Chip Scoggins: U fans who do show have hope for best; profiles great tailgating scene

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An article in the Startribune that isn't full of inaccuracies and snark. What an amazing concept. A writer can actually go out and talk to a fanbase instead of insulting them to get web hits, truly groundbreaking.
I really enjoyed the article. It addressed the problems with the program, but instead of bashing the fans as delusional for sticking with it, it talks about why we love going to games. Despite all the negativity, it can still be a lot of fun to watch college football.
Every Gopherholer needs to click on that link several times and let Chip know you appreciated the article.
 

It's nice to read the quotes from some diehard fans, and the "Killwagon" sounds like a lot of fun. Props to Chip for taking a different angle, while still acknowledging the need to improve the product.
 

Some real time reporting for once rather than a biased and grossly opinionated slam. Nice job Chip!

Looks like decent weather on Saturday even for the fair weather "fans".
 

I like Ben Utecht's quote because it shows how much the athletes truly do appreciate the student body: "You look to that side of the end zone and it's just bare," he said. "We brought the stadium back [on campus] to promote student participation. If I had any challenge, it would be to the students. I can't stress to them enough how important it is to a player. If I could put it in bold letters, we need you. That's how we feel. We need you. Show up, please."

I've been a big defender of the students since TCF opened... rarely are they there in fewer numbers by share of their seats than the rest of the stadium. It's just a heck of a lot easier to see the open seats given they actually compact down, and the area behind them is concrete (not maroon/gold like all the seats between the 5s). They're louder, more fun, and stand the entire game. I agree the stadium being within a 10 minute walk of any dorm and most other housing make it so easy for them to come, but the U missed a big opportunity in opening this stadium to make gamedays truly a party for the kids to attend.
 


There is still a severe lack of students in the tailgate lots. The administration has failed to parlay the new stadium into an expanded fanbase by catering to younger fans. Bottom line is for every 1 of the hardcores and diehards that are there at 7:30 cracking beers and getting excited, there are 5 that show up a half hour before the game, crabby they don't get a spot up front, and leave at halftime anyway.
There NEEDS to be an expanded emphasis on gameday atmosphere, it can only be supported by organically nurturing a younger and rowdier fanbase.
A certain amount of first come first served gameday tailgating would help. A handful of student passes given out every week would also help spice things up, or even a student section of each tailgate lot. The kids WILL NOT COME if there's not a party, regardless of the product on the field.
 

Good points, Northpoint! The two anti-Souhan threads have a combined 125 posts and 6,898 views!:eek:

This thread, a much newer one to be sure, has 5 posts and 483 views. I'd bet that the ratio of "clicks" for the Strib for the two articles reflect that ratio as well. We whine about coverage. We whine about people not showing-up for games. We whine about people leaving before the game ends and than conversely, we tell those people not to bother to show-up in the first place!!!

Generally there are only three certainties about "gameday" and "attendance" threads around here. Someone will point out how "EM-BARE-S-ING" how few students show-up at games and someone else will make an even more embarassing effort to excuse them because after all, kids HAVE to be able to get drunk before they'll show-up for a game.

The third? People will click on a negative story while griping about how they "never write something good", complain forever about it but will ignore a good story.

The old ratio of "complaint to praise" was 16:1. You'll get 16 complaints to every compliment. Northpoint's right. Go ahead and click on Scroogin's story and follow Bandana Guy's example but send a note to Chip "thanking" him for the story rather than waiting to be offended again.

I'll do both. This thread won't get to 130 and 7,000 but at least it's a start.
 

