Game Day Experince-TCF

[e.bigelow]

I feel like the ticket includes the whole shebang. Yes I have paid for my butt to be in the seat. However, I feel like implicit in the deal is that I should expect to have accesss to other benefits, such as access to restrooms and concessions. If I take my girlfriend out on a date, and when we get inside after I have paid, they tell me they have ran out of popcorn, I would be annoyed as well.

I have sympathy for your general sentiment that we should not be whining about every little thing. But I think the scoreboard consistently displaying wildly inaccurate game situations and running out of food are not little. It is not like people are complaining that the scoreboard said 3rd and 1 when it probably should have been 3rd and a short.

Sincrely,

Spoiled Brat

As far as the scoreboard is concerned, I think we should just shut it off and everyone keep their own scores and figure out down and distance on their own. Then, we can all compare when the game is over. We are all really getting a little too spoiled.

 

[Indi1006]

Solutions:

Don't eat stadium food (it tastes like pooh, expensive, and is terrible for you) and if you do, buy it 30 minutes before kickoff.

Only buy drinks from the vendors that come down the isles (or that sit at the tops of the sections).

Come early/stay late. No, seriously. Traffic is less of a hassle when you plan on making the experience a 12 hour event instead of a 3 hour football game. Walk around campus. Meet other fans. Hit up the bars/restaurants in Stadium Village/Dinkytown. Watch the Victory March and high five your favorite Gopher (Goldy and the players). Enjoy the tailgate lots/live music on Block G. 90 minutes or so before kickoff, make way to the stadium. Use the facilities, get whatever food/drink you may want. Walk around the concourses and get the views of the field from different perspectives. Make way to your seats. Kick back and relax. During the game, DON'T LEAVE YOUR SEATS unless it's something serious. After the game, stick around for the Alma Mater song. Let the vast majority of your section clear out before trying to fight your way through the crowd. Take your time in getting back to your vehicle. When you do, if you tailgate, kick back at your spot and relax. If not, chill out in your car.

I know not everyone will do this and even if they did, it would generate a whole other group of problems.. But for the complainers that want solutions: Stop expecting TheU, Aramark, etc to wipe your ass, take charge of your own stress levels. It will make your gameday experiences a lot more enjoyable. Seriously.

If you don't take action towards a solution for your 'poor' gameday experiences, you are as much as part of the problem as TheU/Aramark/etc are.

This is the dumbest post I have ever seen. You must not work in a job where customer service means anything. The U and Aramark should both be busting their tails making sure that every customer (fans are customers) are well taken care of. I can only imagine that you have had mud kicked in your face for so long you have lost perspective on reasonable service for your dollar. Feel sorry for you.

 

[savagerube]

Solutions:

Don't eat stadium food (it tastes like pooh, expensive, and is terrible for you) and if you do, buy it 30 minutes before kickoff.

Only buy drinks from the vendors that come down the isles (or that sit at the tops of the sections).

Come early/stay late. No, seriously. Traffic is less of a hassle when you plan on making the experience a 12 hour event instead of a 3 hour football game. Walk around campus. Meet other fans. Hit up the bars/restaurants in Stadium Village/Dinkytown. Watch the Victory March and high five your favorite Gopher (Goldy and the players). Enjoy the tailgate lots/live music on Block G. 90 minutes or so before kickoff, make way to the stadium. Use the facilities, get whatever food/drink you may want. Walk around the concourses and get the views of the field from different perspectives. Make way to your seats. Kick back and relax. During the game, DON'T LEAVE YOUR SEATS unless it's something serious. After the game, stick around for the Alma Mater song. Let the vast majority of your section clear out before trying to fight your way through the crowd. Take your time in getting back to your vehicle. When you do, if you tailgate, kick back at your spot and relax. If not, chill out in your car.

I know not everyone will do this and even if they did, it would generate a whole other group of problems.. But for the complainers that want solutions: Stop expecting TheU, Aramark, etc to wipe your ass, take charge of your own stress levels. It will make your gameday experiences a lot more enjoyable. Seriously.

