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RailBaronYarr

RailBaronYarr

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According to this article in the daily, current students will be able to buy tickets for next year later this month. No other details have been given. Does anyone know what's up on this? How will students buy tickets (first come-first serve or seniority?)? Can each student buy 2 tickets or just one? How will they divide up the total to current/incoming students?

I was not able to purchase full season tickets for this year or last, but I will be a student in the MBA program this fall. However, I am not a current student now. I am a little worried all 10,000 student tickets will be gone by the time I am accepted..

Edit:

The latest strib blog has a bit more info. 8,000 tickets to be sold to current students this month. 2,000+remaining unsold will go to incoming students in the summer. Pricing will likely be ~$84 and will probably be sold online. No other real info is given (like date/time they go on sale, etc).
 

If they do a lottery a lot of students are going to get screwed. There are a lot of students who are really passionate about the football team and on the flip side there are a lot of students who only want tickets for the stadium.

I have had student tickets for 3 consecutive years and if I lose my ticket to someone who didn't get tickets last year because they 'thought we would suck' I will be pretty upset.

They should have an unannounced sign in sheet for students at the spring game that gets them priority, any student at the spring game is pretty deserving of student tickets in my opinion.
 

Yeah. I'll be completely enraged if I don't get tickets. Ill be a fifth year senior next year. Haven't missed a single home game all four years. I dont want some dumb freshman taking my seat. I paid all the necessary student fees for this stadium since the beginning---I deserve a seat (which i will not sit in except for halftime). I actually know quite a few fifth years who share my thoughts on this.

Im fairly optimistic that a seniority system will be put into effect for student tickets though. The ticketing office keeps track of who buys season tickets through their U-cards and student accounts.
 

Seniority would be pretty sweet. Another option that I think would be cool would be what Duke does for basketball tickets. Basically one weekend they announce that there is a "campout" for tickets. All the students that want tickets go to a location and at sporadic times throughout the next day and a half or two days they call for check-ins. If you miss even one check-in then you are dismissed from the ticket pool. This effectively makes sure that only the people that want tickets and are really passionate about getting them will get them. Besides, whats better than a 2 day tailgate?
 

MrGopher said:
Yeah. I'll be completely enraged if I don't get tickets. Ill be a fifth year senior next year. Haven't missed a single home game all four years. I dont want some dumb freshman taking my seat. I paid all the necessary student fees for this stadium since the beginning---I deserve a seat (which i will not sit in except for halftime). I actually know quite a few fifth years who share my thoughts on this.

Im fairly optimistic that a seniority system will be put into effect for student tickets though. The ticketing office keeps track of who buys season tickets through their U-cards and student accounts.
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No matter what system is put in place I guarantee some die hard students get left without a chair when the music stops. Hopefully whatever system is in place minimizes this. Whatever happens I guarantee issues. PSU/UW implemented new ticket policies in the last few years and there were problems…I’m sure the U won’t be immune to the same/similar problems.

Also (and I'm not saying this to rag on the students...I think its a good question), is the demand going to jump that much because of the new stadium? In the past 2 seasons the U had trouble selling its full 10K allotment of student seats. Is the demand created by TCF going to suddenly outstrip the supply? Or will the demand go to just beyond the 10K mark (say 12K students for 10K spots). What do the students on the board think? Does it sound like being back on campus in a new stadium is really driving up demand for student tickets?
 


Let me preface this by saying I have no inside information whatsoever.

That said, I imagine they'll sell tickets this year exactly as they have in the past. First come, first serve. I can't get a read on whether or not they'll let one student ID buy two tickets, as they have in the past, but it would not surprise me at all. Basically, I can see them treating 2009 as a year where the school needs to sell all 10,000 student tickets, and if that means that some people who delay purchasing tickets get the shaft, so be it. The priority is a full stadium, including a full student section. If those 10,000 seats sell like crazy this year and those who waited get frozen out, you'll see some sort of distribution system developed for 2010 student tickets.

BTW, with regards to seniority, I've had student tickets for five years now - with this presumably being the last - but I don't think there's a record of student ticket purchases before last season. I'm not 100% confident in that, but I'm pretty sure. If that's the case, a seniority system in the next few years would be a nightmare. If I was put in the same spot in line as a kid who purchased his/her first ticket last year, the system has effectively accomplished nothing but freezing out incoming freshman.
 

parkinglotgopher said:
That said, I imagine they'll sell tickets this year exactly as they have in the past. First come, first serve. I can't get a read on whether or not they'll let one student ID buy two tickets, as they have in the past, but it would not surprise me at all. Basically, I can see them treating 2009 as a year where the school needs to sell all 10,000 student tickets, and if that means that some people who delay purchasing tickets get the shaft, so be it. The priority is a full stadium, including a full student section. If those 10,000 seats sell like crazy this year and those who waited get frozen out, you'll see some sort of distribution system developed for 2010 student tickets.