Ole said:
There is still a severe lack of students in the tailgate lots. The administration has failed to parlay the new stadium into an expanded fanbase by catering to younger fans. Bottom line is for every 1 of the hardcores and diehards that are there at 7:30 cracking beers and getting excited, there are 5 that show up a half hour before the game, crabby they don't get a spot up front, and leave at halftime anyway.
There NEEDS to be an expanded emphasis on gameday atmosphere, it can only be supported by organically nurturing a younger and rowdier fanbase.
A certain amount of first come first served gameday tailgating would help. A handful of student passes given out every week would also help spice things up, or even a student section of each tailgate lot. The kids WILL NOT COME if there's not a party, regardless of the product on the field.
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I'm asking because I don't know. How many students tailgate at any school? Most you have to be 21 to legally drink. Your prime tailgate needs to be pointed toward the 21-35 crowd if you want to build it. In the end tailgating comes down to the fans and their creativity around regulations. When I have visited other Big Ten schools and tailgated, I never run into actual students tailgating.
 

Ole said:
There is still a severe lack of students in the tailgate lots. The administration has failed to parlay the new stadium into an expanded fanbase by catering to younger fans. Bottom line is for every 1 of the hardcores and diehards that are there at 7:30 cracking beers and getting excited, there are 5 that show up a half hour before the game, crabby they don't get a spot up front, and leave at halftime anyway.
There NEEDS to be an expanded emphasis on gameday atmosphere, it can only be supported by organically nurturing a younger and rowdier fanbase.
A certain amount of first come first served gameday tailgating would help. A handful of student passes given out every week would also help spice things up, or even a student section of each tailgate lot. The kids WILL NOT COME if there's not a party, regardless of the product on the field.
Click to expand...
I'm in my second year now at the U, and I'm one of the few who actual goes to every game and stays, and it kills me seeing so many people leave between halftime and the third quarter. Maybe, instead of giving out free or discounted tickets before games during the week, they can give away discounted or free tickets for the NEXT game to students at end of current games as they're exiting the gates. That way it gives students incentive to both go to the games to save money for the next one, and also stay the entire time. It won't fix the whole problem, but I know there are actually a lot of people that think that spending $95 for season tickets is too expensive, no matter how ridiculous you find that opinion. If they're already losing sales money by handing out tickets during the week, might as well do it during the games.
 



To be honest, I was extremely surprised to see such a well written and logical article written. It was outside of the box and an interesting read. Kudos to Chip. You give me hope for future journalists.
 

Best article and writer for the STrib. Well done, Chip! Now get your colleague in check.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
I'm asking because I don't know. How many students tailgate at any school? Most you have to be 21 to legally drink. Your prime tailgate needs to be pointed toward the 21-35 crowd if you want to build it. In the end tailgating comes down to the fans and their creativity around regulations. When I have visited other Big Ten schools and tailgated, I never run into actual students tailgating.
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Maybe you're right, but I just think the U needs to loosen up and allow the younger crowd to dictate the gameday experience.
$2000 for a tailgate pass is just dumb, as is the incredible amount of rules and the "big brother" feel of all the security patrols.
I can't describe the frustration with the late comers to the lots, or the lack of early comers. Lot 33 was empty except for 1 car at 9am Sat. Empty. That shouldn't happen.
Why can't they open the lots friday night?
Why can't they allow frat row to operate unhindered?
Why can't they tell the city to suck one and allow for private parking/tailgating lots?
Why can't they use open space on campus to facilitate pregame parties?
Answer: They lack outside the box thinking, and refuse to be anything but NFL-lite on gameday weekends. The have catered to older fans and less rowdy fans for too long.
 

Ole said:
Maybe you're right, but I just think the U needs to loosen up and allow the younger crowd to dictate the gameday experience.
$2000 for a tailgate pass is just dumb, as is the incredible amount of rules and the "big brother" feel of all the security patrols.
I can't describe the frustration with the late comers to the lots, or the lack of early comers. Lot 33 was empty except for 1 car at 9am Sat. Empty. That shouldn't happen.
Why can't they open the lots friday night?
Why can't they allow frat row to operate unhindered?
Why can't they tell the city to suck one and allow for private parking/tailgating lots?
Why can't they use open space on campus to facilitate pregame parties?
Answer: They lack outside the box thinking, and refuse to be anything but NFL-lite on gameday weekends. The have catered to older fans and less rowdy fans for too long.
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Shorten that for you: "Why can't they ignore all laws so my buddies and I can get drunk in public? "
 