If you don't take action towards a solution for your 'poor' gameday experiences, you are as much as part of the problem as TheU/Aramark/etc are.

This is what makes me nervous.. Your sentiments about people complaining are shared by some at the U and that's the problem. As you know The Gophers struggle with attendance big time.. How is a lack of concessions management going to help attendance? Sure, maybe I'm coming across as a whiner but only because, as a fan, I know how a situation like this can quickly become detrimental to the overall fan experience, not just concessions.

Hate to say it but some people attend sporting events for the food and the social component.

Right now the bank is like a huge, glitzy house with no furniture in it. There is so much opportunity with the bank but the experience and accommodations are lacking.

Lastly, you complaining about people complaining isn't any different bud.

 

[saintpaulguy]

This is the dumbest post I have ever seen. You must not work in a job where customer service means anything. The U and Aramark should both be busting their tails making sure that every customer (fans are customers) are well taken care of. I can only imagine that you have had mud kicked in your face for so long you have lost perspective on reasonable service for your dollar. Feel sorry for you.

thanks for the above. Honestly, I think 30 years of losing football has dimmed our collective brains. Rather than demand EXCELLENCE in everything, we apologize. And if someone isn't willing to watch a building team and go without hot dogs, tell them to stay home, because they don't have your faith.

It is OK to do well. Everybody together--we don't have to accept second best. You aren't being disloyal if you are mad that the home scoreboard team for Minneapolis Powderhorn Rec Center can figure out how to display the down and yardage better than your Division1 home team. And they can.

We don't need to bring our own food, our own stopwatches, or our own water. We don't need a work around. People unwilling to work around should not be shamed. This is really very normal stuff we can't get right.


Dare to be a winner.

 

[NateDawgUM]

I generally don't eat the food at the stadium when I'm up for a game.

That said, every aspect of the game day experience should be done right. It's not difficult to provide enough cheap warm meat for everybody who wants to eat at the game. We've hired a company that grossed $13.51 billion last year, they should be able to handle the logistics of a Gopher game.

If the lines are too long at concessions, hire some local Boy Scouts and middle school soccer teams to run the aisles with hot dogs and nachos.

If you can't manage easy things like game day logistics, it's easy to see why we also can't manage to win games. I never notice any issues, but with our tenuous attendance levels, keeping people happy should be first priority. And easy, since our numbers are low!

 

[station19]

If I was in my fifth year running the concessions at TCF the vast majority of these problems would be solved by now.

I guarantee it.

 

[Unregistered User]

I guarantee it.

Be careful about how closely you hold that sentiment.

Linky thing

 

[station19]

Be careful about how closely you hold that sentiment.

Linky thing

Okay I'll change it. They would have been solved by year two.

I guarantee it.

 

[Formo]

I feel like the ticket includes the whole shebang. Yes I have paid for my butt to be in the seat. However, I feel like implicit in the deal is that I should expect to have accesss to other benefits, such as access to restrooms and concessions. If I take my girlfriend out on a date, and when we get inside after I have paid, they tell me they have ran out of popcorn, I would be annoyed as well.

You can feel that way all you want. Doesn't mean that's what you are getting when you paid the fee. And, yes, you do have access to other benefits, but you still have to pay for some of them. Those benefits will come as long as there are product available. You should be thankful if they are out of popcorn/hot dogs/etc because they just saved you a butt reaming on $$$.

I have sympathy for your general sentiment that we should not be whining about every little thing. But I think the scoreboard consistently displaying wildly inaccurate game situations and running out of food are not little. It is not like people are complaining that the scoreboard said 3rd and 1 when it probably should have been 3rd and a short.

Sincrely,

Spoiled Brat

I don't disagree with the scoreboard issue, in that yes, it should be working properly. I didn't address that particular issue because I don't disagree with the issue with it. Only that, the scoreboard reading the wrong down/yardage shouldn't affect the actual gameday experience.

This is the dumbest post I have ever seen. You must not work in a job where customer service means anything. The U and Aramark should both be busting their tails making sure that every customer (fans are customers) are well taken care of. I can only imagine that you have had mud kicked in your face for so long you have lost perspective on reasonable service for your dollar. Feel sorry for you.

Don't ever feel sorry for me. I just have the mental capacity to understand that I can't control anything outside of my actions and attitude. And I won't let TheU/Aramark's short comings ruin an experience that I paid $500 a year for because they ran out of hot dogs and the down/yardage on the scoreboard was wrong. Instead of bitching about my grievances, I email the proper authorities about them and take steps to avoid having to deal with said grievances again. Eventually I learned that showing up on campus HOURS before the event allowed me not only other opportunities to eat, but find other options that increased the value of my gameday experiences.

This is what makes me nervous.. Your sentiments about people complaining are shared by some at the U and that's the problem. As you know The Gophers struggle with attendance big time.. How is a lack of concessions management going to help attendance? Sure, maybe I'm coming across as a whiner but only because, as a fan, I know how a situation like this can quickly become detrimental to the overall fan experience, not just concessions.

Hate to say it but some people attend sporting events for the food and the social component.

Right now the bank is like a huge, glitzy house with no furniture in it. There is so much opportunity with the bank but the experience and accommodations are lacking.

Lastly, you complaining about people complaining isn't any different bud.

I'm not saying you people shouldn't be allowed to feel cheated. I'm saying you people need to find better avenues to work for a SOLUTION. If you all emailed Teague and TheU, great. Now, it's down with. Drop it or find other options to enhance your gameday experience until the TheU fixes the issues. You are acting as if they completely robbed you of your rights. It's not only petty looking, but it makes some of you guys look pretty high maintenance, which is sad considering it's a GD football game not a dog show.

I'm hardly complaining, but nice try on that strawman. I gave options for a solution. Lots of options, actually.

 

[Gopherprof]

You just answered your own question. The ticket price isn't for the right to get hot dogs, brats or whatever crappy food you want to consume. It's for the right to sit in a seat/bench to watch a football game. That's why we pay $8 for a stinkin' 40 cent heavily processed steamed 'meat'. If they don't have that steam processed meat in stock, then you don't pay for it (thus relieving yourself of the 'right' to have it). It IS unreasonable that one thinks they are entitled to a hot dog guarantee with the price they pay for admission.

I'm not saying TheU/Aramark/etc are flawless and absolved from all responsibility here. I am simply offering a solution for those who ACTUALLY want one. For those that want to bitch about the tiniest details 'ruining' their gameday experiences, that's cool too. Just know that you only sound like a spoiled brat. The rotten child, not the steamed processed meat.

I mostly agree with you because I'm a cheap SOB and almost never buy food or drinks at a game. The said, you realize what a *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#ty argument this is, no? If the U said this they would sell about 5 tickets for the rest of the year.

It's entertainment dollars and people expect to be catered to for their money. When the competition is sitting at home and watching the game for free on a 63" HDTV, the U had better get its *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# together or they'll lose that money which they so desperately want. To many people the bells and whistles of attending a game live are more of a draw than the game itself (especially women and children).

 

[Formo]

I mostly agree with you because I'm a cheap SOB and almost never buy food or drinks at a game. The said, you realize what a *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#ty argument this is, no? If the U said this they would sell about 5 tickets for the rest of the year.

It's entertainment dollars and people expect to be catered to for their money. When the competition is sitting at home and watching the game for free on a 63" HDTV, the U had better get its *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!# together or they'll lose that money which they so desperately want.

Read my previous posts. I'm not saying The U should have the same argument as I. Never implied it.

The basis of my argument is people need to look no further than what's between their ears to find their own solutions to these obviously very real issues. Ranting, raving and crying about them on the internets doesn't do a damn thing. Well, except for make you look petty.

 

[Gopherprof]

Read my previous posts. I'm not saying The U should have the same argument as I. Never implied it.

The basis of my argument is people need to look no further than what's between their ears to find their own solutions to these obviously very real issues. Ranting, raving and crying about them on the internets doesn't do a damn thing. Well, except for make you look petty.

So how do you suppose that people solve these issues with their own brain power?

