Cove: How a Big Ten-Only Football Schedule Would Affect the Gophers

[BleedGopher]

per Cove:

The Big Ten has a significant disadvantage with where most of its member schools are geographically. The northern conference doesn’t avoid wintry weather altogether — it snowed during two Gophers’ home games last season — but if the season is prolonged, this could become an extreme logistical issue.

No Big Ten school has an indoor football stadium, and at many the cold/extreme-weather accommodations are minimal. Asking Minnesota to move its entire schedule back two or three months would be nearly impossible. Playing outside in Minneapolis in early January or February is not realistic, even for TCF Bank Stadium, which was upgraded to host NFL football for two seasons. Wisconsin, Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan and Michigan State all will run into similar issues with the weather.

Beyond starting the season late and playing through the winter, the player component is difficult to grasp. Regardless of the travel precautions and team hygiene protocols, college football rosters consist of nearly 100 players who share a locker room and play a contact sport.

How a Big Ten-Only Football Schedule Would Affect the Gophers - Zone Coverage

Last week, the Big Ten Conference announced that fall sports will participate against conference opponents only, provided the season takes place in 2020.

zonecoverage.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[GopherDog1]

Serious home field advantage. The Vikings played at TCF late in to the fall/winter and it was cold, I can't imagine games like these possible winter Gopher games much colder than Carolina and Seattle was for the Vikings. I hope they do play outside and avoid falling back to US Bank stadium; aka Metrodome 2.0.

 

[RodentRampage]

US Bank Stadium would be available if we really needed it. If you're not having fans in attendance, it would seem you could play games at indoor practice facilities.

 

[gophernut1]

Can we please talk about the "removed" heating coils again. I always find that conversation so fun to read.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Asking Minnesota to move its entire schedule back two or three months would be nearly impossible. Playing outside in Minneapolis in early January or February is not realistic, even for TCF Bank Stadium,

It's not realistic?

Seems very possible...

Yeah it might not be pleasant but I know of no reason they couldn't play.

What's the idea here? The stadium just explodes or something?

 

[MplsGopher]

It's not realistic?

Seems very possible...

Yeah it might not be pleasant but I know of no reason they couldn't play.

What's the idea here? The stadium just explodes or something?

Well, again, when the Vikings had to suddenly move there in December when the Metrodome roof collapsed, I recall that many aspects of TCF were simply not designed to stand-up to the more extreme temps of the dead winter months.

If we're talking more like March April though, that's probably much better temps wise.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Well, again, when the Vikings had to suddenly move there in December when the Metrodome roof collapsed, I recall that many aspects of TCF were simply not designed to stand-up to the more extreme temps of the dead winter months.

If we're talking more like March April though, that's probably much better temps wise.

Yeah but like the article states ... they changed that.... so like wut?

 

[MplsGopher]

Yeah but like the article states ... they changed that.... so like wut?

It merely says it was upgraded for the NFL. The major things in my minds are: (internally) heated field (a must), and then "weather proofing" for concession stands and bathrooms, as needed (no freezing pipes, don't need concession workers and janitors in full dog-sledding gear, etc.)

If those are all there, then fine. Fans and players would deal with it, as they do in Lambeau.

 

[forever a gopher]

It's not realistic?

Seems very possible...

Yeah it might not be pleasant but I know of no reason they couldn't play.

What's the idea here? The stadium just explodes or something?

Most of this was in relation to the concessions, fan restrooms, etc. Those were not built to operate in the winter (prior to the Vikings playing there). The locker rooms and press box are inside, and could function without issue during the winter, and could prior to the Vikings. There should be no logistical issues preventing them from playing in Jan/Feb. With that said, I can't imagine there's any chance the B1G would be playing then. The other outdoor stadiums may not be quite as equipped to handle it. They'd just delay it further until the spring.

Do other B1G stadiums have heated fields? I'm guessing not. The increased concussion risk alone on frozen fields is a risk I'm guessing they'd avoid.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Most of this was in relation to the concessions, fan restrooms, etc. Those were not built to operate in the winter (prior to the Vikings playing there). The locker rooms and press box are inside, and could function without issue during the winter, and could prior to the Vikings. There should be no logistical issues preventing them from playing in Jan/Feb. With that said, I can't imagine there's any chance the B1G would be playing then. The other outdoor stadiums may not be quite as equipped to handle it. They'd just delay it further until the spring.

Do other B1G stadiums have heated fields? I'm guessing not. The increased concussion risk alone on frozen fields is a risk I'm guessing they'd avoid.

The rest rooms were always spectacularly warm... even before the upgrades.

 

[forever a gopher]

The rest rooms were always spectacularly warm... even before the upgrades.