Iceland12 said:
Shorten that for you: "Why can't they ignore all laws so my buddies and I can get drunk in public? "

Oh, and do you really think that after what came out last week that this is a good time to allow the frats "to operate unhindered?"
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I'm not aware of what came out.
I do believe the U needs to loosen up. I party in public every game, it's a blast and many of my friends have gotten season tickets as a result. I've personally expanded the fanbase by 10+ since the stadium opened.
The u needs to stop catering to 60+ people looking for 3 hours of polite golf clapping.
There needs to be a small effort to cultivate crazy tailgate rowdiness. That's what makes college football gamedays exceptional.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
I'm asking because I don't know. How many students tailgate at any school? Most you have to be 21 to legally drink. Your prime tailgate needs to be pointed toward the 21-35 crowd if you want to build it. In the end tailgating comes down to the fans and their creativity around regulations. When I have visited other Big Ten schools and tailgated, I never run into actual students tailgating.
Click to expand...

The lots next to liquor depot downtown used to be packed with students when we played at the dome. Why? Because it was a $20 per car, first come first serve. Cops frequented the lots, but only looked for trouble. Iowa State, has several first come first serve tailgate lots that are packed with 75% students, a majority of which are underage. Again, the cops frequent the lots but only look for trouble. Several other colleges that I've tailgated at have similar set ups where the students generally park in a common tailgate lot. Where can the students at the U get together at a central location and party their asses off before a game? Fairgrounds lot?
 

Serious question: What would it take to convince Minneapolis to close down University on game days? Set up a few beer tents and food venders with live music. I know it's a long shot, but maybe we grab our pitchforks and storm city hall?
 

GophersInIowa said:
Serious question: What would it take to convince Minneapolis to close down University on game days? Set up a few beer tents and food venders with live music. I know it's a long shot, but maybe we grab our pitchforks and storm city hall?
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It's not going to happen. Especially with Washington forever closed to regular traffic, as University is now the ONLY (repeat: ONLY) way to get to campus from 35W. The alternatives would be to close the University Ave exit and re-route those people to 280 or Huron, which are not configured to handle that kind of traffic. It's never going to happen.
 

Ole said:
There is still a severe lack of students in the tailgate lots. The administration has failed to parlay the new stadium into an expanded fanbase by catering to younger fans. Bottom line is for every 1 of the hardcores and diehards that are there at 7:30 cracking beers and getting excited, there are 5 that show up a half hour before the game, crabby they don't get a spot up front, and leave at halftime anyway.
There NEEDS to be an expanded emphasis on gameday atmosphere, it can only be supported by organically nurturing a younger and rowdier fanbase.
A certain amount of first come first served gameday tailgating would help. A handful of student passes given out every week would also help spice things up, or even a student section of each tailgate lot. The kids WILL NOT COME if there's not a party, regardless of the product on the field.
Click to expand...

I am gonna take ya back 5 decades. This was when an 18 year old was legal.

7 p.m. Kickoff.

A bar advertized a 3 p.m. Pre game party.

A bar down the street advertized a Noon Primer to the Pre game party.

The Primer was packed.

The 3 p.m. party was less than packed.

At 7 p.m. the stands were full at kick off time.

A good time was had by all.

Times have changed.

Go Gophers!!!
 

dpodoll68 said:
It's not going to happen. Especially with Washington forever closed to regular traffic, as University is now the ONLY (repeat: ONLY) way to get to campus from 35W. The alternatives would be to close the University Ave exit and re-route those people to 280 or Huron, which are not configured to handle that kind of traffic. It's never going to happen.
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Or maybe another street around the stadium. I just imagine a block party with beer, food and music prior to games. Maybe it's a stupid idea, I don't know.
 

Good experience by Chip, and I thank him for sharing it.

Chip, could you by any chance drag SoupCan with you, and possible let Gopher Fans have at him?
 