BTW, with regards to seniority, I've had student tickets for five years now - with this presumably being the last - but I don't think there's a record of student ticket purchases before last season. I'm not 100% confident in that, but I'm pretty sure. If that's the case, a seniority system in the next few years would be a nightmare. If I was put in the same spot in line as a kid who purchased his/her first ticket last year, the system has effectively accomplished nothing but freezing out incoming freshman.
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Per Youngblood’s blog a student can purchase only 1 ticket not 2 as in previous years. (http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs...tudent-ticket-update-for-new-gophers-stadium/)

Also, I doubt that a new assignment system will use seniority (NOTE: I also have no inside info and everything that follows is pure guesswork). If the U looks to other schools for ideas they will see that many schools offer lotteries (UW) or first come first served (PSU). Lotteries are usually based on some grouping criteria (usually class standing…Senior, Junior, etc). Each group has a set # of seats set aside for their part of the lottery. Everyone who wants tickets applies. The most “senior” group members are selected for seats by random lottery until that group’s allotment of tickets is full. Any students from that group who didn’t get picked are entered into the lottery with the next group beneath them. This continues until all tickets are assigned (e.g. Seniors not picked in the senior lottery are entered into the junior lottery. If not picked in the junior lottery they are entered in the sophomore lottery. And so on).

If I’m not mistaken PSU put the tickets up on Ticketmaster or a comparable site and locked them down so only students could access the sale. Tickets went on sale at 10am and the first 20K students to purchase tickets were the lucky winners.
 

Thanks for the link GoAUpher.

The fact that Youngblood seems to have an idea about the student ticket policy (e.g., the limit of 1 per student, the approx. date of sale) leads me to believe that there won't be any sort of "system," just first-come, first-serve on what appears to be an online purchasing site, at least per what Youngblood is hearing. I have absolutely no problem with first-come, first-serve, considering there will be 8,000 seats available and the school (IIRC) didn't even sell that amount last year while allowing two to be purchased by one student.
 

I am just a little worried/angry because here is the deal. I was a 4-year member of the marching band. Was at every game and I am without a doubt one of the most passionate fans you will meet. I never miss a pregame/kickoff and stay until the end. However, I have no record of buying tickets either in school or the last 2 years. I wanted to experience gameday as a student would (I like the atmosphere, yelling, etc). Not to mention I really didn't have the money to afford a season ticket package. Add to that all my friends were still in school and my girlfriend still in band - I had her get me tickets the last 2 years. Now, I will be a student once more at the U and was really hoping to at least have an equal chance at getting tickets (I would take off work to go wait in line if that were the case), but it looks like that won't be happening.

I realize my scenario is the complete exception to the rule and they can't accommodate me specifically, but it does seem like this scenario will allow a lot of diehard student fans to get snubbed out, and seems to freeze out a lot of potential new fans. Look at the numbers, though. Say 2k tickets for each of the 4 years of students and 2k for all grad students. But then you factor in all the 5-year students, and that current ones (even if graduating) can purchase tickets for next year. Also factor in freshman sizes are getting smaller each year with increased acceptance standards. The number of tickets per student in school (undergrad or grad) is far fewer than that allotted to incoming freshmen. This will just anger the people who have been around for a while and actually had to suffer through the Dome for many years waiting for the new stadium only to be left out.
 



As a student I can count on two hands the number of friends I have that are passionate about the football team. I however cannot tell you how many people have told me, "have you seen the stadium? I havn't had tickets in a few years but I think I will get tickets for that even though the team sucks"

I am also amazed by the number of students in my group of friends who did not have tickets this year because they thought we would suck. Half of them ended up buying the big ten package ($40 bucks) and selling their iowa ticket to an iowa fan for 50 anyway... assholes.

I hope it is first come first serve at Mariucci on like a Saturday, I would camp out for sure!
 

From my view, it seems like a major roadblock to getting a large student presence in the dome for a casual fan was the fact that you had to take a bus and deal with all of that. For us diehard students this was an inconvenience but was not gonna stop us from getting to the game. However, with a new stadium 4 blocks from the superblock, I expect to see a rise in the bandwagon fan.
 