Yes, they have interior heaters. But the water supply lines and waste lines need to be in a conditioned space or have heat trace to make sure they don't freeze. That is what they had to upgrade.

 

[PMWinSTP]

My assumption about starting later is playing all the games in Oct/November and first Saturday in Dec...no byes. Ten Saturdays.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Yes, they have interior heaters. But the water supply lines and waste lines need to be in a conditioned space or have heat trace to make sure they don't freeze. That is what they had to upgrade.

I feel like the risk of them freezing at least as far as the bathrooms goes ... seems unlikely.

We played ultra ass cold games previously before the renovations.

I seriously doubt that was a risk.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Yes, they have interior heaters. But the water supply lines and waste lines need to be in a conditioned space or have heat trace to make sure they don't freeze. That is what they had to upgrade.

U played hockey at TCF...was there, temp peaked at 12 degrees.

University of Minnesota announces outdoor Hockey City Classic

The Gophers men and women each will play a game in the Hockey City Classic on Jan. 17 at TCF Bank Stadium.

www.startribune.com

 

[MplsGopher]

All I know is, they had to do upgrades when the Vikings played there, to make it "suitable" to use during the harsher months of the NFL season.

Do all of those upgrades persist now? I have no idea. Without inciting the big "inside joke" around here, I think they did remove the field heating system when the turf was last replaced. It simply isn't needed for the typical college season timeframe, and costs money to run/maintain (which the Vikings were obviously paying for). So it would make sense to get rid of it.

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

The stadium can certainly handle the weather (don't forget the Seattle Vikings game was sub-zero).

Minnesota is the least of anyone's concerns. As others have mentioned, the rest of the B1G stadiums are not meant to be open during the hard winter.

I would bet either the season will end when it's supposed to (or week after w/ no champ game) or it will be scrapped.

All I know is, they had to do upgrades when the Vikings played there, to make it "suitable" to use during the harsher months of the NFL season.

Do all of those upgrades persist now? I have no idea. Without inciting the big "inside joke" around here, I think they did remove the field heating system when the turf was last replaced. It simply isn't needed for the typical college season timeframe, and costs money to run/maintain (which the Vikings were obviously paying for). So it would make sense to get rid of it.

The U confirmed the coils are still there after the last turf replacement. All the rest of the upgrades wouldn't have made sense to remove (insulating, heating, etc. for concessions/bathrooms). Though, I sort of doubt they'd have fans in that scenario anyway, so most could be winterized regardless.

 

[MplsGopher]

The stadium can certainly handle the weather (don't forget the Seattle Vikings game was sub-zero).

Minnesota is the least of anyone's concerns. As others have mentioned, the rest of the B1G stadiums are not meant to be open during the hard winter.

I would bet either the season will end when it's supposed to (or week after w/ no champ game) or it will be scrapped.

Please scrap it, if it comes to that. None of this "spring football" crap. Just wait for the next year, when everything will be back to normal.

 

[Some guy]

Please scrap it, if it comes to that. None of this "spring football" crap. Just wait for the next year, when everything will be back to normal.

If we are waiting for a vaccine everything won’t be back to normal next fall

 

[forever a gopher]

I feel like the risk of them freezing at least as far as the bathrooms goes ... seems unlikely.

We played ultra ass cold games previously before the renovations.

I seriously doubt that was a risk.

I'm guessing you must not be in the AEC industry. It depends on where the pipes are located. There is a reason you don't run pipes in exterior walls- they'll freeze and burst. The stadium is winterized, which involves shutting down those areas and getting rid of all the water in the system. To keep it going during the college football season isn't that big of a deal, as the temps don't stay extreme for long, and it doesn't go deep enough into the winter that they can't either temp heat or keep it flowing enough to keep it from freezing. During an event it's not an issue, as the water would be running enough to keep it from freezing. Likewise, if you're doing it for one event (Gopher Hockey Game), you can temp it, it just involves effort and cost. The Vikings upgraded this so it didn't have to be temp'd for months at a time during Dec/Jan.

Doesn't really matter; the B1G will never play in the winter- they'd wait until spring.

 

[MplsGopher]

If we are waiting for a vaccine everything won’t be back to normal next fall

Close enough, to have normal fall sports again, as was the context of the comment.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I'm guessing you must not be in the AEC industry. It depends on where the pipes are located. There is a reason you don't run pipes in exterior walls- they'll freeze and burst. The stadium is winterized, which involves shutting down those areas and getting rid of all the water in the system. To keep it going during the college football season isn't that big of a deal, as the temps don't stay extreme for long, and it doesn't go deep enough into the winter that they can't either temp heat or keep it flowing enough to keep it from freezing. During an event it's not an issue, as the water would be running enough to keep it from freezing. Likewise, if you're doing it for one event (Gopher Hockey Game), you can temp it, it just involves effort and cost. The Vikings upgraded this so it didn't have to be temp'd for months at a time during Dec/Jan.