Your argument is essentially that people should either get over it or stay home, because if you're being honest with yourself there isn't much than anyone can do about it other than those two things.

 

[e.bigelow]

So how do you suppose that people solve these issues with their own brain power?

Your argument is essentially that people should either get over it or stay home, because if you're being honest with yourself there isn't much than anyone can do about it other than those two things.

You've essentially summed up his argument much shorter than he did. Well done.

 

[I Support Jerry's Kids]

Really easily explained, all of this. Students spend less on food than anyone in the stadium normally. And they don't show in numbers that large. Orders are supplied weeks ahead.

The students all came, and they all had $8 free food vouchers. So that's thousands more meals than they would have budgeted for based off previous year's numbers.

As for people complaining about people cheering and the music playing all the time. There is NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING more important to the long-term health of the football team than engagement of the students. They are non running in-game music to appease 20-year veterans of season tickets. If they don't win the youth, they are screwed now and in the future when they become the regular season-ticket holders.

Quit whining. Go cheer. Eat early if you must. Bring friends. Go Gophers.

 

[Formo]

So how do you suppose that people solve these issues with their own brain power?

Uhh.. My first few posts in this thread were a DOZEN solutions. Read them.

Your argument is essentially that people should either get over it or stay home, because if you're being honest with yourself there isn't much than anyone can do about it other than those two things.

You skipped the part where I said email the proper authorities. And I could add another, vote with the $$ you spend (or don't). Meaning, if you have issues, then hit TheU where it hurts most, the pocketbook.

 

[RochesterGopher]

Really easily explained, all of this. Students spend less on food than anyone in the stadium normally. And they don't show in numbers that large. Orders are supplied weeks ahead.

The students all came, and they all had $8 free food vouchers. So that's thousands more meals than they would have budgeted for based off previous year's numbers.

As for people complaining about people cheering and the music playing all the time. There is NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING more important to the long-term health of the football team than engagement of the students. They are non running in-game music to appease 20-year veterans of season tickets. If they don't win the youth, they are screwed now and in the future when they become the regular season-ticket holders.

Quit whining. Go cheer. Eat early if you must. Bring friends. Go Gophers.

+1

 

[Deleted_User]

Uhh.. then hit TheU where it hurts most, the pocketbook.

Formo, buddy, pal. Never advocate against my alma mater! Not good. Not over food and game experience. Nuh uhh. Never. Ever.
Waaaaoooooooooooooooo brother! Nuh uhh.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Really easily explained, all of this. Students spend less on food than anyone in the stadium normally. And they don't show in numbers that large. Orders are supplied weeks ahead.

The students all came, and they all had $8 free food vouchers. So that's thousands more meals than they would have budgeted for based off previous year's numbers.As for people complaining about people cheering and the music playing all the time. There is NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING more important to the long-term health of the football team than engagement of the students. They are non running in-game music to appease 20-year veterans of season tickets. If they don't win the youth, they are screwed now and in the future when they become the regular season-ticket holders.

Quit whining. Go cheer. Eat early if you must. Bring friends. Go Gophers.

This seems to sum up the problems that a lot of people have with the Gopher management: they don't coordinate and they don't think. If marketing is planning a promotion giving free tickets and food to people who normally don't show up and don't buy food, they should have communicated that to the vendors in advance. The problem seems to be that every department thinks that what they do happens in a vacuum.

This is similar to the tailgating complaining that happened with the Thursday game. If, at the time the game was announced, the department had come out with some kind of supplemental notification to the parking pass holders that said something to the effect of "we are excited to have the opportunity to play a Thursday night game. This game will help us reach audiences we wouldn't otherwise reach. We do, however recognize that this will also create new challenges coordinating with state fair parking as well as weekday employee parking. We apologize in advance for any convenience that causes." That gives the impression that the fans who tailgate were considered, and the department made a decision that the opportunity was worth a small inconvenience. Instead, by notifying late, the department gave the impression that they scheduled the game without it ever ocurring to anyone what the problems would be, and they were like a bunch of Mr. Magoo's scratching their heads saying "oh, shoot,I guess there is a fair going on, and on top of that, it turns out Thursday is a work day". These kind of blunders are what lead lots of us to the conclusion that there is serious lack of thought and mismanagement going on. The problem is not the individual inconveniences, it is the repeated ineptitude.

