Gophers Unveil All-Mobile Ticket for $199.96

Jared.Hines

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Gophers Unveil All-Mobile Ticket for $199.96!

Today, the University of Minnesota released a new ticket option for Gopher Football fans who want a chance to take in all seven home games in 2019.

Full press release can be found below:

Screen Shot 2019-07-08 at 10.08.57 AM.jpg
 

per the U:

Gophers Unveil All-Mobile Ticket for $199.96

The University of Minnesota introduced today the most flexible ticket ever for Gopher football fans. For only $199.96, the Gopher Pass grants you access to all seven home games at TCF Bank Stadium in 2019.

Fans who purchase the Gopher Pass prior to Aug. 6, 2019, can make four easy payments of $49.99 to see Minnesota face Wisconsin, Nebraska, Penn State, Illinois, Maryland, South Dakota State and Georgia Southern. That's an average of $28.56 per game.

The Gopher Pass is an all-mobile ticket that allows fans to watch games from different locations each game.

Here's how it works.

Fans who sign up for The Gopher Pass will have a digital ticket delivered to their smartphone via a text message prior to each game. Fans will then be able to manage their ticket from their phone and will scan their digital ticket to gain entry into TCF Bank Stadium.

The Gopher Pass allows for fans to link their accounts with other Gopher Pass users as well, which means those individuals will receive assigned locations together. There is also an option that allows fans to buy guest tickets and then easily transfer them.

The Gopher Pass grants fans access to all seven home games in 2019, but if a game is sold out then it does not guarantee them a seat. In this instance, fans with a Gopher Pass will receive admission to TCF Bank Stadium and will be granted access to a standing room only area.

Minnesota is 41-29 all-time at TCF Bank Stadium. The Gophers are 15-6 in their last 21 home games and have won 10 straight non-conference home games.

Go Gophers!!
 

Pretty good program.

The only think I worry about is everything going all digital.

I really like the fancy printed tickets.

>a standing room only area.

I'm going to be an old fuddy duddy but I really hate standing room only type setups. Especially higher profile games I get folks swooping in and sitting in my seats and those around me if they think nobody is sitting there... it's a hassle.
 

So for non-conference games you'll get good-ish seats. OK seats for Maryland and Illinois and then bad/SRO for the other 3? Thats about how I see it.

Still tempting at that price point.
 

Pretty good program.

The only think I worry about is everything going all digital.

I really like the fancy printed tickets.

>a standing room only area.

I'm going to be an old fuddy duddy but I really hate standing room only type setups. Especially higher profile games I get folks swooping in and sitting in my seats and those around me if they think nobody is sitting there... it's a hassle.

I'm not sure this ticketing option is for you then.
 


I have been hammering on the athletic department for lack of creativity. This is a start. Not sure it is something I would buy, but I like that they are at least trying something. Probably geared toward younger ticket buyers.
 


It is a great option if you are not in a group and like moving around during the game.
 

I like this and unlike so much of what has come out of the program related to the attempts to fill seats - I see this as a win/win for everyone. Sometimes regular season tickets can be devalued by discounts but in this case the moving around, and possibility of being in standing room makes a trade off for the highly discounted rate. I hope a lot of people take advantage of this. It seems like a great way to fill seats that would otherwise be empty, and at least get something in terms of money for them.
 



This is the first good ticketing idea to come out of the Gopher AD in a long time.

Seems like a good program and deal for local fans. Only flaw I can think of is if too many fans sign up for Gopher Pass and then a game sells out — not enough SRO. Champagne problem for sure.
 

I have been hammering on the athletic department for lack of creativity. This is a start. Not sure it is something I would buy, but I like that they are at least trying something. Probably geared toward younger ticket buyers.

My thoughts too.


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Love this program and I will consider switching to it for next season. Well done Gopher Athletics!
 

Not sure how it would work, but I wonder if they would try something like this for hoops

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Love this program and I will consider switching to it for next season. Well done Gopher Athletics!

You do bring up a good point...how much do they cannibalize their existing ST base with a program like this one.
 

It's a step in the right direction, but if they would take away the seating fee with the exception of the prime seats in the stadium, I truly believe you would see tickets move like never before. "Mega Tongue" left his legacy and it has cost the Ath. Dept. big time in all the major sports at the U of M. One would think that the AD would and does see this and make the change. If he did, it would go along way in improving the peoples perception of him.
 

Is this being advertised to the general public or just sent to the folks on the mailing list.
 


It's a step in the right direction, but if they would take away the seating fee with the exception of the prime seats in the stadium, I truly believe you would see tickets move like never before. "Mega Tongue" left his legacy and it has cost the Ath. Dept. big time in all the major sports at the U of M. One would think that the AD would and does see this and make the change. If he did, it would go along way in improving the peoples perception of him.

There are thousands and thousands of seats that don't carry a scholarship donation requirement.
 

It's a step in the right direction, but if they would take away the seating fee with the exception of the prime seats in the stadium, I truly believe you would see tickets move like never before. "Mega Tongue" left his legacy and it has cost the Ath. Dept. big time in all the major sports at the U of M. One would think that the AD would and does see this and make the change. If he did, it would go along way in improving the peoples perception of him.


For years we were in seats w/o scholarship requirement, they were pretty decent seats. We were on about the 20 yard line or so. No chairbacks so that sucked. We finally upgraded and paid the $100 donation to get chairback seats and move over, and found them well worth it. Seats just across the isle had fire higher donation

last year no season tickets as my buddy moved away

This year we renewed in the cheapest section because we spent that much just for Purdue/Iowa games, so if we get a 3rd in bonus. Games he's not in town I'll probably go to, just have to round up friends...
 

