Gophers Finally Announce: The Gopher Score Priority Ranking System

[BleedGopher]

This was rumored on here a year or so ago. This info was just e-mailed out:

The Gopher Score Priority Ranking System
Gopher Sports is announcing a change in the ticket and parking priority ranking system, effective April 1, 2014. The Gopher Score ranking system will be used to assign a ranking to each eligible customer for processes including:

• Season ticket upgrades
• Post-season tournament ticket on-sales
• Priority for single-game ticket on-sales

Gopher Score uses a formula that balances the importance of season ticket loyalty and philanthropic giving to Gopher Sports. All current season ticket holders (all sports) and current athletics donors will be given a score and rank. The point criteria for Gopher Score is made up of financial gifts to Gopher Sports, consecutive years of season ticket purchase and lettering in a sport at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

After studying other university priority ranking systems, reviewing three years of fan feedback and acting on current season-ticket holder and donor recommendations, we developed Gopher Score to better balance the different areas of support fans provide to Gopher Sports, support which is vital to the success of all Gopher programs and student-athletes.

Gopher Sports offers two methods to assist you in better understanding your personal Gopher Score. For comprehensive information about the Gopher Score ranking system, including details about how your Gopher Score is calculated, please visit mygophersports.com/online/GopherScore. If you would like a personal consultation or have questions about your score or rank, please email [email protected] and we will set up a live one-on-one review for you with one of our managers.

Starting tomorrow and continuing on the 1st of each month, you will receive an email with your updated fan profile. This will allow you to view your current Gopher Score and rank, season ticket and giving histories, and inform you of upcoming Gopher events and deadlines related to Gopher Score.

Golden Gopher Fund level and Gopher Points were the priority ranking systems used for football, men’s basketball and men’s hockey ticket/parking priority over the past three years. When Gopher Points was created, it was intended to be used as a tool to allow football season ticket holders to select seats in the newly built TCF Bank Stadium. It was also used to reseat both Williams Arena and Mariucci Arena for men’s basketball and hockey, processes successfully completed in 2012. Gopher Points was specific to those three venues and those three sports only.

The new Gopher Score ranking system provides customers with one score/rank for all events, allowing Gopher Sports to balance season ticket history and philanthropic giving and allocate tickets/parking in an organized manner.

Go Gophers!!

 

[BleedGopher]

The Gopher Score priority ranking system formula:

Current Year Giving to Athletics – 10 points per $100
Lifetime Giving to Athletics – 3 points per $100
Consecutive Years of Season Ticket Purchase – 10 points per year
Gopher Athletics Letterwinner – 25 points (one time allocation)

Go Gophers!!

 

[Bad Gopher]

So let me get this straight. Last time there were significant points given to lifetime members of the alumni association, so to maximize our points we bought lifetime memberships. Now that's not even a factor. Anything else they can bait us into spending hundreds of dollars on?

 

[Rouser]

So let me get this straight. Last time there were significant points given to lifetime members of the alumni association, so to maximize our points we bought lifetime memberships. Now that's not even a factor. Anything else they can bait us into spending hundreds of dollars on?

Well. I am at least happy that they finally recognizing those of us for having season tickets to multiple sports. That was one of the things that burned me a bit last time around. Hey, nothing is perfect and I think they are doing what they need to do.. constantly see what their peers are doing, etc.

 

[Holy Man]

So let me get this straight. Last time there were significant points given to lifetime members of the alumni association, so to maximize our points we bought lifetime memberships. Now that's not even a factor. Anything else they can bait us into spending hundreds of dollars on?

That's worth a well written letter to both Norwood and the Alumni Association. If they refuse to include it in the points, ask for your money back. I was tempted to buy in on it but never to around to it.

I fear it's a harbinger to cashing out Roth IRA's in the future. You made your plans and paid taxes before, but hey we're going to tax you again. Too bad.

 

[Bad Gopher]

That's worth a well written letter to both Norwood and the Alumni Association. If they refuse to include it in the points, ask for your money back. I was tempted to buy in on it but never to around to it.

I fear it's a harbinger to cashing out Roth IRA's in the future. You made your plans and paid taxes before, but hey we're going to tax you again. Too bad.

Not a bad idea. The lifetime membership still pays for itself over time, but I do feel a little railroaded.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Does this mean we'll again be reshuffling the deck for Williams Arena seating?

 

[Go4]

Does this mean we'll again be reshuffling the deck for Williams Arena seating?

no. this is not a re-seating program, rather just to measure going forward for upgrades, post-season tix.

 

[GopherJake]

I was also wondering, do you *always* have the option of keeping your existing seats? That is, if your points were really high one year, you opted to move up to some sweet seats, then points drop down, do you still get the option of keeping those sweetheart seats (assuming you pay the required donation too)? If you could improve your seats significantly with a big donation, then keep them for life, it might be worth considering.

 

[Holy Man]

I was also wondering, do you *always* have the option of keeping your existing seats? That is, if your points were really high one year, you opted to move up to some sweet seats, then points drop down, do you still get the option of keeping those sweetheart seats (assuming you pay the required donation too)? If you could improve your seats significantly with a big donation, then keep them for life, it might be worth considering.

Not likely you would lose your seats. I think the point system is cumulative, so they add up over time. You don't lose them if your donations go down the next year. The higher risk is that they periodically reshuffle the arena, which was a major hassle, or better yet bump up the required donations for the seats you are in forcing you to pony up.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Not sure I fully understand the new points system yet, but my percentile went from just below 50% to 77%. Looks like the 8 years of football season tickets helped quite a bit.