 

[GopherinPhilly]

Formo, buddy, pal. Never advocate against my alma mater! Not good. Not over food and game experience. Nuh uhh. Never. Ever.
Waaaaoooooooooooooooo brother! Nuh uhh.

Amen Dean S. I won't pass judgement on the dim witted who think the whole experience isn't part of ticket price or that a $15 billion company can't compensate for 8,000 coupons by having extra hot dogs on hand. It isn't the coupons were handed out in secret, or that the same promo wasn't done last year.

I want my team to be successful, I want the Gophers to have 80K at every home game, start a sell out streak that goes on for 80 years and to add to our Nat'l Champ Total.

I like Coach Kill so much for one reason. He understands that if you don't take care of your business off the field, you will never rise up on the field. Classroom, life, family, team, practice, meetings, on time, focused, busting your butt...and then, when you can handle all that, we will let you play. Fail to handle all that, sit and learn.

For our school to get to where NE, Ohio, scUM & MSU are (I refuse to list cheesenuts) for home game attendance and fan support we first have to handle our business as an entertainment venue and sports venue. And right now, 5 years into it, TCF is still missing meetings, failing to do the simple things and not delivering on what any reasonable and sane person expects from a $5 matinee at the movie theater, much less for the $100 dollars you spent to see the football game (ticket, parking, travel). It is simple, until the U delivers on the basic stuff, I will remain faithless in their ability to deliver on advance stuff. I can't bench them, so I bitch.

 

[Deleted_User]

This seems to sum up the problems that a lot of people have with the Gopher management: they don't coordinate and they don't think. If marketing is planning a promotion giving free tickets and food to people who normally don't show up and don't buy food, they should have communicated that to the vendors in advance. The problem seems to be that every department thinks that what they do happens in a vacuum.

This is similar to the tailgating complaining that happened with the Thursday game. If, at the time the game was announced, the department had come out with some kind of supplemental notification to the parking pass holders that said something to the effect of "we are excited to have the opportunity to play a Thursday night game. This game will help us reach audiences we wouldn't otherwise reach. We do, however recognize that this will also create new challenges coordinating with state fair parking as well as weekday employee parking. We apologize in advance for any convenience that causes." That gives the impression that the fans who tailgate were considered, and the department made a decision that the opportunity was worth a small inconvenience. Instead, by notifying late, the department gave the impression that they scheduled the game without it ever ocurring to anyone what the problems would be, and they were like a bunch of Mr. Magoo's scratching their heads saying "oh, shoot,I guess there is a fair going on, and on top of that, it turns out Thursday is a work day". These kind of blunders are what lead lots of us to the conclusion that there is serious lack of thought and mismanagement going on. The problem is not the individual inconveniences, it is the repeated ineptitude.

OMG, there has never, ever been the State Fair before! That wouldn't impact anything. No, I trash canned my email from parking services. Those guys are always clogging my email. My gosh, I have never thought the Fair, the preannounced tailgating, and my brain all had to work together to make a solution to my parking problem. Gee, I wish I had actually read the email from parking services. And, to top it off, I deleted the junk in my trash can. Can I be a bigger fool. To top it off, somebody else ate my hot dog! How dare they! Marketing should be smarter. Forecasting more accurate. Parking should be a socialist paradise. I am so inconvenienced. Boo. Hoo. Boo hoo. Boohoo. booboo. Mahmie! Where's my nookie.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

OMG, there has never, ever been the State Fair before! That wouldn't impact anything. No, I trash canned my email from parking services. Those guys are always clogging my email. My gosh, I have never thought the Fair, the preannounced tailgating, and my brain all had to work together to make a solution to my parking problem. Gee, I wish I had actually read the email from parking services. And, to top it off, I deleted the junk in my trash can. Can I be a bigger fool. To top it off, somebody else ate my hot dog! How dare they! Marketing should be smarter. Forecasting more accurate. Parking should be a socialist paradise. I am so inconvenienced. Boo. Hoo. Boo hoo. Boohoo. booboo. Mahmie! Where's my nookie.

