Are Darcy & WCCO capable of a positive story on TCF?

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GoBigGold said:
'For a lot of these people, getting a chance to get out and watch a Gopher game might be the only human interaction they've had all week.'

prejudice much?
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It's not prejudice...it's fact. Have you had much opportunity to be around senior citizens? There are significant numbers that never leave their house unless they have to, whether it's because of lack of transportation, decreased mobility, dementia, senility, etc., etc. or any other host of reasons. I'm not judging or saying it makes them any less (which is what you seem to be implying), just stating the facts.
 

dpodoll68 said:
It's not prejudice...it's fact. Have you had much opportunity to be around senior citizens? There are significant numbers that never leave their house unless they have to, whether it's because of lack of transportation, decreased mobility, dementia, senility, etc., etc. or any other host of reasons. I'm not judging or saying it makes them any less (which is what you seem to be implying), just stating the facts.
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Yes, but at this point realistically how many people are going to want to sit outside and watch a football game for 3+ hours.

I see your point, you just need to be a tad bit more realistic. Someone who has a hard time getting out of bed is not going to be sprinting to sit on the 50 yardline come Saturday afternoon...
 

I still don't understand how going to Gopher games for year after year entitles anyone to the best seats available at sub-market prices. That was the original thrust of this thread and the original rip on cranky old season ticket holders who think they are entitled to discounted tickets for the best seats in the new stadium.
 

Tubtastic said:
I still don't understand how going to Gopher games for year after year entitles anyone to the best seats available at sub-market prices. That was the original thrust of this thread and the original rip on cranky old season ticket holders who think they are entitled to discounted tickets for the best seats in the new stadium.
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It doesn't. Maturi was spot-on when he said that if you want big-time athletics, expect to pay big-time prices. There is certainly a sense of entitlement among the long-time season ticket holders, but they will have to just get over it and accept that the era of Minnesota being an also-ran is coming to an end.
 

dpodoll68 said:
It doesn't. Maturi was spot-on when he said that if you want big-time athletics, expect to pay big-time prices. There is certainly a sense of entitlement among the long-time season ticket holders, but they will have to just get over it and accept that the era of Minnesota being an also-ran is coming to an end.
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yep

but you want to know whats funny.........the gophers dam well better be good

because if they arent, the new stadium novelty will wear off, fans wont show up and the prices will come back down

and guess who will be the ones showing up to take the other people's places
 


Goldteam said:
yep

but you want to know whats funny.........the gophers dam well better be good

because if they arent, the new stadium novelty will wear off, fans wont show up and the prices will come back down

and guess who will be the ones showing up to take the other people's places
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Hadn't thought of that before...:rolleyes: I also hear that the sun rises in the east every day. ;)
 

Tubtastic said:
Hillarious story. Anyone of us could have written and filmed this POS on Saturday afternoon.
Me: Hello everyone - in case you didn't know already, the Gophers are moving into a new on-campus stadium on or about September 10 or 12. Unfortunately, old blue-hair fans on fixed incomes are pissy about price increases and that they have to pay a fee/donation to keep their premium seats that they had previously been getting for a relative bargin in the past.
[Cut to interview of my 65 year old suburban neighbor and gopher almni, Vern]
Vern: I'm old an' crabby. Those Gopher administrators don't care about us life-long fans and all we've given to the University [which is basically nothing as far as donations and only a nominal amount from ticket purchases in the past for their premium seats]. I've been to every game since '63 and I occasionally even stand up to clap when I'm awake at the dome. They should give me these seats for free, gollie gee gumdrop!
Me: Well there you have it, fans are mad that the University is increasing prices for premium seats. I could tell you about how this is and has been done at other universities for years and maybe even compare the U's treatment of its fans to the treatment of fans at other schools, but that wreaks of effort and professionalism and would probably show that the old fart fans have nothing to complain about which would in turn ruin the premise of my story as I originally viewed it. Stay classy Minneapolis!
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Goldteam = Vern
 

I don't understand how this is a story. The best seats cost more money. I think WCCO should do a story on how at Twins game it costs more to sit behind home plan than upper GA. I want to to go to the game and pay $6 but sit in $60 seats. After all I did go to games throughout the mid to late nineties. That should count for something, right?
 

Has anyone heard of a credit card?

You have a card specifically for season tickets and you spend the year paying for your tickets and at the end of the year you start over.
If you are unable to do this and unable to live within your means then you don't get tickets. If if is important to you then you get tickets.

