Chance of seat donation increase?

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at the bar

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What do you think the chances are that in 3-5 years the U forces those sitting in colored seats between the goal lines and the 20's to pay a "donation" to keep those seats?

Those seats require no donation currently and I think they will go fast during the selection process. But it wouldn't surprise me to see a future donation to keep those seats or lose your tickets all together if the bench seats in the stadium are sold out by other season ticket holders and you won't make a donation. Just something to consider when making you seat selections.
 

at the bar said:
What do you think the chances are that in 3-5 years the U forces those sitting in colored seats between the goal lines and the 20's to pay a "donation" to keep those seats?

Those seats require no donation currently and I think they will go fast during the selection process. But it wouldn't surprise me to see a future donation to keep those seats or lose your tickets all together if the bench seats in the stadium are sold out by other season ticket holders and you won't make a donation. Just something to consider when making you seat selections.
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Honestly I don't know about that. 1/5 of the stadium's seats already have required donations. That's a pretty large amount. I can see them expanding the # of seats with donations when they expand the stadium, but not before.
 

The chance of that happening is directly proportional to the number of wins the team produces. If Brew goes 4-8, 2-10, canned and the team continues to slog through mediocrity and worse, there will be much less than 20,000 people paying seat licenses in a few years. If Brew goes 8-4, 10-2 (Rose Bowl), etc., etc., then I'd say it's highly likely that all the chairbacks would have at least a $100 or so license fee. It's all supply and demand. If demand stays exactly what it is today, the licenses will stay the same. If demand increases, licenses will increase.
 

I would GUESS that what they may do is require a donation for anyone who upgrades to chairback seats but that those who are currently in chairback seats and pay zero might get grandfathered in. Just a total hunch though.
 

Golden Elephant said:
The chance of that happening is directly proportional to the number of wins the team produces. If Brew goes 4-8, 2-10, canned and the team continues to slog through mediocrity and worse, there will be much less than 20,000 people paying seat licenses in a few years. If Brew goes 8-4, 10-2 (Rose Bowl), etc., etc., then I'd say it's highly likely that all the chairbacks would have at least a $100 or so license fee. It's all supply and demand. If demand stays exactly what it is today, the licenses will stay the same. If demand increases, licenses will increase.
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While I don't disagree, I think it would be a HUGE mistake on the part of the U to increase the seat fees to include more chairback seats until the seating capacity is expanded. With luck, you won't see the U expand capacity until there is proven demand. Proven demand will require proven success (i.e. a Rose Bowl followed by consistent performances of 9-12 wins with an 8 or 7 win season scattered in). What I worry about is that we roll to a Rose Bowl, everyone forgets that MN fans have a tendency to bandwagon jump, and suddenly fees go up/perhaps seats are added. If the team were to falter back to average (approx 8 wins) mediocre/worse following a Rose Bowl type season (see: Sugar Bowl, Illinois circa 2001 as an example) increased fees would only exacerbate the problem.
 


GoAUpher said:
While I don't disagree, I think it would be a HUGE mistake on the part of the U to increase the seat fees to include more chairback seats until the seating capacity is expanded. With luck, you won't see the U expand capacity until there is proven demand. Proven demand will require proven success (i.e. a Rose Bowl followed by consistent performances of 9-12 wins with an 8 or 7 win season scattered in). What I worry about is that we roll to a Rose Bowl, everyone forgets that MN fans have a tendency to bandwagon jump, and suddenly fees go up/perhaps seats are added. If the team were to falter back to average (approx 8 wins) mediocre/worse following a Rose Bowl type season (see: Sugar Bowl, Illinois circa 2001 as an example) increased fees would only exacerbate the problem.
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I am confused.

Are these donations associated with current seats one time fees? I was under the assumption they were annual. Right? If that is the case, they can raise and require whatever they want for seats. The U then has to deal with the PR.
 

They're going to install the same system beginning next year in Williams and Mariucci Arenas before they'll ever expand it in TCF Bank Stadium.
 

anticallihan said:
I am confused.

Are these donations associated with current seats one time fees? I was under the assumption they were annual. Right? If that is the case, they can raise and require whatever they want for seats. The U then has to deal with the PR.
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They are annual and the U can raise and require whatever they want for any seat. It doesn't mean raising the rates or expanding the # of seats that require annual donations is a good idea.

I think Maximus has a good point. I'm definitely in favor of moving this direction in Williams and Mariucci to raise additional revenue before they consider adding/raising fees at TCF.
 

Seat fees are annual, plus...so what?

Though I am not likely going for license seats this year, I may do it in the future. I'm in a group with some retired guys who don't want to do the seat license, because they're old and Minnesotans. It's a matter of perception with football ticket costs---here's a random stream of thought:

The tickets are $275, that's just under $40 a game.
A $100 seat license is about $15
A $250 about $35, $500 about $70.

OK, $55-$110 sounds like a lot, but that's like a Wild game ticket, and you have 41 home games in the NHL.

The seat license is 80% tax deductible.

Lets say you spend $775 on four tickets. That's $3100. Look at it as a "vacation," but you get to go on 7 separate trips. Lots of people spend way more on a vacation for 4.

You need to save a little under $260 a month to pay for this. That's $60 a week.

In the end you get seven separate events, and a $1600 tax deduction.

If you do the $100 donation, it's $1500 for the year, $125 a month, $29 a week, and a $320 tax deduction. Frankly, that's nothing.
 



If we pick a mandatory donation seat this year it will be expected ever year out correct?
 


Could someone please explain to me why some people are having such a problem with the "donation" concept? Are they too stupid to realize that they would otherwise be paying the same price for tickets as people sitting in the cheap seats?

Take the tax deduction and shut up.
 

Goldmember said:
Could someone please explain to me why some people are having such a problem with the "donation" concept? Are they too stupid to realize that they would otherwise be paying the same price for tickets as people sitting in the cheap seats? QUOTE]

I have no problem with the donation concept. As a loyal gopher fan I am proud to support the U and the donation is exactly that. Not to mention, even with the donation, we are still in the bottom of the big ten when it comes to ticket prices. I consider us to be lucky.

Furthermore, break down how much the donation is actually costing you. Let's say you choose two seats in the $500 per seat section. That's a total of $1,550. Deduct the 80% for the donations and you have a total of $750 or $375 per seat. Paying an extra $100 a seat to sit near the fifty doesn't sound that bad to me. I don't mean to be insensitive, I know how bad the economy is and there are more important priorities, but I just don’t think it is that bad.

I know I’m in the minority here and I would like to hear some feedback.
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