GopherLady: This soon-to-be 8-0 Gophers team deserves better. (picture)

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Word said:
I mentioned this in another thread. I've asked 3 friends to go to the Penn State game. They all make plenty of money. They all said the $70 ticket price (lowest priced ticket if you include fees) was too much. One even said "too much for a college game". If we want to start selling out on a regular basis we need to entice some of the more fringe fans to buy tickets to the game by making the price correlate more to the perceived value to the customer. I think it's pretty well established that we have about 40,000 hard core fans that will come no matter what the price is. It's that last 10,000 of more casual fans that we need to get back. I used to have season tickets in section 208. Those tickets are $120 for the PSU game. If you have a family of 4 by the time you factor in fees, parking, and concessions, you are getting close to the $600 mark. That's a pretty big investment.
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Not at all wrong ..... *if* your priority is filling the stadium, and not revenue. But that’s not the priority of the AD.

As has been shown on here, discussed numerous times before, the total revenue drops very fast as soon as you start dropping costs. They’d rather have a 3/4 full stadium at full price than a full stadium at a discount.
 

On tv TCF looked 80% full which I thought was impressive for a game vs a pretty poor opponent. Highly ranked teams in a national championship race season don’t sell out their stadiums vs lesser (perceived or otherwise) opponents.

Like others said the ticket sales will be more robust in Nov for the better teams and if they can maintain the winning momentum into the offseason, market effectively I’d expect better crowds in 2020. If the team closes out the season in impressive fashion they can name their prices for 2020 (but resist that urge...).

Not sure why it’s necessary to stay to the end of a laugher. People have busy lives, particularly families.
 

Word said:
I think it boils down to the difference between being a casual fan and a hard core fan. My friends all attend various games of all the Minnesota sports teams so they pick and choose where they spend their money.

Personally I'd love to go to more Wild games but I think those tickets are way overpriced so I only go to one game a year. So does that not make me an NHL fan?
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Depends on the context. What's happening with the Gophers right now is unprecedented in our lifetimes. There is no arguing that. This will be the biggest home game most of us have seen in our lifetimes as well. My opinion is that if you're a fan of a sport and something unprecedented is happening in your town, you probably see the value in spending your money on that event.

This isn't a discussion of whether your friends are bad people. I just wouldn't call them serious college football fans. Unfortunately, the Cities doesn't have a ton of them.
 




Pompous Elitist said:
On tv TCF looked 80% full which I thought was impressive for a game vs a pretty poor opponent. Highly ranked teams in a national championship race season don’t sell out their stadiums vs lesser (perceived or otherwise) opponents.

Like others said the ticket sales will be more robust in Nov for the better teams and if they can maintain the winning momentum into the offseason, market effectively I’d expect better crowds in 2020. If the team closes out the season in impressive fashion they can name their prices for 2020 (but resist that urge...).

Not sure why it’s necessary to stay to the end of a laugher. People have busy lives, particularly families.
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Almost all of those highly ranked teams have bigger stadiums and smaller local populations. If TCF is 80% full that's 1.2% of the twin cities population. If Alabama fills their stadium up 80% that's 34% of their area population.

Outside of the student section, the issue is with the athletic department, not the fans. They haven't sold games out since 2015 and have clearly decided that they don't care about attendance. That's 100% on them. They put money before the fans. 2020 should be better, especially if the Gophers finish the season strong, but even then many fans lost trust in the athletics department and will stay away.
 

Another issue to consider is stadium design. I think just counting empty seats doesn’t give a fully accurate picture of attendance.

Personally, I tend to spend most of the game on the Plaza or watching from the concourse, because the view is much better and I like being able to move around. I routinely see many people watching from the concourse. The Club level and concourse with TVs also attract folks indoors, rather than sitting in their seats.

The older stadiums have/had closed concourses and minimal/no TVs, e.g. Memorial Stadium and the Metrodome. So, if you wanted to see the game, you had to be in your seat. Hence , more full seats.

But, I do agree that it is crazy how Minnesota fans leave early when we are winning. We’ve suffered losing for so long, there’s no way I’m going to skip the celebration and joy of watching a dismantling!
 

markiemark09 said:
Nadine is letting me down lately. We don't need another Reusse.

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It is the nature of Twitter.

If you want attention people think they have to be trite, outrageous and.... dumb.


The medium is the message and Twitter makes everyone dumb.
 

Tickets are too expensive for the fan on the fence that is interested in coming. Not many young families are going to or able to spend $70 a ticket. We need to get them in the stadium. I love that game day programs are free. Give away pom pons for anyone that wants one. Hook the little ones somehow so they want to come. The atmosphere is much improved this year with the activities in front of Mariucci, and on the plaza. Crowd noise has been great! I am curious if the U tries to work with the dorms, and Greek houses? Free tix to any of those that will come. Here - have a hot dog and soda too. You live off campus? You can get the same deal just stop by Coffman. Are you a band alum? We've got a deal for you. Get the bodies in the stadium and let them see what it's all about. Until we spread the cost among more purchasers we're going to keep subsidizing with higher fees. (I'm a CLA grad - not Carlson, so please forgive any catastrophic economic suggestions)


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highwayman said:
Minnesotans are notoriously cheap-ass and have become weather-phobic after 30 years in the dome. If the Vikes played outside I doubt you would see sellouts in November and December.
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The last Vikes game at TCF would say otherwise

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GoGophersUMN said:
Almost all of those highly ranked teams have bigger stadiums and smaller local populations. If TCF is 80% full that's 1.2% of the twin cities population. If Alabama fills their stadium up 80% that's 34% of their area population.