I just know if somehow I don't get a ticket, I'm going to straight mess someone up...but unless I don't hear about how/when they'll be selling them, I think the true fans should be able to get them.
 

RE: Comments from RailBaron, Chadypu, MN Gopher Fan.

FWIW, here’s some positives I see to the system as its currently described:
1) 1 ticket per fan. This means that the casual fan who is in the “I think they suck but TCF is cool” group isn’t getting as many tickets right off the bat. This means that there are truly 10K seats available.
2) Not a lottery (probably). I agree with parkinglot…what has been written so far makes it sound like first come first serve on an online site. First come first serve is an advantage for die hard fans because you’ll be waiting with itchy clicker fingers ready to buy whereas a casual fan prob won’t be as concerned. There is also not a problem with the scenario RailBaron describes:
Say 2k tickets for each of the 4 years of students and 2k for all grad students. But then you factor in all the 5-year students, and that current ones (even if graduating) can purchase tickets for next year. Also factor in freshman sizes are getting smaller each year with increased acceptance standards. The number of tickets per student in school (undergrad or grad) is far fewer than that allotted to incoming freshmen. This will just anger the people who have been around for a while and actually had to suffer through the Dome for many years waiting for the new stadium only to be left out. ​
Some downsides I still see:
1) With an online only selection is that there is no premium placed on being 1st in line since everyone gets access to the tickets at the same time.
2) Related to that is the fact that the U has never tracked student ticket purchases and there can be no seniority assigned. Another thing that hurts the “diehard” fan, though this is more of an issue for former students ticket holders who ended up with fewer Gopher Points.
 



First, the Ticket Office does track student tickets for a long time. Not sure if that all got transferred over in the new system 2 years ago, but they would have it for the last two years. From my understanding, the first 8k tickets go to those who were at the U this year. the remaining 2k are for incoming freshman, transfers, and first year grad students. Not sure that whole allotment of 8k will sell, so first years should have access to more than 2k but they wanted to make sure they got a fair shot due to seniority. I also believe they will be scanning U Cards when you arrive so you wont be able to sell your tickets to non-students and so it will only be students in that section. This could change, but that was the plan a few years ago.
 

How do they keep track of if students buy tickets?
I have always purchased mine with cash or credit and not Ucard. Hell, I never even had to show my U-card at the bookstore to buy tickets.
I would be surprised if they actually recorded all the data from the stubs you fill out to get T-shirts, but maybe they do?
 

Chadypu said:
How do they keep track of if students buy tickets?
I have always purchased mine with cash or credit and not Ucard. Hell, I never even had to show my U-card at the bookstore to buy tickets.
I would be surprised if they actually recorded all the data from the stubs you fill out to get T-shirts, but maybe they do?
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This is prob part of why the tickets will be sold online. They can control and track who buys what.
 

I actually don't mind the first come first served idea. Let's face it, most of us die-hards are going to be keeping are ears open for the date the tickets go on sale, and buy them right away. The casual/bandwagon fan won't be doing this. I'm not sure how a lottery works, but if they haven't been keeping track of who has bought tickets and leave it up to chance...
 

Chadypu said:
How do they keep track of if students buy tickets?
I have always purchased mine with cash or credit and not Ucard. Hell, I never even had to show my U-card at the bookstore to buy tickets.
I would be surprised if they actually recorded all the data from the stubs you fill out to get T-shirts, but maybe they do?
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Actually they must enter them, because I purchased tickets from the bookstore a few times and the last year I did it at Mariucci in person, where they had record of my previous purchases once my account was located.

Of course that means if you never bothered to fill out that form, or fill it out correctly, then you wouldn't have credit for purchasing the season tickets.
 

when do tickets go on sale? does anyone know if the student section will be general admission to students or ticket/seat base? I hope its general admission so i dont get thrown out this year for refusing to leave my seat to some chump who showed up 3min before halftime
 

its gotta be general admission. Either that or seats will be assigned at the gate like they have been doing the last few years at the dome.

Even hockey has changed from seat assignments to GA simply because it encourages an earlier arriving, louder student section.
 

gopheraschells said:
when do tickets go on sale? does anyone know if the student section will be general admission to students or ticket/seat base? I hope its general admission so i dont get thrown out this year for refusing to leave my seat to some chump who showed up 3min before halftime
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I'm sure it will be GA. Also, how did you get thrown out? It's GA first come first served at the Dome too.
 

