Attendance hits lowest level since 1981

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Drake University Gopher said:
I think some of the drunks ruin the experience for a lot of people. I remember some guy touching my underage sister years back at a Viking game and my Dad really stopped taking us to games. This may seem minute, but I do feel as though lots of families don’t like the idea of bringing their kids around those atmospheres. I get it, it’s sports and it’s a blast, but I also get why it’s not always an ideal place for a “family outing” the way our board may think of it at times.
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Not sure if you're making this comparison, but college games (not in Madison or Iowa City) are a much more family friendly environment. I quit going to Vikings games many years ago for reasons similar to your family. Never had issues at a home Gopher game.
 

Word said:
Not sure if you're making this comparison, but college games (not in Madison or Iowa City) are a much more family friendly environment. I quit going to Vikings games many years ago for reasons similar to your family. Never had issues at a home Gopher game.
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Gopher football is getting pretty bad. Wifey made me move our tickets last year after two years of the same 4 drunken idiots sitting behind us; all using F word every sentence. Lot's of parents with young kids getting pissed at them too in section 105.
 

LesBolstad said:
Gopher football is getting pretty bad. Wifey made me move our tickets last year after two years of the same 4 drunken idiots sitting behind us; all using F word every sentence. Lot's of parents with young kids getting pissed at them too in section 105.
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That's too bad. I've never seen anything like that at Gopher football (or even remotely like that). I moved around a lot last year too because I had the Gopher pass.

I can tell you that swearing in public is much more common than it used to be though (just as a general observation).
 


LesBolstad said:
Gopher football is getting pretty bad. Wifey made me move our tickets last year after two years of the same 4 drunken idiots sitting behind us; all using F word every sentence. Lot's of parents with young kids getting pissed at them too in section 105.
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We had some loud mouths around us one season. A couple games and between us folks around them and game security, and the problem was solved. Other than Iowa games, I've haven't had any other issues with fans since the Bank opened. Great place to watch with kids.
 


A friend of mine who's a Husker fan said he had never been treated so rudely at TCF/Huntington as he did last year. Said lots of "F" bombs dropped and pointed at him and his wife at game/concession stands and bathrooms. It made me kind of sad. I know that when we go to Lincoln, we've always been treated respectfully.
 

GopherJack said:
A friend of mine who's a Husker fan said he had never been treated so rudely at TCF/Huntington as he did last year. Said lots of "F" bombs dropped and pointed at him and his wife at game/concession stands and bathrooms. It made me kind of sad. I know that when we go to Lincoln, we've always been treated respectfully.
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Yeah, don't do that people.
 

All three of my kids have basically been brought up at TCF Bank Stadium. And, not surprisingly, all three of them readily use up our tickets any chance they get. My oldest is probably a bigger college football fan than I am and that says a LOT.

this is no coincidence. College football in person over time connects memories and puts people in their “happy place” very easily.

However, as others have said: catering the game to a TV audience while continually making it more of an expensive hassle to attend in person runs the risk of eventually killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. I’m worried the interest we grew in our kids is becoming the exception and not the norm.
 

MNVCGUY said:
No shock that attendance numbers keep going down. Tickets/parking/concessions cost a fortune and the home viewing experience just keeps getting better and better.
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Absolutely. It's not just the cost.

Getting to and out of the campus and finding parking can be a headache, especially for families with little kids.

Viewing games at home for families are a lot less hassle especially if you have a large screen TV and a stocked refrigerator.

If you can handle the hassle of going to live games with your kids, they would want to keep going to watch live games. The atmosphere and experience are priceless. They more than likely will become lifelong Gopher fans.

The University of Minnesota owns/owned a sizable tract of land near Rosemount and the Dakota County Technical College. I wonder if they have sold that?

That would have been a nice place for a football stadium with lots of parking and tailgating spaces.
 
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hungan1 said:
The University of Minnesota owns/owned a sizable tract of land near Rosemount and the Dakota County Technical College. I wonder if they have sold that?

That would have been a nice place for a football stadium with lots of parking and tailgating spaces.
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Stop. The stadium belongs on campus.
 


hungan1 said:
Absolutely. It's not just the cost.

Getting to and out of the campus and finding parking can be a headache, especially for families with little kids.

Viewing games at home for families are a lot less hassle especially if you have a large screen TV and a stocked refrigerator.

If you can handle the hassle of going to live games with your kids, they would want to keep going to watch live games. The atmosphere and experience are priceless. They more than likely will become lifelong Gopher fans.

The University of Minnesota owns/owned a sizable tract of land near Rosemount and the Dakota County Technical College. I wonder if they have sold that?

That would have been a nice place for a football stadium with lots of parking and tailgating spaces.
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Again, if you want to swing in 30-45 minutes before the game and think you should be able to just zip into parking, hit a bar/restaurant, and then walk right into the stadium and be in your seats for kick-off, you are being completely unrealistic with "gameday" expectations. Going to live games with kids is not a "hassle", did it for years starting with Gophs in the dome, and had a lot of fun win or lose.
 

hungan1 said:
Absolutely. It's not just the cost.

