2013 Suggestions

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Magic said:
Non Season Ticket Holders:
1. Make them buy UNLV, Western Illinois, and San Jose games to purchase one (Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska game)
2. No more $10-$20 Specials for Big Ten games
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The other ideas are good but this is outlandish.

I bought an extra pair to the WMU game for 10/each, and last season I bought an extra pair for Iowa ticket for 15/each. Two pairs for less than what the U charges right now for one premium game. You want to charge $180 for you can get on the street for $50....good luck. Id rather see people in the stands.
 

Magic said:
Non Season Ticket Holders:
1. Make them buy UNLV, Western Illinois, and San Jose games to purchase one (Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska game)
2. No more $10-$20 Specials for Big Ten games
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Yes, let's create less incentive for possible new fans to come to a game. Sometimes I think a lot of people on here would rather have a 500 person stadium filled with just delusional GopherHolers.
 

The problem with having Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin at home on the same year is that that is about 40% of our home games that will have 15000 plus away fans.

If they are gonna buy up all the tickets anyways, might as well get some money from them and make them buy a full price non-conference ticket as well.
 




2. Give freshman free tickets (unsold tickets) to the non conference games (weather is nicer, sample college football)

Freshman are usually the ones buying the student tickets because they're pumped up for college and socializing.
 

Magic said:
For Season Ticket Holders:
1. Lower the cost of non conference (cupcake) games to around $20
2. As a small thank you, how about a free Gophers Football baseball cap, Gophers Football t-shirt, or Beverage Tickets etc?


Students:
1. Eliminate Upper Deck Student Sections until demand warrants expanding
2. Give freshman free tickets (unsold tickets) to the non conference games (weather is nicer, sample college football)

Non Season Ticket Holders:
1. Make them buy UNLV, Western Illinois, and San Jose games to purchase one (Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska game)
2. No more $10-$20 Specials for Big Ten games
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Students Point Responses:
1. Because every game except Purdue (which followed a string of 3 B10 losses) had plenty of students in the upper deck, you want to cut them? And fill them with who, exactly, general population who wouldn't buy $10 tickets to the NW or Purdue game, either?
2. I'm all for them continuing to drive interest in the game with free handouts of unsold tickets, but why limit it to freshmen? The Thursday night game home opener next year is a prime opportunity to incorporate the learning thing they've done the last 2 years and guarantee 7,500 freshmen are there. That will help with the atmosphere.

Non STH Responses:
1. They've done this, a LOT. The Pick Your Pack program. Choose one from the "maroon" (this year is was Purdue, MSU, Mich, and NW) and one from the "gold" (W Mich, Syracuse, NH) for $60 or whatever. Can't buy a B10 ticket individually. Last year they did the same as Wisconsin tickets had to be bought with either NMS or Miami OH. Not to say it's a bad idea but it clearly doesn't drive attendance to those other games.
2. Why not? It seems to have worked for the Syracuse game and probably brought in more people for the NW game than the above strategy did last year for the Iowa game.
 

The main problem with the "buy a non-conference to buy a rivalry" strategy is that you're still cheaper than what fans are used to paying.

Nebraska fans aren't going to be swayed by having to pay another $30 for the San Jose State tickets if it gets them a $50 Nebraska ticket at TCF. While Minny's fan base is stingy, others are used to paying big bucks just to get in the door.

Oh, and the idea of a t-shirt for season ticket holder is almost insulting. Like a $3 tee is going to secure my loyalty. Season ticket holders want experiences, not swag. Give them an invite to meet Jerry in his office and have a photo taken with him or somebody like Eric Decker.
 




wels0081 said:
The main problem with the "buy a non-conference to buy a rivalry" strategy is that you're still cheaper than what fans are used to paying.

Nebraska fans aren't going to be swayed by having to pay another $30 for the San Jose State tickets if it gets them a $50 Nebraska ticket at TCF. While Minny's fan base is stingy, others are used to paying big bucks just to get in the door.

Oh, and the idea of a t-shirt for season ticket holder is almost insulting. Like a $3 tee is going to secure my loyalty. Season ticket holders want experiences, not swag. Give them an invite to meet Jerry in his office and have a photo taken with him or somebody like Eric Decker.
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How many season ticket holders are there? 25-30K? It's not a bad idea, but when you think about the logistics, it's nearly impossible.
 

GophersInIowa said:
How many season ticket holders are there? 25-30K? It's not a bad idea, but when you think about the logistics, it's nearly impossible.
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Yes, very true, great idea, but the logistics of it are almost impossible. I have no idea how you could accomplish it.

I don't know if ther could be special events or something for season ticket holders, but again, logistics are a factor. So, I welcome any brainstorming ideas in this area. Maybe we can all come up with some good ideas!
 

The AD can't even be bothered to invite season ticket holders to a "Meet Your Seat" event because they're afraid of a few people showing up and shaking Jerry Kill's hand. And now they're supposed to account for the logistics behind thousands of people meeting Jerry Kill one-on-one in his office and taking time away from his job responsibilities? Count me in for the free $3 t-shirt instead.
 



I've still yet to hear one reasonable reason why we should cut student tickets (ignoring the fact that the university literally cannot do this). The general public is just as apathetic towards the team as the students are, if not more so. Why do we need to open up more seats for them that they also won't buy?
 

afurry91 said:
The problem with having Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin at home on the same year is that that is about 40% of our home games that will have 15000 plus away fans.

If they are gonna buy up all the tickets anyways, might as well get some money from them and make them buy a full price non-conference ticket as well.
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Wrong for Iowa. The last two trips to TCF I have been surprised at the LACK of Iowa fans in attendence. They probably had 1/3 to 1/2 of the 15,000 fans you suggested.
 

Gopherprof said:
I've still yet to hear one reasonable reason why we should cut student tickets (ignoring the fact that the university literally cannot do this). The general public is just as apathetic towards the team as the students are, if not more so. Why do we need to open up more seats for them that they also won't buy?
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Totally agree!!!
 


Magic said:
Does the stadium bill say "they have to be reserved a certain number of sections? or tickets anywhere in the stadium?"
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Given that 10,000 students have shown up to games in the past, there is no reason to shrink the student section even if it were possible. Spreading the students into other sections would require relocating season ticket holders, which would most likely result in loss of their loyalty.

This whole student section issue is not isolated to Minnesota. Badger fans have complained a lot this year about students not showing up at all. Check highlights of our game vs. Wisconsin a few weeks ago. A ton of students weren't there. You also don't want to alienate the younger portion of your fanbase that may become donors and season ticket holders in the future. By giving students the expectation that they have 10,000 seats waiting for the on a first come first served basis, through a specific gate, in specific sections, they will expect nothing less. Plus having a wall of students, whatever the turnout is, in the endzone helps create a ton of unified noise that facilitates in the home field advantage.
 


I am in favor of keeping things mostly as is. It's just going to take more winning and ticket demand (both student and standard) will increase. It might take 2-3 years, but I predict by the time the Vikings start sharing the stadium and the capacity is added, we will be a 9 win team and hopefully selling the stadium out! It will be like Target field (when the Twins were winning).
 

Magic said:
10,000 students showing up would be fantastic, but I'm guessing that's not realistic for a few years. No one is suggesting moving existing season ticket holders, but there should be a way to release tickets late if the students don't show up?
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For who?!?! Why do keep suggesting that this is necessary when all evidence suggests that it is not? There is absolutely zero demand for those tickets in the general public.
 

Are there stats to back up which students purchase tickets, by class?

Is there a difference between total and season ticket purchases and single game purchases, by class?

Parski1 said:
2. Give freshman free tickets (unsold tickets) to the non conference games (weather is nicer, sample college football)

Freshman are usually the ones buying the student tickets because they're pumped up for college and socializing.
Click to expand...
 

Gopherprof said:
For who?!?! Why do keep suggesting that this is necessary when all evidence suggests that it is not? There is absolutely zero demand for those tickets in the general public.
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I would say the only options is to hook people on the experience. Give them to organizations where free tickets doesn't mean they'll expect it that way forever:
- HS football programs.
- HS band programs (the band likes publicity, too, and MANY bands attend the indoor concert to see a D1 band play)
- Youth football programs
- Charities
- Recent alums, particularly ones living on campus (yes, the school has that info if they are loan holders and at least has their working UMN email)

These people will still come and pay for parking, buy concessions, possibly even some gear. Yes, it's a "loss" on ticket sales but a positive over nothing they would have received for those seats. You're also building a potential fanbase and "recruiting" future students (and showing what Big Ten football is like for walk-on type players who don't get official visits, helping build that program up).