GoAUpher said:
I'm sure it will be GA. Also, how did you get thrown out? It's GA first come first served at the Dome too.
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some kid and three of his friends (none of which even wearing gold) came down to where we were sitting a few min before halftime and demanded that we move because we were in there seats. I told them to go somewhere else because its GA, but they kept showing me the seat numbers on their ticket and wouldnt listen to me. Things got heated and they brought security down there, and i prolly would have been fine but they smelled alcohol on me...but people have showed up like 3 games just before half time and demanded we moved, most of the time it was the other teams fans too which made it worse
 

So are you moving from the seat on your ticket to closer seats that are not filled?

My solution for you: get there early and just get good seats

I do understand your frustration but that is what happens when you sit in other peoples seats
 

i did get there early and i did get semi decent seat (little under half way up the student section) they are not anyone's seats first people there get best seats..But the tickets still have rows and seat numbers on them even though its GA and some people didn't get that and would show up halfway through the game and thought they had the right to the seats
 

This will be my 6th year as a student season ticket holder and have always been under the impression that you had 'assigned' seats once you got to the game and traded your voucher for an actual ticket. That's why they say if you want to sit with your friends, you have to come together to get seats together. If I come in, find my seat right away, and there's someone in my seat, I will boot 'em out.
 

My friends and I got kicked out of our seats last home coming and we thought it was general admission also but we asked the security guy and he said that it "kinda" is. We can sit wherever we want really but if someone actually has the tickets with a specific seat and they want to sit in those seats then they have priority for those seats. That is why they ask how many are in your party when you get your tickets, so they can give you that many tickets all in a row.

Who! first post lol :)
 

gopheraschells said:
i did get there early and i did get semi decent seat (little under half way up the student section) they are not anyone's seats first people there get best seats..But the tickets still have rows and seat numbers on them even though its GA and some people didn't get that and would show up halfway through the game and thought they had the right to the seats
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Sorry man, but i hate to say that you were wrong on this one. Only the seats on the ticket belong to you. It isn't GA once you get your seat. Thats why they have you go through certain lines for certain sections.
 

i can totally see that at the beginning of the game but this always happened to me half way through the game when I had been sitting there for 15 min before the game started. How do they have tickets that close if they came that late I have no idea...But whatever the policy it seems to me the vast majority of students agree whoever gets the seats first gets them. Sorry but i think the people that come mid way through the game and pull that shit are ass holes
 

gopheraschells said:
i did get there early and i did get semi decent seat (little under half way up the student section) they are not anyone's seats first people there get best seats..But the tickets still have rows and seat numbers on them even though its GA and some people didn't get that and would show up halfway through the game and thought they had the right to the seats
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Well, if they had the tix for those seats then those seats were technically theirs. It has been first come first serve for arrival at the Dome but as pharmgopher mentioned, you are assigned seats when you exchange your voucher (that's why you had to pick a line based on the section you wanted to sit in). I just assumed the seats you got booted from were the ones you were assigned to since you said the kids didn't show up until about halftime. Where the F were they for 2 whole quarters once they got their seats?

Hopefully at TCF they just simplify it and its first come first serve period...none of the "assignment" nonsense.
 

gopheraschells said:
i can totally see that at the beginning of the game but this always happened to me half way through the game when I had been sitting there for 15 min before the game started. How do they have tickets that close if they came that late I have no idea...
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They likely got the seats because they were friends with someone who gives out the vouchers at the game. I've heard a ton of stories about this kind of thing, where people show up just as they're opening the gates to get into the Dome and somehow are seated four, five, six rows back.

Another thing that could have happened was the size of groups. If you don't specificy that you're willing to split rows in sections that narrowed as you go closer to the field (Section 115 is an example), you'd be issued the best seats that allowed your whole group to fit. We learned this the hard way when we showed up to sit in 115 with a dozen people, were assigned a spot about 15 rows up, and realized that the 10 rows in front of us were empty, but a single row couldn't hold our entire group.

Anyway, it's a crappy situation, but have to side with the rule of law on this one. Good fans, bad fans, whatever, they have those seats. As others have said, hopefully seats are handled differently and the best seat open when you walk up to it can be claimed as yours. Also, never argue something like that if you've been drinking. If you're sober, you might have a chance, but when you're drunk, it's a good time to defer before any sort of authority becomes involved.
 

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