Gopher Season Ticket Costs Going Way UP?

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Our seats are upper deck bench seats first nine rows. I figured that we would be safe from this type of money-grab. Bench seats in the upper deck!

I'm also wondering if the timing of this announcement doesn't speak to the Norwood-Kill relationship. An AD who had great respect and love for his coach would never dump this news out at the same time as the Kill coach of the year announcement. We should be enjoying some good Gopher football news rather than complaining about tickets prices, but here we are.
 

skoalvikings said:
Our seats are upper deck bench seats first nine rows. I figured that we would be safe from this type of money-grab. Bench seats in the upper deck!

I'm also wondering if the timing of this announcement doesn't speak to the Norwood-Kill relationship. An AD who had great respect and love for his coach would never dump this news out at the same time as the Kill coach of the year announcement. We should be enjoying some good Gopher football news rather than complaining about tickets prices, but here we are.
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Kill gets it. Norwood doesn't. He's an east coast guy just as bad as Wilf.
 

It's too bad that the U chooses to take the easy and lazy way out.
TV ratings are through the roof. There is excitement about Gopher Football which we haven't seen in years.
What a great time for an aggressive season ticket campaign. Three thousand new season tickets would not be out of the question.
There's an added million dollars right there. unfortunately, its much easier to raise extra money by gouging your Fan Base.
 

BJN said:
Treating college sports like a ****ing business has ****ing ruined it. Commercialization destroys everything.

But hey, the womens hopscotch team's overpriced tuition might be fully funded.
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If they were treating it like a bleeping business, there wouldn't be a women's hopscotch team and the like.
 

The U knew this was going to be a sh!tshow. Why not soften the blow and include this in the communication:

"We understand that as supporters of Gopher football we are asking more from you. This is not lost on us. As part of our genuine appreciation for your continued support, with each ticket/donation you make, you will also receive a $5 voucher to food for each game."

While that isn't a huge amount, it is a gesture. It gets you a soda or a hot dog for gosh sakes and it wouldn't cost the U that much.
 


Golden_Sloth said:
+1. Yesterday it was "Norwood, get these facilities done or Kill will leave! Nebraska would find a way". Now there's a price increase and everyone is up in arms about having to pay an extra $150 for their two seats for the season.
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There's something wrong with your math here. My two seats will go up $500 for my two seats. Not $150. I paid $300 apiece this year and they'll soon be $550 each. Based on 2013 prices, this is a ridiculous 100 percent increase in four years. I'm hoping I can keep our group of six together for one more season -- that's when we'll see your $150 increase for two tickets. But three years from now when we've gone from $600 for two seats to $1,100, we'll be gone.

Last year prices went up and, while there was grumbling, most of us realized that it was inevitable and re-upped. But a 100 percent increase is idiotic.
 

How much are single game football tickets through the ticket office? What would the cost difference be to simply order tickets for the entire season through the ticket office and just drop season tickets? Are season tickets by 2017 priced so far beyond the market, it simply won't make sense to buy them anymore?
 

No thanks. I'm alright with Teague's decision.
 

I too am fine with Teague's decision. While I understand that a price increase will push some people to stay home, it is hard for me to understand some of the intense anger about this. "We" as Gopher fans have complained for years that we can't compete and that we have a losing program. When we finally appear to have the program going in the right direction, "we" r now going to recoil in horror when asked to pay up to help support the program? Do u think the money for a contract extension down the line for Kill and staff grows on trees? Do u think the new facilities will build themselves?

If u want to compete with Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan and the SEC in bowl games beyond the occasional fluke win every five years or so then u have to pay up. Good coaches r not cheap. Recruits like shiny new things. Whether we like it or not that is the reality. It's like the chicken and the egg conundrum. Which comes first? The title or the money to buy the parts necessary to win said title?

I hate that the increase will mean some can't attend the game. But the reaction going on since the announcement is one part of why the SEC and other conferences are putting distance between themselves and the Big10. Winning in the other leagues is a priority. Judging from the reaction of some fans here, it doesn't need to be for the Gophers.While it could be wrong, for some schools it is the ONLY priority. If u want to compete at the top level then to some extent u have to play their game. If u r not comfortable with that or u can't pay up, accept that reality and quit complaining about 4-7 records. Continue what u have had for the last 60 years, pay cheap prices and show up to cheer for a mediocre team. There is nothing wrong with that if that makes u happy, just don't wish for titles.




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station19 said:
If they were treating it like a bleeping business, there wouldn't be a women's hopscotch team and the like.
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This is exactly the problem with this kind of decision, is the U wants to be able to have the best of both worlds. They want to say they have to make a business pricing decision that feels like gouging to us, but then they turn around and want to be treated like a charity when it comes to donation time. If the Minnesota Wild called me up and said "hey, I see you bought a few tickets last year, we want to build a new training facility for our players, would you be interested in donating?", I would laugh the guy right off the phone. My response would be "hell no, use some of your profit margin on my expensive tickets for your own facilities upgrade." This is my first year not in grad school, and I was trying to work my budget to make sure that I could find money for the U's athletic facilities, but if the U is going to make business decisions and think of me as a customer only valued for my revenue, then I am not interested in donating above and beyond what the price of the service I seek from the U is.
 

U2Gopher said:
I too am fine with Teague's decision. While I understand that a price increase will push some people to stay home, it is hard for me to understand some of the intense anger about this. "We" as Gopher fans have complained for years that we can't compete and that we have a losing program. When we finally appear to have the program going in the right direction, "we" r now going to recoil in horror when asked to pay up to help support the program? Do u think the money for a contract extension down the line for Kill and staff grows on trees? Do u think the new facilities will build themselves?

If u want to compete with Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan and the SEC in bowl games beyond the occasional fluke win every five years or so then u have to pay up. Good coaches r not cheap. Recruits like shiny new things. Whether we like it or not that is the reality. It's like the chicken and the egg conundrum. Which comes first? The title or the money to buy the parts necessary to win said title?

I hate that the increase will mean some can't attend the game. But the reaction going on since the announcement is one part of why the SEC and other conferences are putting distance between themselves and the Big10. Winning in the other leagues is a priority. Judging from the reaction of some fans here, it doesn't need to be for the Gophers.While it could be wrong, for some schools it is the ONLY priority. If u want to compete at the top level then to some extent u have to play their game. If u r not comfortable with that or u can't pay up, accept that reality and quit complaining about 4-7 records. Continue what u have had for the last 60 years, pay cheap prices and show up to cheer for a mediocre team. There is nothing wrong with that if that makes u happy, just don't wish for titles.




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You clearly don't understand what the increase is funding, do you? Please tell us how playing in front of a crowd of 20,000 people is going to help us compete in the Big 10?
 

The frustration, for me at least, doesn't stem from wanting more money for the program. The program needs more money to build better facilities and offer student-athletes better experiences at the U. That much is true and can't really be debated. I sincerely hope those with the means to purchase the tickets will do so.

My frustration with the announcement is two-fold -

1) Selfishness. I selfishly enjoy going to games at a reasonable price, having a reasonably priced sports option in a time when attending live sports is getting more and more expensive. That said, if people that want to pay more for my seats are willing to, I really really hope they do. But I also have ...

2) ...a fear of the unknown. What if we raise these prices and have a huge drop in attendance next season? We do not have ticket demand where we can expect that the people dropping off due to increased prices will be replaced by those who have been waiting to buy tickets. Will there be a big drop in atmosphere? Will it affect recruiting? What if the team isn't as competitive next year? What if we have the exact same season as this year, but drop 2 points to Purdue, and end up 7-5, heading to Nashville or Detroit or New York? I see an absolute catastrophe for the future of the program, as tickets proceed to get even more expensive in 2016, with an uncertain future about the direction of the program as a true contender. Indeed, we could go 10-2 next year too - and then, if you ask me, this move would be genius. But it's a lot to ask from this program, if history is any indication.
 