Don't do it haphazzardly like last day dealing out to these people. Identify how many non STH/Student seats are remaining late summer. Use previous data on sales and ticket promotions to predict the number of tickets that will sell for individual games. Then work with the leaders of these groups/schools to book them in advance for X number of tickets. As long as the student section isn't filling 100%, you have reasonable assumption that you won't overbook the place. Even if you do, why is it that airlines get away with this practice but we can't for a football game. SO many no-shows of purchased tickets and students, they'll find a place to sit (or stand in our wonderfully large concourse).
 

Gopherprof said:
For who?!?! Why do keep suggesting that this is necessary when all evidence suggests that it is not? There is absolutely zero demand for those tickets in the general public.
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I get what you're saying and agree there isn't a lot of demand from the general fan base as well.

But, how many times in the past two years has there been close to 10,000 students in the student section? I don't know if there has been any. How many times has there been a sold out crowd overall? A least a few. Look at the Syracuse game. It was a sellout because they sold some of the seats that normally is for the students. If they didn't do that, there would have been 2,000-3,000 empty seats in the upper deck of the end zone.
 

RailBaronYarr said:
I would say the only options is to hook people on the experience. Give them to organizations where free tickets doesn't mean they'll expect it that way forever:
- HS football programs.
- HS band programs (the band likes publicity, too, and MANY bands attend the indoor concert to see a D1 band play)
- Youth football programs
- Charities
- Recent alums, particularly ones living on campus (yes, the school has that info if they are loan holders and at least has their working UMN email)

These people will still come and pay for parking, buy concessions, possibly even some gear. Yes, it's a "loss" on ticket sales but a positive over nothing they would have received for those seats. You're also building a potential fanbase and "recruiting" future students (and showing what Big Ten football is like for walk-on type players who don't get official visits, helping build that program up).

Don't do it haphazzardly like last day dealing out to these people. Identify how many non STH/Student seats are remaining late summer. Use previous data on sales and ticket promotions to predict the number of tickets that will sell for individual games. Then work with the leaders of these groups/schools to book them in advance for X number of tickets. As long as the student section isn't filling 100%, you have reasonable assumption that you won't overbook the place. Even if you do, why is it that airlines get away with this practice but we can't for a football game. SO many no-shows of purchased tickets and students, they'll find a place to sit (or stand in our wonderfully large concourse).
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Doesn't the U offer recent alum season ticket packages? They aren't tickets in the student section, but they are something. Although it should be noted that recent alums can still use their U Card to buy single game tickets at the box office. I am not sure when U Cards officially expire, but I know of a few recent grads who purchased student tickets the day of a game for Hockey, BBall, Football using their U Card when they had no credits registered. Of course, the U wouldn't advertise that though.

Your idea is pretty good, but I don't think the U really wants to shut the door on current students should the team suddenly play better (ala the 4-0 start this year). As for overselling, set up temp bleachers in the upper concourse. That should be feasible, right? I don't think it will come to that in the next 10 years, but crazier things have happened.
 

Most seem to think that ticket prices and packages are key to filling TCF Stadium.

Even Jerry Kill has said that it will take winning. And that does not happen overnight. But when it does, those of you who give up your season tickets will kick yourselves in the arses.
 

Dr.Don said:
Most seem to think that ticket prices and packages are key to filling TCF Field.

Even Jerry Kill has said that it will take winning. And that does not happen overnight. But when it does, those of you who give up your season tickets will kick yourselves in the arses.
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That's the easy answer. The marketing departments job is to build a fanbase that will come regardless of the w/l column.
 

GophersInIowa said:
But, how many times in the past two years has there been close to 10,000 students in the student section? I don't know if there has been any. How many times has there been a sold out crowd overall? A least a few. Look at the Syracuse game. It was a sellout because they sold some of the seats that normally is for the students. If they didn't do that, there would have been 2,000-3,000 empty seats in the upper deck of the end zone.
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Disagree. The student section was full and there were still empty seats surrounding it of no shows . How many times has the regular area been more full % wise than the student section, and not because of away fans? Hardly ever.
 


RailBaronYarr said:
That's the easy answer. The marketing departments job is to build a fanbase that will come regardless of the w/l column.
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Because there are so many other non-Vikings examples of sports teams in this market doing that? Every losing team in MN struggles with attendance, save the Vikings (and even they did before the NFL became the biggest thing in sports). The U is no different.
 

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