Tailgating Questions

Donate To GopherHole
G

GopherClone

New member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
So, I couldn't go to the game this weekend, but what was the tailgating scene like? Where were the best lots for tailgating? Please share your tailgating related stories/experiences.

I saw that some surface lots in St. Anthony were offering parking and tailgating. Anybody tailgate there? Are there any private/non-donor lots being run by any of the local businesses close to the stadium?
 

Tailgating at the Fairgrounds was great. The scene was very laid back but lots of fun. There were quite a few people there right at noon and then people continued to trickle in after that. It was NOT a huge party scene anywhere near where I was, but it might have been in other spots.
 

Lot North of Mariucci

We tailgated in the lot north of Mariucci. It was great to be in sight of the stadium, but there were so many open spots it didnt have that feeling of a HUGE event. Pretty sad since its so close to the stadium.
 

Got to the tailgate lot in St. Paul at around 12:30 and there were already a couple hundred people setup. Seems that there were 2 divisions there. People either went to the far right (by the shuttles) or the far left (by the fairgrounds). As the poster above said, people were pretty laid back....which is right up my alley. Good time had here.

Both the UMPD and State Fair PD continually drove through the lots...presumably looking for kegs and bottles.
 

Tailgated @ East River flats. Not a lot of action, but it was a really nice spot (flush toilet, great view, big grassy area...plus tons of memories from my time at the U down there). Slow to fill up, too.

I'm really curious if there's any tailgating closer to the stadium as well...am I right in thinking everything on the east bank besides East River is season pass only? St. Paul sounds fine, but from what I gather it was a major pain getting back after the game, and there was virtually no Gopher atmosphere down where we were. Seems like those of us without passes have to choose between a big lot of tailgaters or pregame on campus. It's be nice to do both...guess I'm gonna have to buy a pass next year.
 


Once they get the shuttle situation figured out St. Paul will be a lot of fun.
 



yes, pretty close. C86 and C88 are the law school lots. C89 is just down the hill beneath the softball fields. it's enclosed by trees. I really like it.
 



MNWolfman said:
C89 on the westbank was intimate and fabulous.
Click to expand...

Agree...we had a good time in C89 although it was nowhere near full. I wonder if the U would sell and additional passes for some of these west bank lots after seeing how much extra capacity there was.
 

Addicted to Gophers said:
Agree...we had a good time in C89 although it was nowhere near full. I wonder if the U would sell and additional passes for some of these west bank lots after seeing how much extra capacity there was.
Click to expand...

That's strange, I was going to buy in one of the west bank lots but they were all sold out by my pick.
 

Addicted to Gophers said:
Agree...we had a good time in C89 although it was nowhere near full. I wonder if the U would sell and additional passes for some of these west bank lots after seeing how much extra capacity there was.
Click to expand...

There isn't extra capacity. If there are empty spots in the lot then it's because someone who bought a spot didn't use it. The 3 WB tailgate lots were sold out over a week before seat selection ended.
 

We were in C37. We ended up as the first vehicle lined up to get in well before noon, so we had our pick of spots. I have to say it was somewhat disappointing. I guess I just expected more.

I understand it's going to take time (if it ever happens) to get to a point where we create an atmosphere like Ohio State, Michigan, or even Madison and Iowa City. But is it really too much to ask that our FIRST GAME EVER in the new stadium brought with it some added excitement and dedication??

It got better by maybe 3pm or so, but it was pretty dead from noon until at least 2 or 2:30.

To be fair, I know the 'donation' thing adds to the problem. We're in a $1,000+ forced giving lot. I guess maybe the high dollar folks aren't as die hard, maybe? It sucks that they set the bar so high, and now don't have an option for single game tailgating. I guess I would have felt cheated had they done that though.

Also, it was a really warm Saturday when we haven't had much of a summer. I'm hoping that played a role too.

All of that to say, I really hope this continues to build. The people who WERE there early were great and it was a really fun time. I hope we can expect more dedication to making a 'day' out of the game in the future.
 



g1976b said:
We were in C37. We ended up as the first vehicle lined up to get in well before noon, so we had our pick of spots. I have to say it was somewhat disappointing. I guess I just expected more.

I understand it's going to take time (if it ever happens) to get to a point where we create an atmosphere like Ohio State, Michigan, or even Madison and Iowa City. But is it really too much to ask that our FIRST GAME EVER in the new stadium brought with it some added excitement and dedication??

It got better by maybe 3pm or so, but it was pretty dead from noon until at least 2 or 2:30.

To be fair, I know the 'donation' thing adds to the problem. We're in a $1,000+ forced giving lot. I guess maybe the high dollar folks aren't as die hard, maybe? It sucks that they set the bar so high, and now don't have an option for single game tailgating. I guess I would have felt cheated had they done that though.

Also, it was a really warm Saturday when we haven't had much of a summer. I'm hoping that played a role too.

All of that to say, I really hope this continues to build. The people who WERE there early were great and it was a really fun time. I hope we can expect more dedication to making a 'day' out of the game in the future.
Click to expand...

One issue I have with this line of thinking (not trying to single you out g1876b, I've heard this sentiment shared by others) is that you're equating tailgating with diehard. For a fanbase that has had nearly zero good tailgating options for a long time that's a bit of a stretch. Yes, it was the first game. But its a bit much to expect that folks who don't tailgate will suddenly do so. I do think you hit on part of the problem, which is that the tailgaters are spread across 3 campuses and the closest parking lots to TCF require a donation that many can't afford.

I think a better gauge of the extremely high level of excitement was the Victory Walk. This is a new tradition that was poorly attended at the Dome that became a HUGE thing right off the bat at TCF.

As you said, lets see if the tailgate vibe continues to build.
 

GoAUpher said:
One issue I have with this line of thinking (not trying to single you out g1876b, I've heard this sentiment shared by others) is that you're equating tailgating with diehard. For a fanbase that has had nearly zero good tailgating options for a long time that's a bit of a stretch. Yes, it was the first game. But its a bit much to expect that folks who don't tailgate will suddenly do so. I do think you hit on part of the problem, which is that the tailgaters are spread across 3 campuses and the closest parking lots to TCF require a donation that many can't afford.

I think a better gauge of the extremely high level of excitement was the Victory Walk. This is a new tradition that was poorly attended at the Dome that became a HUGE thing right off the bat at TCF.

As you said, lets see if the tailgate vibe continues to build.
Click to expand...

This.

The dome stifled tailgating so much it really hasn't been a part of Minnesota psyche in a couple generations. It'll take awhile to build it back up.
 

Agreed. Great points. As much as it pains me to say this, it really is the case throughout the sports community here. I look at my Vikings tailgating too. We've been moved around for YEARS and it's hard to gain any sort of 'momentum'. It will take a while, no question.

You are correct that I did not intend to equate tailgating with 'diehard' fans, but I guess to me it helps. I just look at it as ONE sign that our fan base is engaged. You are also 100% on the money with the Victory Walk assessment. I have to admit, I've attended at the Dome and have been pretty underwhelmed. In fact, I was sort of on the fence as to whether I should go on Saturday. I'm so glad I went. It was truly one of the highlights of the day...for sure the one thing that was nothing but an unexpected pleasant surprise.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom