I'm thankful for... TCF Bank Stadium!

[EE_Gopher]

The season may have been a dissapointment, Brewster may get fired next year, we lost to Wisconsin and Iowa again. But, I am still excited about TCF Bank Stadium. I parked at the University Hospital parking ramp to visit a sick relative. From it, you get a great view of the stadium. It reminded me of a truly great time.

I was there for that last year of Memorial stadium and to this day, despise Sid Hartman for his part in ripping it down. Yet, I am able to totally embrace this 100+ year stadium that I am quite sure will outlive me... unlike the Metrodome!

The stadium dominates the skyline at the University, just like Memorial stadium. It is wonderfully positioned across from Williams Arena in such a manner as to allow fans to spend the hours prior at Stadium Village or Dinky Town. Because of the party atmosphere outside the stadium, it is truly more of an event than just a game.

Once inside, there is no doubt that you are at the home of the Gophers. With enough reminders of the Memorial such as the brick wall around the field as well as the wonders of modern architecture i.e. being able to take in the game while in the concession area.

The season itself had some high points such as Decker's catch against California and a great performance against Michigan State. Of course, the low points were huge as well. The Wisconsin and Illinois defeats. And worst of all... the dissapointing participation of the student body at the games.

But I can say, 7-6 or 6-7, I will be there next year with my season tickets wooping it up at Sally's or Stub and Herbs before and after the game. If they win, wonderful! If they lose, I guess I'll jump on the "Fire Brewster" band wagon. But one thing I'll never have to do again is go to a Gopher game at the Metrodome and say how much I hate this place!

Go Gophers!

 

[station19]

Agreed 100%. In a round-about way the demise of Memorial Stadium might be the only way we got a Stadium as nice as TCF.

We need to give Maturri and Prez B a lot of credit for our new stadium.

 

[GoGophers2005]

Sally's and Stubs before the game?
If you bring up the bad attendence of the students we should also bring up the horrible/poor tailgating attendence in the parking lots. I was in C88 and there were basically 6 cars at the most tailgating...the rest came the half hour before kickoff. Don't get it.

 

[GoAUpher]

Sally's and Stubs before the game?
If you bring up the bad attendence of the students we should also bring up the horrible/poor tailgating attendence in the parking lots. I was in C88 and there were basically 6 cars at the most tailgating...the rest came the half hour before kickoff. Don't get it.

There is no tailgate culture for Gopher FB. There were no good places to tailgate by the Dome, and what few existed are now condos. People who have gone to games for years without tailgating don't suddenly decide to change things up just because there is a new stadium.

Like with the student section, building a new tailgating culture at TCF will take time. And given the U's unique setting as the most urban of the B10 schools tailgating might never catch on as big as we'd like (The other "metro" B10 schools with good tailgating - Wisky and OSU - have thousands more surface lot spots than the U). I love tailgating and love a good tailgate atmosphere. But in the big picture of things that can/should be improved about Gopher FB I'd have to say that worrying about why people don't tailgate more comes pretty low on the list for me.

 

[gophmeister]

+1

The expectation that things would automatically change with the new stadium are naive at best. Hopefully the AD will shake up the seating chart to open up the isolated single seats and come up with a solution for students like trimming the size of the student section or over selling it.

 

[Gopher Bandanna Guy]

I too really am thankful for the new stadium, and love the gameday energy and vibe I get just hanging out in Stadium Village with the stadium looming over me out of the corner of my eye.

It was a novelty for some this year, to be seen there (AKA 1/3rd of the student section), but 'The Bank' has surely won some people over as a great place to see the Gophers, win or lose (I know I brought along a few friends and they plan on coming to more games next year.

Renewing for 2010 is not even a question. Of course I will. If we get to 8-9 wins in the next year or two Stadium Village will become the place to be in the Fall.

 

[GoGophers2005]

Expectation level for tailgating????
Tailgating was wonderful back in the days of the Washington Avenue and the Gophers tailgated with the best of them up until Ziggy bought the Vikings and didn't allow tailgating in the Star Trib lots.
So to think moving back to campus with plenty of parking that tailgating would improve is not far fetched.
So to read that season ticket holders actually want to attend Stub and Herbs before tailgating is pathetic in my book. Stub and Herbs, Sally's should be reserved for people attending 1-2 games a season and for season ticket holders AFTER the game. Otherwise pretty weak.

 

[RodentRampage]

I'm thankful that we got the new stadium before the Vikings stadium situation gets to a crisis level. If we hadn't gotten the new stadium, the Gophers would again be served up on a platter to keep the Vikings here. That can't happen now.

I never got to see a game at Memorial Stadium, I only became interested in football in the last couple years that we played there, and I didn't get many chances to go to Minneapolis back then. Had to listen to Ray on the radio, because televised games were a rare treat. But I do have a piece of the Memorial Stadium bleachers in a place of honor in my house.

If I could go back in time, and get the funding needed to rennovate Memorial Stadium, I would. But there is nothing we can do about that, I'm glad we have a fine stadium to call home forever: There's no way were getting dragged out of this stadium. No more.

I bought two copies of each local paper that day and 2 copies of the game day program so I could read one and keep the other. The one I didn't read, I sealed up in a box with my ticket stub. That box is going to remain sealed for decades to come. Maybe I'll leave it in my will for someone to open when the stadium is 100 years old.

The stadium won't do everything for us, of course. It will do some tangible things, like bring in more revenue. But there are intangibles that are huge, like simply really being home. It's like the difference between a hotel room and your own house.

 

[at the bar]

Tailgating

I would like to tailgate before games but it is too expensive for me to give the $ for a tailgating parking spot. I go to the bars before every game and I'm sure that the number of tailgaters would increase if the U lowered the donation level required dramatically or charged something under $40 by the game to tailgate in lots by TCF. Make the lots first come, first served and the tailgating experience would be much better.

The bars are doing very well on gamedays!

 

[GoGophers2005]

Do you have season tickets? Didn't you choosse your parking when you selected your tickets?
It's 70 bucks for a season parking pass to numerous lots (10 bucks a game). I'm on the West Bank C88 lot and we walk to the games. The Mpls Park Bd. opened up the East Bank flats right down the steps from Coffman Union for tailgating and I believe it cost 10 bucks. You can also always park at the State Fair parking lots for 10 bucks a game.
Plenty of options if you really want to tailgate.

 

[at the bar]

If I tailgated I would want to be able to see TCF. Tailgating at the State Fair or away from the heart of campus doesn't do it for me so I hit the nearby bars. If I could afford the pricy lots by TCF I'd tailgate there.

 

[loki]

At the bar you make a good point. The lots close by were half full because they were too expensive. Alot of people are "at the bar" instead of at the parking lot.

 

[GoAUpher]

Expectation level for tailgating????
Tailgating was wonderful back in the days of the Washington Avenue and the Gophers tailgated with the best of them up until Ziggy bought the Vikings and didn't allow tailgating in the Star Trib lots.
So to think moving back to campus with plenty of parking that tailgating would improve is not far fetched.
So to read that season ticket holders actually want to attend Stub and Herbs before tailgating is pathetic in my book. Stub and Herbs, Sally's should be reserved for people attending 1-2 games a season and for season ticket holders AFTER the game. Otherwise pretty weak.

I loved the Wash Ave lots. The tailgating scene in those lots was great. As a whole, the tailgating scene for Gopher games at the U still sucked. I'm sorry, but the Wash Ave lots didn't make us a tailgate Mecca. Taking them away hurt, but that wasn't representative of a culture of tailgating.

As for plenty of parking at TCF, others have already noted that the good tailgating spots are high donation. There is nothing odd about this. However, there are no other lots on the same part of campus that are available. There are a handful of WB lots and then the rest are in STP. And thats where the U is unique. There are thousands upon thousands of other EB parking spots. But they are all ramps. @ Wisky and OSU (the most comparable schools in terms of size and location in a metro area) the vast majority of the spots are lots. Plus, the cities those schools are in allow private lots to sell tailgating spots. So no, I don't see how it was going to be an automatic that the small but boisterous band of tailgaters that existed at the Dome was suddenly supposed to grow significantly over 1 offseason.

In the end, I find the bolded above to be ridiculous. You seem to be strongly insinuating that tailgating is the mark of a "real" Gopher season ticket holder. And that's just silly.

 

[AhliBobwa]

The season may have been a dissapointment, Brewster may get fired next year, we lost to Wisconsin and Iowa again. But, I am still excited about TCF Bank Stadium. I parked at the University Hospital parking ramp to visit a sick relative. From it, you get a great view of the stadium. It reminded me of a truly great time.


The season itself had some high points such as Decker's catch against California and a great performance against Michigan State. Of course, the low points were huge as well. The Wisconsin and Illinois defeats. And worst of all... the dissapointing participation of the student body at the games.
Go Gophers!

Worst of all? Really? That's what was worst of all?

I am beyond tired of you know nothing student section haters. First of all, there was a great contingent of student fans who were there at every game. WE were the ones screaming our heads off on every defensive snap. We were the ones leading every cheer and never sitting down. Without US, TCF would have been a very quiet place because everyone else in the stadium saves their breath for 3rd down.

The issues with student attendance are largely due to the fact that administration didn't execute what should have been an obvious move. Student tics not utilized on gameday should have been resold for a low price first come first serve to ANY fan who wanted them. Every game there were enough students to fill up the lower deck. On lower attendance days the upper deck could have been supplemented with cheap tickets sold on game day. Easy fix.

So EE_Gopher--I want you to think of those fond memories of Memorial Stadium (a truly amazing historic venue in its own right). I want you to recall the sights, sounds, smells, and visuals you saw in the Gophers' glorious past.

Then I want you to hold onto those memories. Perhaps these memories will turn you into someone who isn't a jaded, cynical, obnoxious, ill-informed, crabby, old man. Then come back and apologize for being such a jerk.

That goes for the rest of you moronic student haters from previous threads as well. :

 

[GoAUpher]

The issues with student attendance are largely due to the fact that administration didn't execute what should have been an obvious move. Student tics not utilized on gameday should have been resold for a low price first come first serve to ANY fan who wanted them. Every game there were enough students to fill up the lower deck. On lower attendance days the upper deck could have been supplemented with cheap tickets sold on game day. Easy fix.

Were there thousands of folks being stranded outside TCF that I missed? There weren't people to buy up the student seats. There weren't enough people trying to get tix to fill up the normal season ticket seats. Your solution is simple and would be effective...if there was enough demand. And by the time the empty upper deck of the student section was most evident (Purdue onward) there was no such demand.

 

[GoGophers2005]

I loved the Wash Ave lots. The tailgating scene in those lots was great. As a whole, the tailgating scene for Gopher games at the U still sucked. I'm sorry, but the Wash Ave lots didn't make us a tailgate Mecca. Taking them away hurt, but that wasn't representative of a culture of tailgating.

As for plenty of parking at TCF, others have already noted that the good tailgating spots are high donation. There is nothing odd about this. However, there are no other lots on the same part of campus that are available. There are a handful of WB lots and then the rest are in STP. And thats where the U is unique. There are thousands upon thousands of other EB parking spots. But they are all ramps. @ Wisky and OSU (the most comparable schools in terms of size and location in a metro area) the vast majority of the spots are lots. Plus, the cities those schools are in allow private lots to sell tailgating spots. So no, I don't see how it was going to be an automatic that the small but boisterous band of tailgaters that existed at the Dome was suddenly supposed to grow significantly over 1 offseason.

In the end, I find the bolded above to be ridiculous. You seem to be strongly insinuating that tailgating is the mark of a "real" Gopher season ticket holder. And that's just silly.

You hit it right on the head....if you are a season ticket holder and do not tailgate (or use your tickets) you are pathetic and I am a better Gopher fan than you. There are 7 games a year, that means there are 45 other weekends a year to do whatever you want. Even more pathtic is 'having to see the stadium' in order to tailgate. What a bunch of crap....that's like saying you need to sit in a suite if you ever go to a game.

There are plenty of spots to tailgate ON THE EAST BANK IF YOU WANTED TO. I stated that the Mpls Park Bd. opened up the East Bank Flats for 10 bucks a game and is an easy walk to campus.

 

[Ole]

Were there thousands of folks being stranded outside TCF that I missed? There weren't people to buy up the student seats. There weren't enough people trying to get tix to fill up the normal season ticket seats. Your solution is simple and would be effective...if there was enough demand. And by the time the empty upper deck of the student section was most evident (Purdue onward) there was no such demand.

The student section attendance was disappointing, however, the overall attendance for the late season and colder weather games suffered.
Plain and simple, too many fairweather fans bought tickets to the shiny new stadium at a relatively cheap price and didn't feel like going to the later games. Hopefully the "dome" crowd doesn't renew, the worst possible thing would be a tradition of fairweather fans buying season tickets and coming to the first 4 games then not showing up after that.

 

[GoAUpher]

You hit it right on the head....if you are a season ticket holder and do not tailgate (or use your tickets) you are pathetic and I am a better Gopher fan than you. There are 7 games a year, that means there are 45 other weekends a year to do whatever you want. Even more pathtic is 'having to see the stadium' in order to tailgate. What a bunch of crap....that's like saying you need to sit in a suite if you ever go to a game.

There are plenty of spots to tailgate ON THE EAST BANK IF YOU WANTED TO. I stated that the Mpls Park Bd. opened up the East Bank Flats for 10 bucks a game and is an easy walk to campus.

I hope you don't bruise easily with how much you like patting yourself on the back. By your logic one of my friends and his wife are terrible Gopher fans because they chose to park in Oak St. Why? Because she was pregnant and her day was more enjoyable when they parked, went in, cheered loud, went home. Now that they have kids they will continue to do the same for the foreseeable future. They went to every game. They were loud and proud. They are rabid fans who travel to bowl games and have been Gopher fans since they were little. Both are U graduates (it's where they met). He hates Iowa and Wisconsin with a passion that is unhealthy (not that there is anything wrong with that!). But yes, all of these factors should be automatically eliminated by the fact that they didn't tailgate. Tailgating has N-O-T-H-I-N-G to do with who is a "real" or "good" Gopher fan.

I have 3 good buddies who went to IU. They are tailgating masters. The setup they had for Hoosier games was quite impressive and they still throw a great tailgate party. Between the 3 of them they also attended a total of 2 games in person during their 4 years on campus. But if tailgating is such a big part of fandom I guess they must be great fans.

Its not a hard concept. Fans who don't tailgate can be great fans. Fans who do tailgate can be crappy fans. You can be a person who tailgates sometimes but not others and still be a good or bad fan. One part of a Saturday does not define your fanhood. This is not rocket science.

 

[minibeaver]

I think the same solution works for both the lack of students in the student section and the tailgating. Winning. Minnesota fans love a winner and when a team wins the fair-weather fan jumps on the band-wagon. Their are not enough hardcore fans of gopher football to consistently fill the Bank through a mediocre season. Sad but true. We start winning, "fans" will come out of the woodwork with their grills and coolers.

 

[GoAUpher]

I think the same solution works for both the lack of students in the student section and the tailgating. Winning. Minnesota fans love a winner and when a team wins the fair-weather fan jumps on the band-wagon. Their are not enough hardcore fans of gopher football to consistently fill the Bank through a mediocre season. Sad but true. We start winning, "fans" will come out of the woodwork with their grills and coolers.

I'm not sure why you used quotations. Obviously by their tailgating these would be true fans who magically appeared and not fairweather fans who waited until the W's started piling up before making an appearance.

I'm being a sarcastic a** but until someone can explain to me (with actual reasons, not chest thumping or self love) how the act of being in a parking lot eating food and drinking a beverage automatically makes you the best kind of fan regardless of any other factor I'm comfortable with my salty tone.

EDIT: note to minibeaver...wasn't trying to call you out. Just used your post as a source of snarkiness.