Getting to and out of the campus and finding parking can be a headache, especially for families with little kids.

Viewing games at home for families are a lot less hassle especially if you have a large screen TV and a stocked refrigerator.

If you can handle the hassle of going to live games with your kids, they would want to keep going to watch live games. The atmosphere and experience are priceless. They more than likely will become lifelong Gopher fans.

The University of Minnesota owns/owned a sizable tract of land near Rosemount and the Dakota County Technical College. I wonder if they have sold that?

That would have been a nice place for a football stadium with lots of parking and tailgating spaces.
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Should boost attendance, no problem, especially students. :rolleyes:
 



short ornery norwegian said:
OK, so the Gophers had the extra seating for Vikings games in 2014 and 2015 - approximately 2,000 extra seats if my memory holds.

further research - listed normal capacity is 50,805. the 2 Vikings seasons it was 52,525.

So how did they have 53,756 for the 2019 Badger game when the listed capacity is 50,805. Did they sell standing-room only tickets? were some fans sitting in other fans' laps? did the State Fire Marshall know about this?
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Most Badger fans are so obese they count as two people.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
OK, so the Gophers had the extra seating for Vikings games in 2014 and 2015 - approximately 2,000 extra seats if my memory holds.

further research - listed normal capacity is 50,805. the 2 Vikings seasons it was 52,525.

So how did they have 53,756 for the 2019 Badger game when the listed capacity is 50,805. Did they sell standing-room only tickets? were some fans sitting in other fans' laps? did the State Fire Marshall know about this?
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There is SRO on the top of the sunny side.
 

Drake University Gopher said:
I think some of the drunks ruin the experience for a lot of people. I remember some guy touching my underage sister years back at a Viking game and my Dad really stopped taking us to games. This may seem minute, but I do feel as though lots of families don’t like the idea of bringing their kids around those atmospheres. I get it, it’s sports and it’s a blast, but I also get why it’s not always an ideal place for a “family outing” the way our board may think of it at times.
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Great point and valid.
 

MNVCGUY said:
No shock that attendance numbers keep going down. Tickets/parking/concessions cost a fortune and the home viewing experience just keeps getting better and better.
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And there's increasing competition for sports fans' attention. Few places more than in the TCs.
 

FanSinceTheFifties said:
And there's increasing competition for sports fans' attention. Few places more than in the TCs.
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Agree that the competition for sports dollars/attention in this market is higher than a lot of places but has been that way for a long time.

The reality is that teams are pricing a lot of families out of the market. I would love to have season tickets to Gopher football, but as a family of 5 it just isn't realistic to spend the kind of money it would require to get season tickets. For some it isn't an issue but for a lot of families disposable income for things like live sports can be tough to come by.
 

Word said:
Men's softball is all but dead???? I was playing til a couple years ago and it was going strong (I had to stop due to conflicts with my kids sports). My old team still going strong. League was still full.

Kids are still playing sports but it's more organized with traveling leagues bigger than ever.
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Agree. The men's softball league in my town has 12 teams and they fill up right away.
I don't play though...not anymore. I decided to give it up when defenses started shifting like this whenever I stepped into the box...

TheFredShift.png
 

FredCoxRocks said:
Agree. The men's softball league in my town has 12 teams and they fill up right away.
I don't play though...not anymore. I decided to give it up when defenses started shifting like this whenever I stepped into the box...

View attachment 17253
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You should have practiced hitting to right field to catch them off guard!
 

FredCoxRocks said:
Agree. The men's softball league in my town has 12 teams and they fill up right away.
I don't play though...not anymore. I decided to give it up when defenses started shifting like this whenever I stepped into the box...

View attachment 17253
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That is some impressive use of Microsoft Paint!
 




A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I'm going to PARTLY blame my pet peve.

Sports media outlet focus on the national championship above all. They interrupt everyone games to talk about it and in the process devalue what makes college football great, the regional games, rivalries and etc.

Folks want CFB to be the NFL so bad they'll kill it trying to make it the NFL.
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It's what the NFL wants. Be lucky the NFL doesn't start a JNFL for 16 to 20 year old young men. This would likely help the NFL game be better in their eyes.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Agree that the competition for sports dollars/attention in this market is higher than a lot of places but has been that way for a long time.

The reality is that teams are pricing a lot of families out of the market. I would love to have season tickets to Gopher football, but as a family of 5 it just isn't realistic to spend the kind of money it would require to get season tickets. For some it isn't an issue but for a lot of families disposable income for things like live sports can be tough to come by.
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I’m expecting Renewals / total season tickets to be down this year. 1. The schedule isn’t great this year. 2. Inflation surging (grocery, fuel, etc all up) … Disposable income is squeezed across the board.

I renewed previously and I am wondering if I’ll be able to jump up a few rows this year
 

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