gopherfield
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In case you haven't seen this Gopher sports communication e-mail yet:
Gopher Football Fans-
Intercollegiate athletics has received many comments and suggestions following the inaugural game at TCF Bank Stadium last Saturday. We appreciate hearing the experiences of our fans and have been able to identify four primary areas that will be addressed for game 2 on September 19 vs. Cal.
1. Entry Gates: At times, lines were extraordinarily long, which caused some wait times to exceed 30 minutes to enter the game. While we do not expect to completely eliminate lines we will work to ensure that wait times are significantly reduced. The following will be employed this weekend:
All gates will open 2 hours in advance of kick-off, 30 minutes prior to last week's opening time.
Two additional gates will be opened on the east end of the stadium, one for students and another for general public.
Additional staff will present at each gate, allowing for a more efficient process.
Another "express lane" will be added for those fans with special needs or without bags.
All season ticket holders will receive an email indicating which gate they should enter, which should eliminate unexpected crowds at random gates.
2. Concessions: Fans have provided valuable feedback about their experience at our concession stands. Comments have included long lines, food shortage, and menu items. Aramark will:
Add portables on the 400 level (top of the upper bowl) that includes beverages, hot dogs and other snacks.
Add another portable on the west plaza that will serve beverages, hot dogs and other snacks.
Employ more than double the number of "hawkers" (19 last week - 50 this week) to walk the stadium bowl. Hawkers will sell beverages, hot dogs, ice cream, popcorn and peanuts.
Add portables on the main concourse and stage lines parallel to these stands vs. perpendicular.
Ensure adequate food storage to supply concession stands.
3. TCF Bank Stadium Shuttle: Feedback has been very positive regarding pre-game shuttle service and traffic. Post-game shuttle service back to St. Paul saw longer waits and congested lines. For the St. Paul (Fairgrounds) shuttle we will:
Add buses to this route and all buses will have multiple doors for quick loading.
Close the adjacent roadway (23rd Avenue) to exiting vehicle traffic between 6th Street and 4th Street to remove pedestrian and vehicle conflicts in the area.
Add better signage on site and additional staff that will allow for more orderly loading and waiting areas.
Add disability-only shuttle service for those with additional needs at a different location (stadium side of 23rd Avenue by the bus shelter).
4. Noise: Interestingly we have received conflicting feedback about the ability to hear the PA system, both inside and outside the stadium. Some fans have indicated that they felt the PA was very loud in the stadium and others commented that they had a difficult time hearing. Neighborhood feedback has been similar in that some areas were much more impacted than others. Many variables go into this and we will continue to monitor the situation this weekend and throughout the remainder of the season.
Thanks for your support of Gopher Football!
Gopher Football Fans-
Intercollegiate athletics has received many comments and suggestions following the inaugural game at TCF Bank Stadium last Saturday. We appreciate hearing the experiences of our fans and have been able to identify four primary areas that will be addressed for game 2 on September 19 vs. Cal.
1. Entry Gates: At times, lines were extraordinarily long, which caused some wait times to exceed 30 minutes to enter the game. While we do not expect to completely eliminate lines we will work to ensure that wait times are significantly reduced. The following will be employed this weekend:
All gates will open 2 hours in advance of kick-off, 30 minutes prior to last week's opening time.
Two additional gates will be opened on the east end of the stadium, one for students and another for general public.
Additional staff will present at each gate, allowing for a more efficient process.
Another "express lane" will be added for those fans with special needs or without bags.
All season ticket holders will receive an email indicating which gate they should enter, which should eliminate unexpected crowds at random gates.
2. Concessions: Fans have provided valuable feedback about their experience at our concession stands. Comments have included long lines, food shortage, and menu items. Aramark will:
Add portables on the 400 level (top of the upper bowl) that includes beverages, hot dogs and other snacks.
Add another portable on the west plaza that will serve beverages, hot dogs and other snacks.
Employ more than double the number of "hawkers" (19 last week - 50 this week) to walk the stadium bowl. Hawkers will sell beverages, hot dogs, ice cream, popcorn and peanuts.
Add portables on the main concourse and stage lines parallel to these stands vs. perpendicular.
Ensure adequate food storage to supply concession stands.
3. TCF Bank Stadium Shuttle: Feedback has been very positive regarding pre-game shuttle service and traffic. Post-game shuttle service back to St. Paul saw longer waits and congested lines. For the St. Paul (Fairgrounds) shuttle we will:
Add buses to this route and all buses will have multiple doors for quick loading.
Close the adjacent roadway (23rd Avenue) to exiting vehicle traffic between 6th Street and 4th Street to remove pedestrian and vehicle conflicts in the area.
Add better signage on site and additional staff that will allow for more orderly loading and waiting areas.
Add disability-only shuttle service for those with additional needs at a different location (stadium side of 23rd Avenue by the bus shelter).
4. Noise: Interestingly we have received conflicting feedback about the ability to hear the PA system, both inside and outside the stadium. Some fans have indicated that they felt the PA was very loud in the stadium and others commented that they had a difficult time hearing. Neighborhood feedback has been similar in that some areas were much more impacted than others. Many variables go into this and we will continue to monitor the situation this weekend and throughout the remainder of the season.
Thanks for your support of Gopher Football!