Gophers beat Badgers in spring game attendance


My question/thought about expansion. Does it have to be an all-at once situation? In other words, could they add another 15,000 seats, but build it in such a way that another 15,000 could be added on at a later date.

I think going from 50,000 to 80,000 in one stage is too much - but maybe by doing it in stages, the U could accommodate some increased demand without creating a ticket glut on the market. Maybe market it to the fans: If you sign up for X amount of season tickets, we'll expand the stadium.

They better get it done in the next 3 years, where else are all those people dumping their tickets due to the scholarship increase going to sit? That's 30,000 no scholarship donation seats prime for the pickin. :rolleyes:
 

When the Gophers win a Big Ten championship (notice I didn't say "if"!), that will drive season ticket sales up, and then we can at least entertain expansion thoughts.
Even with a conference championship I don't think expansion would be a good idea. That isn't going to be a permanent state and once the fervor dies down or after a couple average seasons, the stadium will be full of Badger/Hawkeye fans.
 

Maryland, Illinois and Northwestern did not list attendance.

1. 99,391 – Ohio State
2. 76,881 – Nebraska
3. 68,000 – Penn State
4. 60,000 – Michigan
5. 48,000 – Michigan State
6. 15,782 – Rutgers
7. 10,100 – Minnesota
8. 10,014 – Indiana
9. 9,630 – Wisconsin
10. 8,000 – Iowa
11. 5,145 – Purdue

Nationally

1. Ohio State: 99,391
2. Nebraska: 76,881
3. Penn State: 68,000
4. Alabama: 65,175
5. Tennessee: 63,016
6. Auburn: 62,143
7. Michigan: 60,000
8. Michigan State: 48,000

http://btn.com/2015/04/25/big-ten-now-owns-five-of-top-seven-spring-game-attendance-crowds/
Iowa did not have 8000. Not even close. Saw a thread on their own rivals.com site where even Iowa fans were laughing at that and saying that number their athletic department put out was complete and utter b.s. Their own fans were saying it was 800 to 1000 people at best.
 

Iowa did not have 8000. Not even close. Saw a thread on their own rivals.com site where even Iowa fans were laughing at that and saying that number their athletic department put out was complete and utter b.s. Their own fans were saying it was 800 to 1000 people at best.

Yeah, the first post of this page had two nice pictures of it.
 


Even with a conference championship I don't think expansion would be a good idea. That isn't going to be a permanent state and once the fervor dies down or after a couple average seasons, the stadium will be full of Badger/Hawkeye fans.
Good to see ur a true believer in OUR program. [emoji90]

Smh
 

Good to see ur a true believer in OUR program. [emoji90]

Smh
It's not about "believing" or "wanting it", it's about the reality. The fan base here isn't large enough in my opinion to sustain a 70,000 seat stadium on a consistent basis. If the Gophs do win a conference title could we sell out a 70k stadium? Maybe, maybe not. But it's not something that will be year in and year out. In the good years I'd rather have a 50k stadium that's full with GOPHER fans and being a hard to get ticket, rather than a 70k seat stadium that is half empty in the down years and half full of Badger fans on Wisconsin week.
 


Maryland, Illinois and Northwestern did not list attendance.

1. 99,391 – Ohio State
2. 76,881 – Nebraska
3. 68,000 – Penn State
4. 60,000 – Michigan
5. 48,000 – Michigan State
6. 15,782 – Rutgers
7. 10,100 – Minnesota
8. 10,014 – Indiana
9. 9,630 – Wisconsin
10. 8,000 – Iowa
11. 5,145 – Purdue

Nationally

1. Ohio State: 99,391
2. Nebraska: 76,881
3. Penn State: 68,000
4. Alabama: 65,175
5. Tennessee: 63,016
6. Auburn: 62,143
7. Michigan: 60,000
8. Michigan State: 48,000

http://btn.com/2015/04/25/big-ten-now-owns-five-of-top-seven-spring-game-attendance-crowds/

Was Michigan disappointed with 60? I would have guessed more with ALL the Harbaugh fervor. Maybe they're done?
 




It's not about "believing" or "wanting it", it's about the reality. The fan base here isn't large enough in my opinion to sustain a 70,000 seat stadium on a consistent basis. If the Gophs do win a conference title could we sell out a 70k stadium? Maybe, maybe not. But it's not something that will be year in and year out. In the good years I'd rather have a 50k stadium that's full with GOPHER fans and being a hard to get ticket, rather than a 70k seat stadium that is half empty in the down years and half full of Badger fans on Wisconsin week.

I am not sure how you can know what reality is post actual football success. The Gophers have never been above 5-3 in conference play in a lot of our lifetmes, haven't finished in the top 3(!) in the conference in forever, etc, etc. I certainly agree with those that state it's silly to consider expansion now, but after at least one B1G title and a series of years where the Gophers are real contenders the landscape could change dramatically. Personally, I think we have so many older fans, because those are the fans that actually experienced the Gophers last real success in football. They've seen it happen before, so they believe it can happen again. I think a lot of people in their 20's, 30's, and 40's have decided not to invest their time and resources in to a product that has never been great in their lifetimes. If the product is great occasionally, that could have a dramatic impact on interest/attendance.

Hopefully we can find out what happens.
 






I am not sure how you can know what reality is post actual football success. The Gophers have never been above 5-3 in conference play in a lot of our lifetmes, haven't finished in the top 3(!) in the conference in forever, etc, etc. I certainly agree with those that state it's silly to consider expansion now, but after at least one B1G title and a series of years where the Gophers are real contenders the landscape could change dramatically. Personally, I think we have so many older fans, because those are the fans that actually experienced the Gophers last real success in football. They've seen it happen before, so they believe it can happen again. I think a lot of people in their 20's, 30's, and 40's have decided not to invest their time and resources in to a product that has never been great in their lifetimes. If the product is great occasionally, that could have a dramatic impact on interest/attendance.

Hopefully we can find out what happens.
I agree that there can be increases in the attendance and interest with continued improvement in wins, but to me they aren't likely permanent or consistent increases where the fans will stick by the team through thick and thin. Once a down year hits (and it will, every program has ups and downs) the fans will vanish like they do for all sports in this town. Until the "die hard" fans that are always around become enough to sustain an expansion that is when the construction should happen, not due to temporary bumps in attendance. For me it's not about having the biggest stadium it's about having the right stadium for the fan base.
 




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