Go Gophers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 



the way goldteam talks...he tries to spin it like the old folks can't go to the games...um what?? sit somewhere else!! i havent had a premium seat in my life and do i still like going to games? Yes... will i keep asking myself questions i answer myself? No. I will add a bunch of periods though...........................................
 

dpodoll68 said:
Your naïveté is astounding. So, by your logic, people are supposed to work 40, 50 years so they can save up a little to enjoy their retirement...and then they should just sit around and do nothing outside the bare minimum because they're on a fixed income.

For a lot of these people, getting a chance to get out and watch a Gopher game might be the only human interaction they've had all week. Should they yell at people to sit down? No, you have every right to stand and enjoy yourself at a football game. But by the same token, none of us should be ripping people who broke their backs for decades so they can have some fun during their golden years.

By the way, I do agree with the basic sentiment that many of you are expressing. In a capitalist society, there will always be those who get left out when it comes to luxury items.

But the way some of you are talking about senior citizens is sickening.
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That wasn't my logic at all and I don't think I'm being naive either. There are a lot of activities that aren't sporting events that seniors can go to (church, library, farmers markets, etc).

I'm just saying that they shouldn't be complaining about the price of football tickets because they are a _luxury_. If someone puts money away to live comfortably and can afford to go to games, that's great! Just don't complain about it when the price goes up because prices go up on everything eventually. I would say the same for someone who's not retirement age. If you can't afford to go to the games or an increase in the ticket prices, you probably shouldn't be going.
 

After a quick look-see, it appears to me that there is no shortage of people buying the $500 donation seats. Sure wish I could afford it, but just happy to get in wherever I can.
 

Why the hate for the long-time fans who have supported the program for so long?

I find it rather distasteful that some of you are so disrespectful of the great Golden Gopher fans who have supported this program since before many of you were born. In fact, before even some of your parents may have been born. I don't think it is very classy or very smart. Perhaps an apology is in order here.
 



I agree that the price of tickets is what the price of tickets is.

Please also remember that the price of tuition, room and board is what the price of tuition, room and board is. It is an investment. It always goes up at greater than the rate of inflation. No one is forcing you to be a student if you complain about the price of tuition, room and board. It is a choice you make.

That is kind of like the argument used by the poster to put down older long-time season ticket holders who complain about the cost of tickets.

The ever increasing cost of tuition, room and board presents a hard-ship to some students. The high cost of tickets and seating presents a hard-ship to some folks on fixed incomes.

Please be a bit more understanding. It will be what it will be. But, I do feel sorry for some folks who might have to give up Gopher Football home game attendance because of the cost after a lifetime of having been at the games. Through the good, but unfortunately mostly bad decades of Golden Gopher football. Try to be compassionate if you hope that others will be compassionate in return. Otherwise, just knife them in the back if that's what our society is turning into.
 

4starrecruit said:
Please also remember that the price of tuition, room and board is what the price of tuition, room and board is. It is an investment. It always goes up at greater than the rate of inflation. No one is forcing you to be a student if you complain about the price of tuition, room and board. It is a choice you make.

That is kind of like the argument used by the poster to put down older long-time season ticket holders who complain about the cost of tickets.

The ever increasing cost of tuition, room and board presents a hard-ship to some students. The high cost of tickets and seating presents a hard-ship to some folks on fixed incomes.

Please be a bit more understanding. It will be what it will be. But, I do feel sorry for some folks who might have to give up Gopher Football home game attendance because of the cost after a lifetime of having been at the games. Through the good, but unfortunately mostly bad decades of Golden Gopher football. Try to be compassionate if you hope that others will be compassionate in return. Otherwise, just knife them in the back if that's what our society is turning into.
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I don't think most folks were trying to put down long time season ticket holders. I think that the general sentiment was in opposition to the idea that being a season ticket holder for a long period automatically entitles you to keep the same seats. No one is telling these fans that they can’t attend. The cost of the actual tickets has not gone up by a prohibitive amount (only $25) and I don’t recall anyone talking about these ticket holders being unable to afford their actual tickets. They are simply no longer able to afford the seats they have had for years because of the require donations. While this is unfortunate it is also not a travesty. I don’t think believing this makes me a inconsiderate or disrespectful person.

Personally, I think equating going to college and going to Gopher games as a poor argument. Yes, the cost of both often increases while you are still paying for them which can cause undue hardship. Yes, you are making a choice to pay for both. But one of them (Gopher football tickets) is a pure luxury, something that you have chosen to purchase for your own enjoyment. As you noted, the other (a college education) is an investment. They really aren’t on the same level.
 

I don't disagree with your argument Mr. Au.....