Doesn't really matter; the B1G will never play in the winter- they'd wait until spring.

I get what you're saying. Pipes freeze, everyone gets that.

The thing you're missing is the bathrooms did just fine before the upgrades...

 

[WriterGoph]

I feel like they could make it work in the Big Ten between the following indoor stadiums:

US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis - Minnesota and Iowa
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy - Purdue and Indiana
Miller Park (could be used for football) in Milwaukee - Wisconsin and Northwestern
Ford Field in Detroit - Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State

There is also the dome in St Louis available (closer for Illinois and could work for Nebraska).

So it seems like the schools that would be really SOL as far as indoor stadiums would be Penn State, Maryland and Rutgers. I cannot believe there is not an indoor football stadium somewhere in the Northeast.

 

[Some guy]

I feel like they could make it work in the Big Ten between the following indoor stadiums:

US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis - Minnesota and Iowa
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy - Purdue and Indiana
Miller Park (could be used for football) in Milwaukee - Wisconsin and Northwestern
Ford Field in Detroit - Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State

There is also the dome in St Louis available (closer for Illinois and could work for Nebraska).

So it seems like the schools that would be really SOL as far as indoor stadiums would be Penn State, Maryland and Rutgers. I cannot believe there is not an indoor football stadium somewhere in the Northeast.

State college doesn’t really get deep freezes like we do. Maryland for sure doesn’t.

Maryland gets snow but it pretty much is gone within a day or two. Even big storms the snow doesn’t stick around more than a week or so.

 

[MplsGopher]

I feel like they could make it work in the Big Ten between the following indoor stadiums:

US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis - Minnesota and Iowa
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy - Purdue and Indiana
Miller Park (could be used for football) in Milwaukee - Wisconsin and Northwestern
Ford Field in Detroit - Michigan State, Michigan and Ohio State

There is also the dome in St Louis available (closer for Illinois and could work for Nebraska).

So it seems like the schools that would be really SOL as far as indoor stadiums would be Penn State, Maryland and Rutgers. I cannot believe there is not an indoor football stadium somewhere in the Northeast.

If it’s no fans anyway, they could use indoor practice fields.

 

[PMWinSTP]

I'm guessing you must not be in the AEC industry. It depends on where the pipes are located. There is a reason you don't run pipes in exterior walls- they'll freeze and burst. The stadium is winterized, which involves shutting down those areas and getting rid of all the water in the system. To keep it going during the college football season isn't that big of a deal, as the temps don't stay extreme for long, and it doesn't go deep enough into the winter that they can't either temp heat or keep it flowing enough to keep it from freezing. During an event it's not an issue, as the water would be running enough to keep it from freezing. Likewise, if you're doing it for one event (Gopher Hockey Game), you can temp it, it just involves effort and cost. The Vikings upgraded this so it didn't have to be temp'd for months at a time during Dec/Jan.

Doesn't really matter; the B1G will never play in the winter- they'd wait until spring.

See post #14.

 

[forever a gopher]

See post #14.

Correct. They temp’d it for that one game. Vikings upgraded it, so no longer need to do that. Vikings playing there and upgrading these things gives them flexibility in how they use the facility. Could they do it before the upgrades? Yes. But now it’s easier and less of a hassle/cost.

 

[MplsGopher]

Correct. They temp’d it for that one game. Vikings upgraded it, so no longer need to do that. Vikings playing there and upgrading these things gives them flexibility in how they use the facility. Could they do it before the upgrades? Yes. But now it’s easier and less of a hassle/cost.

Assume they similarly upgraded the concession stand areas, and hopefully provided some warmth for the staff, so it wasn't an icebox.

If those upgrades persist, then the only problem would be the lack of in-field warming. No way you wanna play on a rock hard (cement hard) turf field. Obviously wasn't an issue for the hockey game.

 

[MGGopher]

Can we please talk about the "removed" heating coils again. I always find that conversation so fun to read.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Assume they similarly upgraded the concession stand areas, and hopefully provided some warmth for the staff, so it wasn't an icebox.

If those upgrades persist, then the only problem would be the lack of in-field warming. No way you wanna play on a rock hard (cement hard) turf field. Obviously wasn't an issue for the hockey game.

Everything was in place at least back to 2014 hockey classic. Concessions have had Plexiglas walls in place since season 2 of TCF for the cold days, so that was only an issue that first season. Really felt for those workers that first cold game day.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Can we please talk about the "removed" heating coils again. I always find that conversation so fun to read.

I heard they were redeployed on the Wash Ave bridge...