 

[minibeaver]

I'm not sure why you used quotations. Obviously by their tailgating these would be true fans who magically appeared and not fairweather fans who waited until the W's started piling up before making an appearance.

I'm being a sarcastic a** but until someone can explain to me (with actual reasons, not chest thumping or self love) how the act of being in a parking lot eating food and drinking a beverage automatically makes you the best kind of fan regardless of any other factor I'm comfortable with my salty tone.

EDIT: note to minibeaver...wasn't trying to call you out. Just used your post as a source of snarkiness.

Quite allright. Start winning, and GoAupher will come out of the woodwork with grills and coolers. I agree tailgaiting imo is much farther down on the need to fix list than filling the student section.

 

[Schnauzer]

I parked in the Oak Street Ramp and pre-partied at Sally's for each game. So, I am a bad Gopher fan. And, to make matters worse, I also share the personal feeling that the off-campus lots where you can't see the stadium aren't worth it just to tail gate. Could I be included again among the "good" gopher fans if I tailgate at home in my driveway before each game? I can't see the stadium from there either. Since seeing the stadium is a stupid requirement, I should be fine in my driveway... right?

Yeah, the missing student section was a big bummer, and for the last two games, nearly all of section 132 (first deck) was also empty. Ahli, I'm glad you cheered loud and I'm glad you had a few other students who did the same. Good for you! But, the THOUSANDS of empty seats were tough to look at. Sure, there were fairweather fans located thoughout the stadium in all age groups. But, the full sections sitting empty in the student area was a glaring scar... plain and simple.

Going into the season I had the incorrect belief that it would be full every game. It is great that it is sold out for every game but it is quite shocking that by mid season the actual number of total people attending the games was probably LOWER than in the Metrodome! Especially with the students. Sure, they came late and left early at the Metrodome but for the most part, they did show up. And, I always admired them having to take shuttle busses and stand in line waiting for them to get to and from the dome. Going into the season I figured the biggest difference would be in the student section now that it was on campus. I guess the "pain" of being outdoors outweighed the discomfort of waiting for shuttle busses. I didn't see that one coming.

My brain just fast forwarded too far, I guess. I figured the atmosphere would keep the new stadium full for YEARS if not forever. In the end, the atmosphere didn't matter much if at all for attendance. If I learned one thing about the new stadium this year, it is that the team is going to have to have a historic year to draw fans. It will then have to have a sustained level of success to keep them, and build a new fan base from the bottom up. Continued seasons in the 7-5 to 5-7 range will just result in the same small group of 30,000 fans who actually care.

The original post was commenting on the stadium itself and I agree 100% with everything said there. It is a wonderful stadium and I look forward to every game day now. Already looking forward to next year...

 

[GoAUpher]

Quite allright. Start winning, and GoAupher will come out of the woodwork with grills and coolers.

Nah, the 2 I bring to tailgate should be enough. It's always never ending loaves and fishes around our tailgate, only with cheap beer and brats (which magically become breakfast sausages before 11am games).

 

[mggoph]

I would like to tailgate before games but it is too expensive for me to give the $ for a tailgating parking spot. I go to the bars before every game and I'm sure that the number of tailgaters would increase if the U lowered the donation level required dramatically or charged something under $40 by the game to tailgate in lots by TCF. Make the lots first come, first served and the tailgating experience would be much better.

The bars are doing very well on gamedays!

This is my situation as well.

 

[buddylee853]

I parked in the Oak Street Ramp and pre-partied at Sally's for each game. So, I am a bad Gopher fan. And, to make matters worse, I also share the personal feeling that the off-campus lots where you can't see the stadium aren't worth it just to tail gate. Could I be included again among the "good" gopher fans if I tailgate at home in my driveway before each game? I can't see the stadium from there either. Since seeing the stadium is a stupid requirement, I should be fine in my driveway... right?

Yeah, the missing student section was a big bummer, and for the last two games, nearly all of section 132 (first deck) was also empty. Ahli, I'm glad you cheered loud and I'm glad you had a few other students who did the same. Good for you! But, the THOUSANDS of empty seats were tough to look at. Sure, there were fairweather fans located thoughout the stadium in all age groups. But, the full sections sitting empty in the student area was a glaring scar... plain and simple.