U2Gopher said:
I too am fine with Teague's decision. While I understand that a price increase will push some people to stay home, it is hard for me to understand some of the intense anger about this. "We" as Gopher fans have complained for years that we can't compete and that we have a losing program. When we finally appear to have the program going in the right direction, "we" r now going to recoil in horror when asked to pay up to help support the program? Do u think the money for a contract extension down the line for Kill and staff grows on trees? Do u think the new facilities will build themselves?

If u want to compete with Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan and the SEC in bowl games beyond the occasional fluke win every five years or so then u have to pay up. Good coaches r not cheap. Recruits like shiny new things. Whether we like it or not that is the reality. It's like the chicken and the egg conundrum. Which comes first? The title or the money to buy the parts necessary to win said title?

I hate that the increase will mean some can't attend the game. But the reaction going on since the announcement is one part of why the SEC and other conferences are putting distance between themselves and the Big10. Winning in the other leagues is a priority. Judging from the reaction of some fans here, it doesn't need to be for the Gophers.While it could be wrong, for some schools it is the ONLY priority. If u want to compete at the top level then to some extent u have to play their game. If u r not comfortable with that or u can't pay up, accept that reality and quit complaining about 4-7 records. Continue what u have had for the last 60 years, pay cheap prices and show up to cheer for a mediocre team. There is nothing wrong with that if that makes u happy, just don't wish for titles.




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BUt the problem is that this is not going to pay for new shiny things. That is what the 190million is for.
 



Gopher07 said:
The frustration, for me at least, doesn't stem from wanting more money for the program. The program needs more money to build better facilities and offer student-athletes better experiences at the U. That much is true and can't really be debated. I sincerely hope those with the means to purchase the tickets will do so.

My frustration with the announcement is two-fold -

1) Selfishness. I selfishly enjoy going to games at a reasonable price, having a reasonably priced sports option in a time when attending live sports is getting more and more expensive. That said, if people that want to pay more for my seats are willing to, I really really hope they do. But I also have ...

2) ...a fear of the unknown. What if we raise these prices and have a huge drop in attendance next season? We do not have ticket demand where we can expect that the people dropping off due to increased prices will be replaced by those who have been waiting to buy tickets. Will there be a big drop in atmosphere? Will it affect recruiting? What if the team isn't as competitive next year? What if we have the exact same season as this year, but drop 2 points to Purdue, and end up 7-5, heading to Nashville or Detroit or New York? I see an absolute catastrophe for the future of the program, as tickets proceed to get even more expensive in 2016, with an uncertain future about the direction of the program as a true contender. Indeed, we could go 10-2 next year too - and then, if you ask me, this move would be genius. But it's a lot to ask from this program, if history is any indication.
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Yep.
Plus I'd add my usual rant.
The atmosphere in TCF and pre/post game is awful to mediocre.
We haven't had 50,000 screaming butts in the seats since 2009 against Cal, maybe even Air Force.
This will not help unless in addition to playing big boy college football they are going to play big boy college gameday. The campus simply doesn't make gameday special like other places do.
The norm in alot of places is big open areas for partying, marching band shows, loose alcohol rules, shutting down campus for gameday gatherings etc. It's a priority above anything else on Sat, and in some places celebrations start Thurs night.
Good luck with that, Teague didn't even support 6 hours of pregame on Thursday night season openers when the lots were being rented out to the State Fair the day before.
 

Gopher07 said:
My frustration with the announcement is two-fold - ...
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This is mostly where I'm at. I'd feel a lot better about this move if in a few years, after sustained success, a wait list had been built-up behind us all and there were people legitimately willing to pay more. Supply/demand. I'd be forced to say that while I enjoyed paying over market prices for some years (08, 10, 11, 12, even 13 & 14 given attendance and deals the U doled out), I also probably got a decent deal in a few interim years while the program transitioned to true competitor and it's now time for me to either pony up to match what other people are willing to pay or deal with only attending a few games a year by splitting or buying individual tix, watching the rest of the games at home. I'm honest with myself, I can't afford everything and if I were an OSU fan living in Columbus I wouldn't be a STH right now.

But we've had attendance issues for years. Even this year and last year, in meaningful Big Ten games, even against rivals, the stadium isn't full. And it's not just the student section. Away side chairbacks stay empty throughout the game, as do many seats in the corners. We have no wait list. We have no indication there will be on after a season that, while we showed marginal improvement over 2013, still proved we're a step or two away from a Big Ten championship (let alone playing for multiple in a 5 year span). The fact that total ticket prices will be in the range of Neb/OSU/Mich rather than Wisc/MSU/Iowa shows how far they're reaching.

Someone already ran the numbers. Even if HALF of the current STHs left, the U would still be making money on this donation hike. That goes to show you how high a jump this is. They're daring long-term ticket holders to leave and not come back because they know they'll make more anyway. It shows no loyalty to the people who gave them loyalty in really down times. They stuck with Kill through down years and health issues, and so did we. Where's our recognition for that? It shows that total revenue matters more than gameday atmosphere (something Kill really, really wants). Having attended a few hockey games the past few years (yes, through my old company!) I can absolutely say Mariucci is a shell of what is was from 03-06 (my time in school - I had student tix 2 years and was in the band for another). Yes, the students still get loud, but the rest of the place is dead. And there is no transition for recent grads to even have a sniff at holding tickets of their own.

Oh well.
 

The arguments have been pretty much laid out on both sides, but I just want to add one more thought: People seem to be hung up on how high (some) of our tickets will rank in the conference in terms of price. Isn't it possible that we are one of the first schools to implement an increase to cover the "full cost of attendance?" Maybe in 6 months, we'll be back towards the middle where many of you feel more comfortable. Just a thought...
 

U2Gopher said:
I too am fine with Teague's decision. While I understand that a price increase will push some people to stay home, it is hard for me to understand some of the intense anger about this. "We" as Gopher fans have complained for years that we can't compete and that we have a losing program. When we finally appear to have the program going in the right direction, "we" r now going to recoil in horror when asked to pay up to help support the program? Do u think the money for a contract extension down the line for Kill and staff grows on trees? Do u think the new facilities will build themselves?

If u want to compete with Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan and the SEC in bowl games beyond the occasional fluke win every five years or so then u have to pay up. Good coaches r not cheap. Recruits like shiny new things. Whether we like it or not that is the reality. It's like the chicken and the egg conundrum. Which comes first? The title or the money to buy the parts necessary to win said title?

I hate that the increase will mean some can't attend the game. But the reaction going on since the announcement is one part of why the SEC and other conferences are putting distance between themselves and the Big10. Winning in the other leagues is a priority. Judging from the reaction of some fans here, it doesn't need to be for the Gophers.While it could be wrong, for some schools it is the ONLY priority. If u want to compete at the top level then to some extent u have to play their game. If u r not comfortable with that or u can't pay up, accept that reality and quit complaining about 4-7 records. Continue what u have had for the last 60 years, pay cheap prices and show up to cheer for a mediocre team. There is nothing wrong with that if that makes u happy, just don't wish for titles.




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I call B.S. Our season ticket prices will now be much higher than Wisconsin's, and I don't see them having any issues filling their stadium and having the facilities to compete. There are other ways to get it done besides asking your most loyal fans to pay these kind of increases.
 

Ole said:
Yep.
Plus I'd add my usual rant.
The atmosphere in TCF and pre/post game is awful to mediocre.
We haven't had 50,000 screaming butts in the seats since 2009 against Cal, maybe even Air Force.
This will not help unless in addition to playing big boy college football they are going to play big boy college gameday. The campus simply doesn't make gameday special like other places do.
The norm in alot of places is big open areas for partying, marching band shows, loose alcohol rules, shutting down campus for gameday gatherings etc. It's a priority above anything else on Sat, and in some places celebrations start Thurs night.
Good luck with that, Teague didn't even support 6 hours of pregame on Thursday night season openers when the lots were being rented out to the State Fair the day before.
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This is not true. We have had a few sell outs since then. 53,000 people showed up for the Wisconsin game last year and 52,000 people showed up to a game this year. The problem with this year is the bleachers added enough seats where 52,000 wasn't enough to sell out TCF.

Is it sold out every game? Absolutely not. So your overall point is valid.
 

BHgrappler said:
I call B.S. Our season ticket prices will now be much higher than Wisconsin's, and I don't see them having any issues filling their stadium and having the facilities to compete. There are other ways to get it done besides asking your most loyal fans to pay these kind of increases.
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You know what Wisconsin's ticket/donation policy is in 2015, 2016 and 2017? Lay it on us!
 

U2Gopher said:
I too am fine with Teague's decision. While I understand that a price increase will push some people to stay home, it is hard for me to understand some of the intense anger about this. "We" as Gopher fans have complained for years that we can't compete and that we have a losing program. When we finally appear to have the program going in the right direction, "we" r now going to recoil in horror when asked to pay up to help support the program? Do u think the money for a contract extension down the line for Kill and staff grows on trees? Do u think the new facilities will build themselves?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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The anger about this decision is because it feels like an absolute betrayal. Yes, a betrayal. Gophers fans - this is my 20th year with season tickets - have stuck with this program through a long, long history of losing. We've been very loyal. How has our loyalty been repaid? By trying to gouge the crap out of us? And for what, a few more million dollars per year? At a time when we we can't even sell out a game against a border state rival when both teams are having winning seasons? Seriously?

And then there's the lying about it - oh, this was caused by "increased travel costs to Maryland & Rutgers, increased health insurance, blah, blah, blah." What a bunch of absolute crap. The revenues from the Big 10 network have gone through the roof, paying for all of that nonsense, and way more (why add MD & Rutgers if it doesn't help us financially - it obviously does and did).

Finally, the anger is because of the magnitude of the increase. Look, we all know they increase ticket prices from time to time, and we don't get too worked up about it because we know about inflation, etc. But look at the poor guy in Sec 113/114, etc. When the stadium opened in 2009, there were thousands of people who signed up for seats there who could've had seats between the 45 yard lines because they didn't want to fork over way, way, more than fair market value for their seats. Now that guy, who was paying $660 for 2 tickets (or $1320 for 4 if he wanted to bring his family) is now gonna be asked to pay $1660 or $3320?? Nearly triple what he was paying?

If they just did the 2015 pricing, and said that was it, we'd be mad. A few people would drop. But I'd guess most people would say something like, "Well, I'm willing to pay a bit more." But this crap - most people costs are nearly doubled or nearly tripled in 3 years - it feels like the AD is saying "Those stupid bastards - they're willing to pay anything!"

I always thought I'd own Gophers football season tickets until I die. I'm not sure now. I'm in zone 6, so my increase is "only" about 50%, so maybe I'll just pay it. But 2 other people in my group might not, which means it will be less fun.

It's time to start a movement to fire Norwood Teague.
 

BHgrappler said:
I call B.S. Our season ticket prices will now be much higher than Wisconsin's, and I don't see them having any issues filling their stadium and having the facilities to compete. There are other ways to get it done besides asking your most loyal fans to pay these kind of increases.
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Wisconsin has more seats. The price doesn't need to be as high for UW to produce enough revenue in donations to compete in the B1G. That doesn't mean I agree with the move by the U.
 

Stan said:
While that isn't a huge amount, it is a gesture. It gets you a soda or a hot dog for gosh sakes and it wouldn't cost the U that much.
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I know I'll be happy when I can buy a coke and get a ticket ala Michigan.
 

Gopherdrummer said:
Wisconsin has more seats. The price doesn't need to be as high for UW to produce enough revenue in donations to compete in the B1G. That doesn't mean I agree with the move by the U.
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We also need to remember we aren't selling out as is. We aren't going to increase revenue by slapping a big price tag on an empty seat.
 

GopherHomer said:
I can just imagine the poor intern at the Orange Bowl that has to try and figure out why some dude in Minnesota is contacting her to complain about season ticket prices...
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This is so great. I can't stop laughing.