GophersInIowa said:
Or maybe another street around the stadium. I just imagine a block party with beer, food and music prior to games. Maybe it's a stupid idea, I don't know.
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It's a great idea, but knowing the way things run on gameday, everything will be at least $10, there will be a page of strict guidelines, and security will out-number fans 2 to 1.
 

Okie said:
It's a great idea, but knowing the way things run on gameday, everything will be at least $10, there will be a page of strict guidelines, and security will out-number fans 2 to 1.
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I went to the Navy-Notre Dame game a few years ago and they had student organizations selling burgers, brats, etc. all around campus. Because it was students, prices were pretty reasonable.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I went to the Navy-Notre Dame game a few years ago and they had student organizations selling burgers, brats, etc. all around campus. Because it was students, prices were pretty reasonable.
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Oh, I must have misinterpreted your post. I thought you meant that all of the food and drinks would be supplied by the University, basically just a bigger version of the pregame "tailgate" they used to have at McNamara. I actually like that idea if it was mostly put on by students.
 

When I tailgated at the Iowa game I parked for $20 within walking distance of the stadium. There was plenty of parking for anyone that wanted a spot (we got there about 2 hours to game time so pretty late and got a spot just fine).

The U lacks the mass amount of parking spaces, but there are plenty of privately owned spots available that owners should be allowed to sell and have people tailgate in. Leave the dedicated lots for season ticket holders if that's what they want to do, but the likes of McDonalds, Burger King, etc etc should be allowed to offer tailgating for 20 bucks or so. I think that would go a LONG way in improving the on campus feel. It would make the game feel like it is most important thing on Campus.

More importantly it would give students a place to tailgate. They currently can't go anywhere within walking distance of the stadium.This is 20% of the stadium capacity we are forgetting about. We'll sell them beer inside the stadium, but no way will we let them tailgate with their own alcohol.

I may be only dreaming though as Minneapolis may not be college town enough to allow such a thing, but why can't they be? The campus should be covered in gopher gold on Saturday. Not just the season ticket holder assigned parking lots.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Or maybe another street around the stadium. I just imagine a block party with beer, food and music prior to games. Maybe it's a stupid idea, I don't know.
Click to expand...

No, it's a great idea. It just can't (and won't) happen on University. Teague also has to really strong-arm the administration and the neighborhood groups to let the kids have a fun, party atmosphere if any block party idea is going to be successful.
 


dpodoll68 said:
No, it's a great idea. It just can't (and won't) happen on University. Teague also has to really strong-arm the administration and the neighborhood groups to let the kids have a fun, party atmosphere if any block party idea is going to be successful.
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The only way this will happen is if the boring professors at the U of M say..."Gee, I wish I was young again", and stop taking all of life so frikking serious.
 


Mc center meets the booze needs but they could get a brat fry going.
 

Iceland12 said:
Good points, Northpoint! The two anti-Souhan threads have a combined 125 posts and 6,898 views!:eek:

This thread, a much newer one to be sure, has 5 posts and 483 views. I'd bet that the ratio of "clicks" for the Strib for the two articles reflect that ratio as well. We whine about coverage. We whine about people not showing-up for games. We whine about people leaving before the game ends and than conversely, we tell those people not to bother to show-up in the first place!!!
Click to expand...

Excellent points from both Iceland and Northpoint - and well taken. It definitely is far easier to focus on the negative coverage and overlook the positive or at least evenhanded. To me, its the baseless negativism and the 'oh, you're feeling good about something, let me kick you back down' stuff that gets my blood up more than anything. But you are right - Chip deserves credit where due. Good to have someone like him who will actually tell it like it is. I disagreed strongly with him earlier in the year on his Ralph the III article, and he had the decency to call me up and talk it out. Left the call with a strong respect for the guy. Wish I would have caught his tweet back to me in time so I could have tailgated with him.

And great to see Chip hitting the pavement to talk with Gopher fans and supporters. M
 

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