Last night's event at TCF

[dpodoll68]

If only Coach Kill would've had every single spring football practice open to the general public giving them every opportunity to shake his hand following each practice. Oh well, what a pipe dream.

Regardless of one's ability to even attend practice (nearly impossible, with almost all in the middle of the day when most of us are, you know, working), a practice is not even remotely the same thing as a scheduled event where you are encouraged and even expected to meet and converse with coach Kill. Also, were they giving out free food and beer at spring practices? Those would be the coolest practices ever!

Or if only Coach Kill would've let the fans come down on the field after the spring game. Yeah, not in our lifetime.

As I've said multiple times already, scheduling the spring "game" on Easter weekend was yet another idiotic move by an incompetent athletic department.

And, again, not even remotely the same as a scheduled event where you are encouraged and even expected to meet and converse with coach Kill.

28,000 season ticket holders x $5 = $140,000. I'm sure the U has that lying around for events to make you feel all warm and fuzzy.

Where are you people from? You honestly think 28,000 people would've shown up for this event? Seriously? No, really?

More like 1,500 (at most) x $5 = $7,500. In other words, less than 30 new season tickets. Also, about 2.5 days' worth of salary for coach Kill. "Big fricken deal."

 

[GopherVotary]

Yesterday gophersports.com reported 28,000 season tickets sold, today its 29,900. Looks like they kicked butt at the Meet Your Seats event. Do that another 5 times, we might sell the place out.

 

[Maximus]

More like 1,500 (at most) x $5 = $7,500. In other words, less than 30 new season tickets. Also, about 2.5 days' worth of salary for coach Kill. "Big fricken deal."

What if 1,600 people showed up?

Can we just get the U to arrange a private lap dance for you with Coach Kill?

I doubt his wife is as obsessed with shaking his hand.

 

[Monty519]

This thread is absolutely hilarious.

 

[BigChuckMN]

How many people even knew about the event? I did not, but would have gone for sure.

Now let's start hammering the marketing department. And I'm serious. How tough would it have been for them to get some ads on KFAN, tell the listeners that they can tour the locker room, etc. It needs to start somewhere, but they don't even know how to get the oars in the water.

I heard about the event as it was going via KFAN who was broadcasting there. Once again, complete failure by the sports marketing department. They seriously suck.

 

[dpodoll68]

Yesterday gophersports.com reported 28,000 season tickets sold, today its 29,900. Looks like they kicked butt at the Meet Your Seats event. Do that another 5 times, we might sell the place out.

Assuming every ticket sold was $275 (very unlikely) times 1,900 seats sold = $522,500. Yeah, I can see where inviting the season ticket holders and feeding the few hundred that would show up would be a big deal.

 

[DLguy]

I heard about the event as it was going via KFAN who was broadcasting there. Once again, complete failure by the sports marketing department. They seriously suck.

How is this in any way a complete failure by the sports marketing department? They had a target market of those who have purchased single game tickets, are season ticket holders of the two other big revenue sports, and those who have specifically expressed interest in purchasing season tickets. Basically, the highest possible audience to become season ticket holders. So they send out mailings and emails to these people to have them come to the stadium and look at what possible seats they could get. This was a PICK YOUR SEAT event. Not a COME FOR FOOD event. The food was a little bonus the U gave those that came to look at possible seats. THE HUMANITY!!!!

Those complaining, do you already have your seats? If so, why would you go to an event to PICK A SEAT?!?!?!

Dpo, for someone who makes it their lifes work to correct others, you sure dont seem to use logic on this issue. So this is me just trying to correct you.

Whether you like it or not, this was a big sucess for the department and accomplished exactly what they wanted. They did not alienate their season ticket holders. No need to have 2,000 other people taking away from what the purpose of this event was. Get over it and get on with your life.

 

[DLguy]

Assuming every ticket sold was $275 (very unlikely) times 1,900 seats sold = $522,500. Yeah, I can see where inviting the season ticket holders and feeding the few hundred that would show up would be a big deal.

While we are at it, lets invite everyone over and cater in Manny's. Let's squeeze every cent of our $275 out of the athletic department. Then we can complain more when the U doesnt spend more on football.

 

[howeda7]

This debate is interesting. I can understand the idea of a 'niche' event targeted to potential buyers. I can also see the wanting to limit the expense involved with the free food and booze.

However, given the history of turnout at Gopher events like this, was there really concern that if they made this public to all season-ticket holders 10,000 people would show up and eat them out of house and home?

It seems like they could have promoted it to everyone, had 600 people there instead of 300 and spared some hurt feelings among the existing ticket-holders.

 

[DLguy]

Those with hurt feelings are rediculous. They act as if they get nothing at all for being a season ticket holder. Just off the top of my head, let me think of a few things. Every single home game ticket at a reduced rate, priority seating over non season ticket holders. First dibs at bowl game and away game tickets. First dibs on tickets for any concert at TCF. (U2 in a few weeks) Not to mention that by going to the season ticket holder page and logging in, you can enter to win prizes that include tickets, suites, and other gifts. Pretty sure non season ticket holders dont get that opportunity.

And I prefer having the spring game on Easter. My entire family from across this great state can travel down here that weekend and we all go to the game together. It isnt like the game is on Easter Sunday. Sorry Dpo, but the Gopher sports calender does not revolve around when you are in town.

 

[dpodoll68]

Those with hurt feelings are rediculous. They act as if they get nothing at all for being a season ticket holder.

Seriously, who said that? Who even insinuated that? My point has been made very clear in every post - why should non-season ticket holders get better access to the head coach, and other freebies, than season ticket holders do? I've asked you this question directly multiple times, and despite your several posts in this thread, you refuse to answer. How very convenient.

Every single home game ticket at a reduced rate

Reduced from what? An artificially inflated face value? Season ticket holders sure as hell ain't in it to save money, I can tell you that. I could quite easily go to every game with scalped tickets and it would cost a lot less than it does now.

First dibs at bowl game and away game tickets. First dibs on tickets for any concert at TCF. (U2 in a few weeks) Not to mention that by going to the season ticket holder page and logging in, you can enter to win prizes that include tickets, suites, and other gifts. Pretty sure non season ticket holders dont get that opportunity.

You mean people actually get something for spending money? Perish the thought! So why do non-season ticket holders get something for nothing, while season ticket holders get nothing for something?

And I prefer having the spring game on Easter. My entire family from across this great state can travel down here that weekend and we all go to the game together. It isnt like the game is on Easter Sunday. Sorry Dpo, but the Gopher sports calender does not revolve around when you are in town.

I don't really care that much. That's why I've never brought it up. It also has nothing to do with this bullsh*t event held this week.

 

[dpodoll68]

And while we're on the subject, it wasn't a "PICK YOUR SEAT" event, it was a "MEET YOUR SEAT" event. I just upgraded to better seats a week ago, and I have yet to "meet" them. So why wasn't I invited? If the point was to "MEET YOUR SEAT", why wasn't everyone who has upgraded invited?

And you are dead wrong about "alienating" season ticket holders. I am a season ticket holder, and I quite clearly feel alienated. Thus, you are wrong. Even though it's obvious that I am nothing more than a checking account to them, it's nice for them to at least give the illusion that they care about me and my business.

 

[Gopher024]

I would be completely embarrassed if I was whining this much about shaking some one's hand. However, I find it absolutely hilarious that someone is that bothered by it.

 

[dpodoll68]

I would be completely embarrassed if I was whining this much about shaking some one's hand. However, I find it absolutely hilarious that someone is that bothered by it.

Yup, that's what it's about. Get a freakin' clue.

Also, if you weren't a complete moron, you would see I'm not the only one with a complaint in this thread, so obviously there are many more who have never even heard of GopherHole who were also disappointed at not being notified. It's not as if I'm some fringe lunatic lone gunman on the grassy knoll.

 

[Gopher024]

So I'm a moron because I find your tantrum childish? Got it.

 

[dpodoll68]

So I'm a moron because I find your tantrum childish? Got it.

It's not a tantrum, it's not childish (unless you know a lot of children who are buying season tickets for college football), and I'm not alone in my distaste for how this was handled.

Again, get a clue.

 

[Gopher024]

You're right, I apologize. They for sure should have invited the GopherHole 2010 MVP. What were they thinking?

There may not be a lot of children who are buying season tickets, but there is at least one confirmed running around acting like a child.

 

[DLguy]

Well Dpo, I have listed out the reasons you were not "invited" to this event. And you ignore them.

I have also listed benefits of being a season ticket holder, yet you say those arent relevant and dont matter.

And there are plenty of events geared towards season ticket holders. Just off the top of my head, National Signing Day social, and the Spring game. Those are clearly geared towards the season ticket holders, but they are obviously not going to turn down other people. At both of these events, you could have fulfilled your life long dream of shaking Kill's hand. But I am sure you had other plans and were unable to make it, thus the U screwing up. But hey, lets just do away with those events as they are not appreciated by the season ticket holder base.

You brought up the Spring game as being something the U messed up. I defended it. Dont be mad because I made a valid point.

And this event is not BS. It got the exact results the U was looking for. Just because some self righteous season ticket holder thinks the U was screwing them over because they were not invited, does not mean it was a bad event.

 

[DLguy]

Again, get a clue.

Pot, meet kettle

 

[dpodoll68]

Well Dpo, I have listed out the reasons you were not "invited" to this event. And you ignore them.

I have also listed benefits of being a season ticket holder, yet you say those arent relevant and dont matter.

And there are plenty of events geared towards season ticket holders. Just off the top of my head, National Signing Day social, and the Spring game. Those are clearly geared towards the season ticket holders, but they are obviously not going to turn down other people. At both of these events, you could have fulfilled your life long dream of shaking Kill's hand. But I am sure you had other plans and were unable to make it, thus the U screwing up. But hey, lets just do away with those events as they are not appreciated by the season ticket holder base.

You brought up the Spring game as being something the U messed up. I defended it. Dont be mad because I made a valid point.

And this event is not BS. It got the exact results the U was looking for. Just because some self righteous season ticket holder thinks the U was screwing them over because they were not invited, does not mean it was a bad event.

Blah, blah, blah. Not a thing you said has any relevance to the topic at hand.

The fact that you continually refuse to answer a very simple question tells me all I need to know.

 

[mplsbadger]

I'm as big of a Gopher football rube as anyone, and I didn't hear a single word of any of this taking place. This is the first I'm hearing of it. I would assume that's why there was hardly anybody there. How did they publicize it? How did you hear about it?

P.S. I receive all the season ticket holder e-mails (or so I had thought), and I never received a single mention of this. Not a one. Also nothing through snail mail.

I'm with you. I had no idea about this.

 

[DLguy]

What is your one simple question? With everything you have said, I cannot narrow it down to one. Is it that you are so concerned that a group of potential season ticket holders got to meet the head coach? This was not a meet the coach event. This was an event to try and sell seats to new season ticket holders. Our current coach wants to be as involved as possible, so when an opportunity arose where he could help sell season tickets, he jumped at it. This may be a new concept as Brewster was not as willing. God forbid we have an involved coach. He does what he can to meet people and sell the program, which is exactly what he did at this event. The U is lucky to have that type of coach, and should not be slammed for it.

 

[Unregistered User]

I've stayed out of the pissing match about this whole thing, but my issue is this: The marketing department should be making every effort to engage as many current/former/possible/mildly interested/potential ticket buyers in this market.

They need to shout from the rooftops "Look at us! This is something worth investing your time in!".

I could only hope that someday they will have the need to worry about getting overrun by too many fans trying to tour the stadium.