Outside of the student section, the issue is with the athletic department, not the fans. They haven't sold games out since 2015 and have clearly decided that they don't care about attendance. That's 100% on them. They put money before the fans. 2020 should be better, especially if the Gophers finish the season strong, but even then many fans lost trust in the athletics department and will stay away.
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USC has a smaller population base than Mpls St Paul. Have you been to SoCal.

There is a very thin-skinned, elitist segment of this fanbase that really really ought to follow PJs lead and talk about all the positive stuff rather than henpecking. This will take care of itself when the big wins roll in. I sincerely hope some of you aren’t going off on your family or colleagues about this stuff and driving people away.
 

Not everyone cares for football, needless to say college football, even worse for Gophers football.

Simply put, modern traditions just isn't in U of MN for football.

For those of us that are diehard fans, we'd go when and if we can where our lives allows us.

I'm a CBS grad from 2000, don't live in the Twin Cities, but I take Maroon and Gold Gopher football with me whereever I went (FL, LA, and now PA), and tried to get back to the Twin Cities once a year for one game. My 10 year old son wasn't born in MN, but I make him watch college football with me (teach him the rivalries and traditions) especially Gophers football in the last 10 years. Through all the years of crap records, he still loves Gophers and we'll be going back to TCF Bank for the Penn State game.

Having been in the Greek System at the U for 5 years, been a student and graduate from the U, football simply just isn't that important for students. 45-50K student bodies at the U, maybe only 10-15% cares for football, shoot half of them are probably students from other countries where they don't even know american football.

As a parent, once you have a job, a family, other hobbies, going to a Gophers football game, sitting outside in the cold where you can sit in the comfort of your own home with a 90" flat screen TV, it'll be a tough sale!

I can go on and on with why people don't go to Gopher's game, but we should be thankful the type of team PJ is putting together with this amazing year thus far and just make sure that WE (those of us are active on the forums) go and support our team when we can. Hopefully one by one, Minnesotans will show up.

Been living in Pittsburgh area and WVU is really close. I learned that WVU gives ALL of their undergrad students FREE season football tickets. As long as you're an enrolled undergraduate student, you get the entire football season tickets free within your tuition. Perhaps the U can adapt something like that. Just add all of the sporting events ticket fees into a "Student Services/Recreational Fees" and student can go to ANY sporting event of their choices?

I definitely agree with Nadine, our awesome football deserves better attendance, but that will be just as hard to improve or figure out as trying to get Mr. President DT out of the Oval Office. Focus on ourselves and hope others will follow.
 



I would never tell another person how to spend their money. And I would never dream of telling another person that they are not a real fan because they made a different choice than I did.

the value of anything is determined by what you are willing to pay for it. for one person, $70 for a college football game is a bargain. for a different person, it's far too expensive.

I've paid $125 for a ticket to a Springsteen concert. I would not pay $125 to attend a sporting event. My life, my priorities, my choice.

Oh, and BTW, before telling other people how to spend their money, you have to consider that person's circumstances. I had a medical procedure done this Fall. I thought I had paid off all of the bills. I was wrong. Got another Bill from Sanford the other day - I owe them another $2,187. 11 months to go until I qualify for Medicare.......
 

Yah-E said:
Not everyone cares for football, needless to say college football, even worse for Gophers football.

Simply put, modern traditions just isn't in U of MN for football.

For those of us that are diehard fans, we'd go when and if we can where our lives allows us.

I'm a CBS grad from 2000, don't live in the Twin Cities, but I take Maroon and Gold Gopher football with me whereever I went (FL, LA, and now PA), and tried to get back to the Twin Cities once a year for one game. My 10 year old son wasn't born in MN, but I make him watch college football with me (teach him the rivalries and traditions) especially Gophers football in the last 10 years. Through all the years of crap records, he still loves Gophers and we'll be going back to TCF Bank for the Penn State game.

Having been in the Greek System at the U for 5 years, been a student and graduate from the U, football simply just isn't that important for students. 45-50K student bodies at the U, maybe only 10-15% cares for football, shoot half of them are probably students from other countries where they don't even know american football.

As a parent, once you have a job, a family, other hobbies, going to a Gophers football game, sitting outside in the cold where you can sit in the comfort of your own home with a 90" flat screen TV, it'll be a tough sale!

I can go on and on with why people don't go to Gopher's game, but we should be thankful the type of team PJ is putting together with this amazing year thus far and just make sure that WE (those of us are active on the forums) go and support our team when we can. Hopefully one by one, Minnesotans will show up.

