Email from Kaler (aka Mr. Potter)

[GopherHomer]

Ok - the conversation has turned a bit nasty and I take partial responsibility for that...I apologize. We are all Gopher fans (59-0! haha stupid Badgers!), and we should just try and get along with each other. A couple things:

1) For the record, I am not telling people how to spend their money. I understand not wanting or not being able to afford the increase on the high end seats (I couldn't afford to stay there). I just was a little upset with the amount of entitlement and complaining coming from a very few. If you want to bail on your tickets...then bail.

2) There is no entrance fee to this discussion. Your opinions do not become more valid as the amount of money you spend on the product rises. I agree that you have more physical "skin in the game" but my emotional investment in the success of the football program is no less than anybody else's (and its not like I have always lived out of state. I was a season ticket holder for about 15 years).

3) Iceland - For the most part, I have enjoyed our discussion and your main point seems to be that an increase is acceptable, but this one crosses the line. My main retort to that would be that everybody has their individual "line." Any size of increase will create a percentage of people who feel alienated. Last year's increase left people just as upset as this year's (albeit different people).

But - I'm just about bored with this subject and ready to move onto the bowl game and recruiting. We will see where the chips fall, and if this all ends up poorly for the football program I will agree that it was the wrong move for the wrong fanbase.

 

[Iceland12]

Ok - the conversation has turned a bit nasty and I take partial responsibility for that...I apologize. We are all Gopher fans (59-0! haha stupid Badgers!), and we should just try and get along with each other. A couple things:

1) For the record, I am not telling people how to spend their money. I understand not wanting or not being able to afford the increase on the high end seats (I couldn't afford to stay there). I just was a little upset with the amount of entitlement and complaining coming from a very few. If you want to bail on your tickets...then bail.

2) There is no entrance fee to this discussion. Your opinions do not become more valid as the amount of money you spend on the product rises. I agree that you have more physical "skin in the game" but my emotional investment in the success of the football program is no less than anybody else's (and its not like I have always lived out of state. I was a season ticket holder for about 15 years).

3) Iceland - For the most part, I have enjoyed our discussion and your main point seems to be that an increase is acceptable, but this one crosses the line. My main retort to that would be that everybody has their individual "line." Any size of increase will create a percentage of people who feel alienated. Last year's increase left people just as upset as this year's (albeit different people).

But - I'm just about bored with this subject and ready to move onto the bowl game and recruiting. We will see where the chips fall, and if this all ends up poorly for the football program I will agree that it was the wrong move for the wrong fanbase.

Good points, well presented too.

Only say that there are people telling us that your "feelings" and connection to the team don't mean a damn. That's mainly coming from people who support the increase, not those that argue with it's timing or costs. Your being season ticket holder for 15 years certainly should confirm that connection and IMHO, should be noted because honestly, there were other places you could have put that money. To the others, you may have been conned into it. Which also leads to the feeling that they aren't ponying-up now or maybe haven't even in the past.

The other thing is last year there were people that were quite upset about what was really a minor increase in ticket prices. Quite wrongly too. It's pretty doubtful that the number was anywhere near as many as are upset now. Do know that there were a hell of a lot more people defending that increase too. Weren't as many bringing their relatives into the discussion either.

Enjoy your day and hope you enjoy a big Gopher victory in their Bowl Game too.

 

[LesBolstad]

3) Iceland - For the most part, I have enjoyed our discussion and your main point seems to be that an increase is acceptable, but this one crosses the line. My main retort to that would be that everybody has their individual "line." Any size of increase will create a percentage of people who feel alienated. Last year's increase left people just as upset as this year's (albeit different people).

This is completely false. Yes, there were a few comments last year upset at the increase. But this year, I'd guess 70% of STH feel the new fees are outrageous. This is an outright fleecing by the athletic dept. I think, and hope it fails miserably.