Going into the season I had the incorrect belief that it would be full every game. It is great that it is sold out for every game but it is quite shocking that by mid season the actual number of total people attending the games was probably LOWER than in the Metrodome! Especially with the students. Sure, they came late and left early at the Metrodome but for the most part, they did show up. And, I always admired them having to take shuttle busses and stand in line waiting for them to get to and from the dome. Going into the season I figured the biggest difference would be in the student section now that it was on campus. I guess the "pain" of being outdoors outweighed the discomfort of waiting for shuttle busses. I didn't see that one coming.

My brain just fast forwarded too far, I guess. I figured the atmosphere would keep the new stadium full for YEARS if not forever. In the end, the atmosphere didn't matter much if at all for attendance. If I learned one thing about the new stadium this year, it is that the team is going to have to have a historic year to draw fans. It will then have to have a sustained level of success to keep them, and build a new fan base from the bottom up. Continued seasons in the 7-5 to 5-7 range will just result in the same small group of 30,000 fans who actually care.

The original post was commenting on the stadium itself and I agree 100% with everything said there. It is a wonderful stadium and I look forward to every game day now. Already looking forward to next year...

Leave the student section alone. If all other sections were general seating there would be completely empty sections as well because, naturally, people want the best seats possible. In a town that has more than one high-priority sports team, winning is the only thing that will fill all seats, and that will never change unless our pro sports leave and our other college sports teams continually suck it up.

In general how about we realize how lucky we are; we have it a lot better than other programs, yet all a lot others do is complain. Why don't we all be adults, keep in the spirit of the OP, and stop the bitch-fest. I almost wish I had the power to take away the football program to make some of you idiots realize what you're missing!

 

[Schnauzer]

Dang, I thought I'd check in on ye olde Gopher Hole this morning and first I find out I am a bad Gopher fan and now to make matters worse I am an idiot too. Well, I've still got 2.5 days to get this year's Darwin Award. Wish me luck.

 

[buddylee853]

And to add, if someone says the student section wasn't even half-full some games, know that that only applies to the upper deck; the lower deck was full every game. So, in totality, student attendance was rarely lower than 75% capacity. I was there every game, so don't anybody tell me otherwise.

 

[buddylee853]

Dang, I thought I'd check in on ye olde Gopher Hole this morning and first I find out I am a bad Gopher fan and now to make matters worse I am an idiot too. Well, I've still got 2.5 days to get this year's Darwin Award. Wish me luck.

EDIT: Delete the word "idiots" from buddylee's original post.

 

[GoGophers2005]

Did I call anyone a bad gopher fan? I thought I said you were pathetic gopher fans. Big difference.

I actually view fans that park and going right to the bar/restaurant as lazy. 7 Saturday's a year isn't asking too much. Get out and show your pride. You don't need to go hog wild. Bring some soda's and a radio. Bring a football. Bring a grill or don't bring a grill. Stop at MacDonalds on the way........just show up and act excited that we have a beautiful campus and our autumns are perfect.

Then hit Stub and Herbs on the way to the stadium for a quick beer or go for a few after the game.

300+ days a year to go to Stubs for a beer and food
7 days a year to tailgate for a U football game

 

[station19]

Did I call anyone a bad gopher fan? I thought I said you were pathetic gopher fans. Big difference.

I actually view fans that park and going right to the bar/restaurant as lazy. 7 Saturday's a year isn't asking too much. Get out and show your pride. You don't need to go hog wild. Bring some soda's and a radio. Bring a football. Bring a grill or don't bring a grill. Stop at MacDonalds on the way........just show up and act excited that we have a beautiful campus and our autumns are perfect.

Then hit Stub and Herbs on the way to the stadium for a quick beer or go for a few after the game.

300+ days a year to go to Stubs for a beer and food
7 days a year to tailgate for a U football game

Looks like Stub & Herbs needs to make some 'in game adjustments 'and 'coach-up' their lazy pre-game customers.