My season pass tickets for the "Standing Room" area for the Loon's games works great. With the Loons, it's just an area (they call it the "Wonder Wall" section) versus a reserved spot. I've just got two tickets on the season pass, so when additional friends want to come to a game, they can buy a single game ticket and join in. If we had reserved seats, they'd have to sit in another section. It works great, sometimes we just have two of us at the game, other times we've had 20.
 

You do bring up a good point...how much do they cannibalize their existing ST base with a program like this one.

I doubt they will cannibalize much. Most people who have seats have either already moved once to get into lower cost seats or have stuck with their seats. Those people are unlikely to want to move again, not knowing where they will end up. New ST buyers, on the other hand, may see this as a good entry level option. After doing it for a year or two may realize they want good seats for all games and buy full season tickets.

I'll admit, if I was buying season tickets the first time this year, I'd probably do this. But I can't imagine switching to it now.
 

RandBall chimes in:

The Gophers haven’t reached TCF Bank Stadium’s 50,805 seat capacity for any game since 2015. Last year’s best crowd was 48,199 against Iowa. The average attendance in 2018 was 37,915 — just 75 percent of capacity and the lowest average since 1992, which was Jim Wacker’s first year as head coach when the Gophers were playing in the Metrodome.

Clearly the Gophers are looking for creative solutions to boost attendance and revenue, and this comes on the heels of cuts to some ticket prices for men’s hockey and basketball as well as the approval of alcohol sales at those arenas. Beer sales have been allowed at TCF Bank Stadium since 2012.

Whether this moves the needle much remains to be seen, but the pass is a more affordable full-season option than what is otherwise available. The cheapest full season ticket (available in two sections) for Gophers football in 2019 is $249, while a larger swath is available for $310. All other season tickets require a seat contribution and range between $410 and $1,500.

Combined with a boost from a better home schedule than 2018 and a strong finish last season that included the program’s first win over Wisconsin since 2003 and a 34-10 bowl game rout of Georgia Tech, the Gophers have a good chance to at least inch upward from last year’s low water attendance mark.

A giant leap? That’s up to P.J. Fleck and his players. Winning and excitement are the only true cures for apathy.

http://www.startribune.com/u-football-trying-out-199-mobile-season-pass-in-2019/512424232/

Go Gophers!!
 

My season pass tickets for the "Standing Room" area for the Loon's games works great. With the Loons, it's just an area (they call it the "Wonder Wall" section) versus a reserved spot. I've just got two tickets on the season pass, so when additional friends want to come to a game, they can buy a single game ticket and join in. If we had reserved seats, they'd have to sit in another section. It works great, sometimes we just have two of us at the game, other times we've had 20.

A lot of folks stand in the open end by all the beer/food vendors anyway. I think some people might just like that idea. You could do the same thing up on top on the visitors side if need be and the demand was there.
 

I always wonder if the athletic department watches threads like these on GH.

As someone who does customer research for a living, they damn well should.
 

There are thousands and thousands of seats that don't carry a scholarship donation requirement.

I think the cheapest ticket is $35 right (and no donation added to that). So this deal is only about $6-7 less than that. Might be better off just buying the $35 seats and then moving to nicer, empty seats for the less popular games. That way you have a guaranteed seat for the more popular games.
 
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Good idea.
Fun idea to move around.

Glad they are getting creative with this.

Ultimately, if you make the tickets a decent price, it will sell out.
 

Good idea.
Fun idea to move around.

Glad they are getting creative with this.

Ultimately, if you make the tickets a decent price, it will sell out.

Moving around does sound fun unless your in Handicap areas. People will now crowd those areas and make it uncomfortable for those in handicap seats. People stand so close to those areas that it is very annoying. Not all handicap seats have a buffer.
 

A lot of folks stand in the open end by all the beer/food vendors anyway. I think some people might just like that idea. You could do the same thing up on top on the visitors side if need be and the demand was there.

I used to mainly sit in my ST seats when I had four and family with...after I went down to two tickets, I tend to move around during the game...starting and usually ending in my ST seats.
 

I always wonder if the athletic department watches threads like these on GH.

As someone who does customer research for a living, they damn well should.

I think there is a real risk in taking any advice from us.

It very may well be that die hard fan appeasement would be a bad choice.


I remember when the NHL fan base was more of the beer swilling dude variety....but at some point they and other sports moved more towards family friendly stuff and that was the right choice.

We might be just old relics here.
 

There are thousands and thousands of seats that don't carry a scholarship donation requirement.

Dpodoll68 I do not know about "thousands and thousands" but I do know those seats are full because of the cost and they definitely are not in the prime area. Also those fans that buy the no fee seat tickets move into the empty prime seating areas. I do know that the seats in zone 4 which are on the goal line or close to it have to pay a fee and I do not consider those prime seats. I also have several friends that are in accessible seating (handicap) and are not in the prime seating areas and they have to pay a fee. Just eliminate the seating fee except in the prime seating areas between the 30's yard lines. I do know that if they would have had this new option available when I had to renew my ST I would have taken the new package they are now offering. There will be some good seats available because fans are still bailing out of their season tickets because of that fee they want us to pay. I am not real happy that they are now offering this now. To me this means they are not selling ST, or meeting their goals. Once again they are stiffing the ST holder.
 
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