I think you are missing my main point. First of all, I don't see how expecting that the people who paid in excess of $70 per game have access to the parkign spots is advocating for a socialist paradise. That seems like a capitalist paradise, give the spots to the highest bidder (of course, if some of the contract parkers who were there have a contract that costs more than $70/day, then my argument is without merit). Either way, I don't expect that you care that I lost 2 hours of tailgating (though it mattered to me), I don't expect that you care that some people couldn't buy hot dogs (though I am sure it mattered to them), and I don't expect that you care that the scoreboard was wrong (though I'm sure it mattered to some casual fans who are not as adept at identifying down and distance from the markers on the field).

When I was a young boy learning to play hockey, every time my team would lose, I would always talk to my dad about the game and latch on to any calls that didn't go our way, claiming that the ref was the reason we lost. My dad one day responded with, "when your team plays a game where you don't make any sloppy, stupid, or avoidable mistakes, and you still lose, then you can blame the ref, until then, you guys should focus on the things that you can fix."

At the micro (individual fan) level, your point is well taken. Fans should do everything they can to enjoy the game rather then just whining. My buddy and I did that. With the lost 2 hours of tailgating, we figured "well, this is a work day, so it wouldn't be the worst thing if we stayed at our respective jobs for an extra hour to get a little more done." Then, we still showed up an hour early, set up our own little tailgate in the grass between the sidewalk and street just outside the lot for an hour, had some fun, and enjoyed chatting with other fans who were excited enough about the new season to show up five hours before gametime and one hour before the parking openned.

However, my real problem is the macro (athletics department) level. Our attendance levels at the beautiful TCF Bank Stadium have been horrible. Plenty of people make excuses about how it is tough to market college football in a big urban market with four pro sports teams. I am sure that is true. However, just like me blaming the refs as a kid, the U needs to focus on things it can control. There is no reason it can't communicate better, no reason it can't coordinate better, no reason it can train its staff (scoreboard) better, and no reason it can't forecast better. The sheer sloppiness of giving out however many thousand free food tickets without warning the people in charge of providing food that there will be that much more demand for food is staggering. If and when the U takes care of these sloppy mistakes and starts running what I feel is an efficient and well-run department, but still struggles to fill the stadium, then I will be ready to blame the problems on the crowded sports market. Until then, I don't want to hear it.

Sorry that rant got so long, I promise I didn't just give Wren my password.

 

[station19]

However, my real problem is the macro (athletics department) level. Our attendance levels at the beautiful TCF Bank Stadium have been horrible. Plenty of people make excuses about how it is tough to market college football in a big urban market with four pro sports teams. I am sure that is true. However, just like me blaming the refs as a kid, the U needs to focus on things it can control. There is no reason it can't communicate better, no reason it can't coordinate better, no reason it can train its staff (scoreboard) better, and no reason it can't forecast better. The sheer sloppiness of giving out however many thousand free food tickets without warning the people in charge of providing food that there will be that much more demand for food is staggering. If and when the U takes care of these sloppy mistakes and starts running what I feel is an efficient and well-run department, but still struggles to fill the stadium, then I will be ready to blame the problems on the crowded sports market. Until then, I don't want to hear it.

.

This sums it up quite well. It's not only about wins. All these things matter, including the crowded sports market. Like you said, focus on what you can control......it matters.

 

[jaymil]

This seems to sum up the problems that a lot of people have with the Gopher management: they don't coordinate and they don't think. If marketing is planning a promotion giving free tickets and food to people who normally don't show up and don't buy food, they should have communicated that to the vendors in advance. The problem seems to be that every department thinks that what they do happens in a vacuum.