I merely found the tone of the number of posts to be very disrespectful to probably the fastest growing segment of the population: the Senior Citizen.

I'm sure it is an emotional thing to have to give up seats and the "neighbors" that you have been seeing at the games for all of those decades. It is not possible to get all your friends of the past 25 years or longer together in a section. It certainly isn't the end of the world. but people need to be able to vent and complain and even whine a little, or a whole bunch.

Just as a college student is investing in his/her education and the tuition continues to rise. That student knows it is an investment and that is the way it always has been, he or she still likes to vent and complain and even whine a little, or a whole bunch.

But, be nice to the old timers. They have probably been pretty nice to the U of M in making what contributions they could spare. Maybe they have had something to do with contributing to all of those renovations at the U. Maybe they have even helped make the new stadium possible. And always remeber: if you are very fortunate and if you are lucky enough to get to live to be old and gray, be generous to your college. Leave something for the future. Who knows, perhaps younger people will only grow impatient with you, disrespect you, make fun of you and act as though you really aren't needed any longer. I do hope you get to live that long. That will mean that you have had a very full life and have had the chance to make contributions to future generations. That is a good thing. Growing old can be hard and discouraging, but, it also gives one the chance to help do some good things and to help leave a legacy!
 

Darcy is GREAT

I worked with Darcy a lot at WCCO-TV for two years when I was an intern there in college. I went on several stories with her and I set up tons of interviews with people I knew on campus with Darcy whenever she was doing a Gopher story - which seemed like it was often. She IS their designated Gopher reporter for one reason: There is NO BIGGER GOPHER FAN at that station than Darcy. You should see her cube - TONS of Gopher stuff everywhere. We would have great chats about how each team was doing and believe me - she loves every bit of TCF Bank Stadium and everything U of M.

She makes no excuses for her disability - in fact she was hired at WCCO back in 1986 BEFORE her injury - which occurred between the time she got the job and when she started. WCCO has been nothing but accomodating to her during her career - and there is no more liked person at that station than Darcy. If you were in the news business you would realize quickly how hard Darcy works as well as the obstacles she has to overcome on top of everything else to get her job done in a very very time-sensitive industry.

Bottom line is that she is a great reporter, person, and a HUGE Gopher fan.
 

Sorry for the late response to this thread, but I had to respond to 4star. I have to agree with your post about being nice to old timers. I meant no disrespect to the older fans. My intention was to refute the idea of entitlement. I by no means think that the older ticket holders should be left out in the cold. However, I think that the season ticket holders should be paying fair value for the seats they occupy. I'm not arguing that the price the U has set is exactly fair, but I think the process of supply and demand needs to run its course over the next couple of years. I think we can all agree that the fair market value of a 50 yard line seats in TCF is going to be more expesnive that what was previously charged at the dome.

Bottom line is that I am in agreement with 4star when it comes to the verbiage used in my previous post, and for that, I apologize. My intention was to back the U of M in their pricing and Gopher Point process.
 

josh087 said:
I worked with Darcy a lot at WCCO-TV for two years when I was an intern there in college. I went on several stories with her and I set up tons of interviews with people I knew on campus with Darcy whenever she was doing a Gopher story - which seemed like it was often. She IS their designated Gopher reporter for one reason: There is NO BIGGER GOPHER FAN at that station than Darcy. You should see her cube - TONS of Gopher stuff everywhere. We would have great chats about how each team was doing and believe me - she loves every bit of TCF Bank Stadium and everything U of M.

She makes no excuses for her disability - in fact she was hired at WCCO back in 1986 BEFORE her injury - which occurred between the time she got the job and when she started. WCCO has been nothing but accomodating to her during her career - and there is no more liked person at that station than Darcy. If you were in the news business you would realize quickly how hard Darcy works as well as the obstacles she has to overcome on top of everything else to get her job done in a very very time-sensitive industry.

Bottom line is that she is a great reporter, person, and a HUGE Gopher fan.
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Never saw this post and since Noonan already revived this thread I'll respond with a thought.

I’ve always assumed that Darcy was as big a Gopher fan as anyone. It’s pretty clear she’s not faking the enthusiasm she shows. My original post was based in some frustration about how WCCO seems to manage to always come out with TCF stories that contain major factual inaccuracies or omissions that could really impact a casual viewer’s opinion of how the U is handling the TCF project. It’s not that the stories aren’t legit or that they are one sided (someone from the U always gets to comment). But it’s what Darcy doesn’t say that seems to be the largest issue. I don’t know if this is due to the way Darcy covers these stories or if it’s due to editing. Either way the quality of the story is impacted negatively.
 

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