Been living in Pittsburgh area and WVU is really close. I learned that WVU gives ALL of their undergrad students FREE season football tickets. As long as you're an enrolled undergraduate student, you get the entire football season tickets free within your tuition. Perhaps the U can adapt something like that. Just add all of the sporting events ticket fees into a "Student Services/Recreational Fees" and student can go to ANY sporting event of their choices?

I definitely agree with Nadine, our awesome football deserves better attendance, but that will be just as hard to improve or figure out as trying to get Mr. President DT out of the Oval Office. Focus on ourselves and hope others will follow.
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Pretty much submarined your entire argument with the political jab at the end.
But you do win a Golden D-Bag award, congrats:

dbag.jpg
 

short ornery norwegian said:
I would never tell another person how to spend their money. And I would never dream of telling another person that they are not a real fan because they made a different choice than I did.

the value of anything is determined by what you are willing to pay for it. for one person, $70 for a college football game is a bargain. for a different person, it's far too expensive.

I've paid $125 for a ticket to a Springsteen concert. I would not pay $125 to attend a sporting event. My life, my priorities, my choice.

Oh, and BTW, before telling other people how to spend their money, you have to consider that person's circumstances. I had a medical procedure done this Fall. I thought I had paid off all of the bills. I was wrong. Got another Bill from Sanford the other day - I owe them another $2,187. 11 months to go until I qualify for Medicare.......
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Exactly, your life, your priorities. And with the example being discussed earlier in this thread, college football is clearly not a priority if $70 is too much for a game of this caliber. This has zero to do with being able to afford it. It's a choice on where that money is spent. Thanks for supporting my point.
 





I have so many more people talking Gophers (unsolicited) than I have in the past. My normal tailgate went from 6 to 13 for Maryland... I think Penn State sells out because it’ll be a battle of undefeated teams... If we beat Penn State, I think the “wait for the other shoe to drop” crowd will finally come fully on board.

That said, I was REALLY happy with how engaged the crowd was. In early games this year I was often practically alone in yelling when we were on defense, at the end of the Georgia Southern game I had to scold Gopher fans who were imploding... But yesterday, I had my 3 y/o napping on my shoulder so was quiet the 1st half, but the fans around me were bringing it!
 

I thought the fairgrounds had a free shuttle to and from the stadium?
 


I have always appreciated Gopher Lady's passion for our teams. I don't however think the guilt n shame routine is a good position to take with fans. I have enjoyed this season immensely and was raised by a Dad who never left a game early. It is disappointing to not see a sell out with how well this team has been playing but the in game fan enthusiasm has been fantastic. I appreciate PJF's approach and do the same by encouraging football fans to check out the Gophers.
 

Plato said:
There is no need to be so defensive. The dagger in the heart of MN attendance was the obscene increase in ticket price a few years ago.
Indeed other schools have noticed a decrease in attendance but if you start at 85.000 and decrease to 83,000 it is different from MN starting at 45,000 and decreasing to 35.000.
Despite the BIG TV revenue which is given equally to schools FB $$ are needed by MN and other BIG schools to support to the athletic department.
So decreasing ticket prices in the hopes of increasing revenue is about the same as decreasing taxes and being sure tax revenue will increase. It has never happened.
Getting out of the Hump decreased seating by about 25.000 seats that were filled by visiting IA, WI and NE fans. That deceased revenue also.
So the AD is in a tough spot.
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You mean every time, not never happened. I don’t care about ticket revenue. Fill the stadium first. Build up interest. Then raise prices. Supply and demand is simple.


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rockford said:
There have been high school football playoff games on Saturdays since the '70s, if not earlier.

But I agree wholeheartedly that the U went for the "money grab" and ended up shooting itself in the ass.

JTG
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Totally agree with your comment. A little off the subject, but I was glad to see your post as I thought you had disappeared. I missed your assessment of Gopher line play after the last game. To the extent that you take it, and grade the players is time consuming, but I want to let you know that I and I think others on this blog would agree that they enjoy your comments and appreciate your efforts. I hope if you feel up to it you can to continue your fine work on the line men's play. If not every game but once in a while.
 

There's always going to be some open seats way at the top of the student section because more students pack into the bottom level than what seats there actually are.

And someone posted a picture on twitter during the first half that showed the concourse on the open end of the stadium and it looked packed.
 

Penn State is big enough to get my daughter to fly home from Missouri just for the game! We will both be there.
 

rockford said:
There have been high school football playoff games on Saturdays since the '70s, if not earlier.

But I agree wholeheartedly that the U went for the "money grab" and ended up shooting itself in the ass.

JTG
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I should have known that, bad memory, we had high school playoff games on Saturdays in high school.

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Do they sell standing room only tickets? If not, and if fire codes allow, they absolutely should. Sell a couple thousand of them for $25. If all seats are sold, those people can stand in the plaza and second deck concourse on the sunny side and still get a helluva view compared to many stadiums. If all seats aren't sold, they can go fill 'em.
 

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