This is similar to the tailgating complaining that happened with the Thursday game. If, at the time the game was announced, the department had come out with some kind of supplemental notification to the parking pass holders that said something to the effect of "we are excited to have the opportunity to play a Thursday night game. This game will help us reach audiences we wouldn't otherwise reach. We do, however recognize that this will also create new challenges coordinating with state fair parking as well as weekday employee parking. We apologize in advance for any convenience that causes." That gives the impression that the fans who tailgate were considered, and the department made a decision that the opportunity was worth a small inconvenience. Instead, by notifying late, the department gave the impression that they scheduled the game without it ever ocurring to anyone what the problems would be, and they were like a bunch of Mr. Magoo's scratching their heads saying "oh, shoot,I guess there is a fair going on, and on top of that, it turns out Thursday is a work day". These kind of blunders are what lead lots of us to the conclusion that there is serious lack of thought and mismanagement going on. The problem is not the individual inconveniences, it is the repeated ineptitude.

Completely agree with this post. If the U plans on giving away a bunch of free tickets and food vouchers, they should notify the vending company and tell them to have more food available. It's not that tough to plan ahead. Running out of food at some of the concessions at halftime is flat out unacceptable. No excuse for it.

 

[e.bigelow]

I think you are missing my main point. First of all, I don't see how expecting that the people who paid in excess of $70 per game have access to the parkign spots is advocating for a socialist paradise. That seems like a capitalist paradise, give the spots to the highest bidder (of course, if some of the contract parkers who were there have a contract that costs more than $70/day, then my argument is without merit). Either way, I don't expect that you care that I lost 2 hours of tailgating (though it mattered to me), I don't expect that you care that some people couldn't buy hot dogs (though I am sure it mattered to them), and I don't expect that you care that the scoreboard was wrong (though I'm sure it mattered to some casual fans who are not as adept at identifying down and distance from the markers on the field).

When I was a young boy learning to play hockey, every time my team would lose, I would always talk to my dad about the game and latch on to any calls that didn't go our way, claiming that the ref was the reason we lost. My dad one day responded with, "when your team plays a game where you don't make any sloppy, stupid, or avoidable mistakes, and you still lose, then you can blame the ref, until then, you guys should focus on the things that you can fix."

At the micro (individual fan) level, your point is well taken. Fans should do everything they can to enjoy the game rather then just whining. My buddy and I did that. With the lost 2 hours of tailgating, we figured "well, this is a work day, so it wouldn't be the worst thing if we stayed at our respective jobs for an extra hour to get a little more done." Then, we still showed up an hour early, set up our own little tailgate in the grass between the sidewalk and street just outside the lot for an hour, had some fun, and enjoyed chatting with other fans who were excited enough about the new season to show up five hours before gametime and one hour before the parking openned.

However, my real problem is the macro (athletics department) level. Our attendance levels at the beautiful TCF Bank Stadium have been horrible. Plenty of people make excuses about how it is tough to market college football in a big urban market with four pro sports teams. I am sure that is true. However, just like me blaming the refs as a kid, the U needs to focus on things it can control. There is no reason it can't communicate better, no reason it can't coordinate better, no reason it can train its staff (scoreboard) better, and no reason it can't forecast better. The sheer sloppiness of giving out however many thousand free food tickets without warning the people in charge of providing food that there will be that much more demand for food is staggering. If and when the U takes care of these sloppy mistakes and starts running what I feel is an efficient and well-run department, but still struggles to fill the stadium, then I will be ready to blame the problems on the crowded sports market. Until then, I don't want to hear it.

Sorry that rant got so long, I promise I didn't just give Wren my password.

Nailed it!

 

[Gopherprof]

You skipped the part where I said email the proper authorities.

You honestly think that people haven't e-mailed Maturi/Teague about these issues? It's 2013. I'd guess they get 10-15 e-mails of this nature a week.

And I could add another, vote with the $$ you spend (or don't). Meaning, if you have issues, then hit TheU where it hurts most, the pocketbook.

How is that any different than "get over it or stay home"?

That's all you're saying. Your "solutions" are basically telling people to get over it:

"Don't have enough concession food? Well don't eat it!"- Oh *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#, why didn't they think of that?

Your argument is fine for you because you clearly don't care these issues, but it's an idiotic attitude to have towards your customer base that is already insufficient.