You are my new favorite poster.
 


Gopher07 said:
The frustration, for me at least, doesn't stem from wanting more money for the program. The program needs more money to build better facilities and offer student-athletes better experiences at the U. That much is true and can't really be debated. I sincerely hope those with the means to purchase the tickets will do so.

My frustration with the announcement is two-fold -

1) Selfishness. I selfishly enjoy going to games at a reasonable price, having a reasonably priced sports option in a time when attending live sports is getting more and more expensive. That said, if people that want to pay more for my seats are willing to, I really really hope they do. But I also have ...

2) ...a fear of the unknown. What if we raise these prices and have a huge drop in attendance next season? We do not have ticket demand where we can expect that the people dropping off due to increased prices will be replaced by those who have been waiting to buy tickets. Will there be a big drop in atmosphere? Will it affect recruiting? What if the team isn't as competitive next year? What if we have the exact same season as this year, but drop 2 points to Purdue, and end up 7-5, heading to Nashville or Detroit or New York? I see an absolute catastrophe for the future of the program, as tickets proceed to get even more expensive in 2016, with an uncertain future about the direction of the program as a true contender. Indeed, we could go 10-2 next year too - and then, if you ask me, this move would be genius. But it's a lot to ask from this program, if history is any indication.
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Couldn't agree more w/ point #2. If you are going to charge a premium price, you better have a premium product. We've all come to grips that Gopher football has been, more or less, a dumpster fire for a long while. Now it's on the up turn(short-term?), more money is 'required' to compete. And, fine. Super. Kinda-sorta understand. But, THEY have to also understand, that if you want US to pay more, you better give US a better product.

In comparison, look at the Twins. New stadium, all the money in the world, S@#$ product on the field. And, look how fast the fans turned. Ticket prices were a joke. Attendance dropping yearly (6th>4th>12th>17th>19th). Have this happen in big time, big money football; have fun w/ that.

Nothing like wooing a recruit with 60% attendance.
 

Email response from Norwood....not impressed.

Thank you for your email. I've copied our staff in the Gopher Sales and Service Department, who will be able to answer any questions you have about season tickets and scholarship seating donations. They will respond to your email and can help you set up a time to speak one-on-one with a manager if you'd like to speak to someone on the phone.

Thanks again for reaching out and go Gophers!
Norwood Teague
 

What really strikes me as dumb about this announcement is they easily could have nibbled at this $75 to $100 every year and we all would have grumbled each year a little bit and then got over our collective butt hurt. Announcing the "plan" is idiotic and can only cause people who may have stuck it out another year to bail early. Then in 3 years when attendence is down, Kill is coaching at Notre Dame, and the team is back to sub 500 play they will rescind their planned increase to try to regain lost season ticket holders. Only people involved in education have the balls to ask for 100% increases over a few years time.

This is not only killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, it's burning down the house that contained the map to where you found the goose in the first place.
 

Ole said:
Essentially.
2015 very well may be a make or break season for fans.
I bet most will ditch in 2016 barring the things you've laid out.

The thing is, that's a helluva bet to make on this team right now.
Add in the fact that we'll be playing likely 2 top 1-10 teams next season and I just don't see how they can expect this to play out well.
Make the Rose Bowl in 2015 and this all works, another season even at 8-10 wins and lots of people will drop in 2016.
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I'm thinking we're getting Braxton via transfer...
 

LakerFan said:
What really strikes me as dumb about this announcement is they easily could have nibbled at this $75 to $100 every year and we all would have grumbled each year a little bit and then got over our collective butt hurt. Announcing the "plan" is idiotic and can only cause people who may have stuck it out another year to bail early. Then in 3 years when attendence is down, Kill is coaching at Notre Dame, and the team is back to sub 500 play they will rescind their planned increase to try to regain lost season ticket holders. Only people involved in education have the balls to ask for 100% increases over a few years time.
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Wait, Kill will have accomplished something so spectacular at Minnesota that Notre Dame hired him and you'll be upset?
 

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