like that going for TCF.
 

The Dome was only good for being super loud when full. That seldom happened for Gopher games, so it was quite sterile. In its day, it was also the only Big Ten stadium that sold beer, which was a plus.
 

Sports_Realist said:
I think the maintenance and upkeep at TCF Bank Stadium are fine. It's nothing at all like how Memorial Stadium had its upkeep neglected. It's a difference of decades and there is an entirely different attitude towards sports stadium upkeep and management now that barely existed by the end of Memorial Stadium and didn't exist for much of its lifespan.

Regarding the lack of things like something up on the upper concourse on the sunny side, I don't think that hasn't been done out of any issue of neglect or inefficiency. I think it comes down to how much can be spent, on what, and when as well as a measurement of the return on investment. Eventually some sort of renovation is coming, but we are only a decade in and to have done something like that by now would have meant getting the money and doing the planning as far back as 2014 which doesn't seem as feasible as waiting if you need state money or are hitting up donors who might want to expand the stadium club or expand the Gophers' locker room but might be less interested in building a bar space they'll never use to the benefit of regular fans.

The Twins are in a different situation. They have 81 home games to sell while the Gophers need 7. The cost of building certain improvements isn't going to be much different, but the number of games to recoup the expenditure is vastly different. The Twins also need to find ways to keep people coming and entertained, especially in those mediocre to bad seasons when the team is done by the All Star break. One of the magical things about college football, and the NFL for that matter, is that having far fewer games means the games are more important and the millions of bowls means there is still a goal to attain even when we're fighting to get 6 wins. You don't need to focus the fans on the social aspect of coming to games as much.
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It's also required in the stadium bill/Twins lease that they make or at least set aside funds for a certain $ amount of improvements per year. There's not similar requirement for TCF that I'm aware.
 


oak_street1981 said:
No, those were all there from the start, and last year at least, they stopped anyone but disabled people from riding in those elevators.
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I've used the elevators without issue since the place opened.
 

pharmacygopher said:
Disagree. It's like history...need to learn from it or doomed to repeat it. Don't want to see TCF in 30-50 years in shambles because it wasn't maintained/updated correctly and the Gophers looking for options.

One thing I like about Target Field, the Twins have done a good job making small improvements every year to keep the stadium current. I hope the U does that with TCF. Has the U done many updates besides new turf and TVs in the concourse?
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There is that Athletes Village thing...
 

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