 

[Formo]

How is that any different than "get over it or stay home"?

That's all you're saying. Your "solutions" are basically telling people to get over it:

"Don't have enough concession food? Well don't eat it!"- Oh *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#, why didn't they think of that?

Your argument is fine for you because you clearly don't care these issues, but it's an idiotic attitude to have towards your customer base that is already insufficient.

Where did I say this is the attitude TheU needs/must have? Of course they need to fix their issues. All I'm saying is learn to control the controllables (your own actions/attitude) and these things will be far less stressful/bothersome.

 

[Formo]

Formo, buddy, pal. Never advocate against my alma mater! Not good. Not over food and game experience. Nuh uhh. Never. Ever.
Waaaaoooooooooooooooo brother! Nuh uhh.

If it shuts them up about the bitching complaining, I'm all about advocating that. Sorry buddy.

 

[Deleted_User]

You honestly think that people haven't e-mailed Maturi/Teague about these issues? It's 2013. I'd guess they get 10-15 e-mails of this nature a week.


How is that any different than "get over it or stay home"?

That's all you're saying. Your "solutions" are basically telling people to get over it:

"Don't have enough concession food? Well don't eat it!"- Oh *&^!#*&^!#*&^!#*&^!#, why didn't they think of that?

Your argument is fine for you because you clearly don't care these issues, but it's an idiotic attitude to have towards your customer base that is already insufficient.

If I went to the game to eat bad food... I mean the fine cuisine...

It was the first game of the year for crying out loud. It happened at the dome. It will happen again. If you never experienced it before, why did you all save the complaining about food during one of the most exciting games in decades? I know that many of you are upset, especially since many of you believe your wallet buys you extra rights to mouth off about your disappointment. I don't think I could pry myself out of the seat for that fun game. You never could tell what was going to happen next.

I think it is funny that we are not bickering about the team. Now we are after the vendor who serves food. Honestly, people will find a way to gripe about the small stuff.

You are not being gassed by a maniac.
You did not go without food for days on end.
You had a nice place to hang out and celebrate a great school with great people around you.
You have reliable infrastructure in 99.98% of your everyday life.
You have caring people around you.
The band plays.
Goldie was everywhere.
The dance line is so fine!
Dinkytown could use the business.
Stadium village could use the business.
OMG, the cheerleaders.
You could have always snuck in the flask.
Never, ever leave home without a backup plan.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

Maybe it's just the old guy in me but did anyone else notice that the volume was a bit too loud for hearing comfort? I love the Bank but the volume on the sound system needs to be tweaked down.

Go Gophers !

 

[saintpaulguy]

Maybe it's just the old guy in me but did anyone else notice that the volume was a bit too loud for hearing comfort? I love the Bank but the volume on the sound system needs to be tweaked down.

Go Gophers !

I actually mentioned it at the top of this thread, but good to have validation. I have been now directly told that as a 20 year season ticket holder that I should shut up about it, but, hey, as some have said in this thread, it's better to e-mail the U. Which I did before this thread was started, 'cause I'm all savvy with that stuff.

God Almighty, you all need to go to a Twins game some time. I hold a 20 game package for the Twins, and it is Cheaper than my gopher tickets. Fair, well, it is entertainment dollars, not a cause for most of us.

Strollers? I have a 2 year old. The Twins have a stroller check. They also offer diapers and sunscreen. TCF BANS strollers. If you want to bring a small child, good luck.

I have never had a Target Field concession stand turn away a person for food, even the ones run by Eden Prairie Junior High School Dance Line.

Seriously, it is an insult to the University to accept this nonsense. Do you offer apologies with your degree as well? The University is supposed to be full of smart people. Not the "first game of the season" "didn't know about coupons" "I make my own sandwich and I'm better than you and I don't pee during games"crowd. Win on the field. Win in the stands. Accept no compromises. Rah.

Fact--on field, off field, the product is not as good as the competition, and attendance suffers. Sorry this is against some people's religion.

twins, wild, and gophers all have new stadiums/arenas, all are not consistent winners of late, but yet, which one will someone choose when they have a spare 60 bucks?