Minnesota's Spring Game (11 am on Saturday, April 22) is headed indoors. Fans can watch live on BTN or listen to the game on KFAN

BleedGopher

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Due to limited crowd space, the game will no longer be open to the public, but it will still air live on BTN and on the Gopher Radio Network.

In addition to the move indoors, all fan-related activities – including the annual oar collection and diaper drive – scheduled to take place on Saturday have been postponed. Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck said that the team will hold a fan-friendly event during training camp and the team will hold its annual oar collection and diaper drive then.

"It is unfortunate that we need to move the game indoors," said Fleck. "But without a usable scoreboard at the stadium because of construction and the ongoing rain and threat of inclement weather in the Midwest, we wanted to do what was best for our fans and student-athletes. Moving the game inside allows our fans to enjoy it live on BTN or on the radio. We will plan an event during training camp where we can collect diapers for the community and fans can donate their personalized oars as well."


Go Gophers!!
 

"It is unfortunate that we need to move the game indoors," said Fleck. "But without a usable scoreboard at the stadium because of construction and the ongoing rain and threat of inclement weather in the Midwest, we wanted to do what was best for our fans and student-athletes. Moving the game inside allows our fans to enjoy it live on BTN or on the radio. We will plan an event during training camp where we can collect diapers for the community and fans can donate their personalized oars as well."
The reasons Fleck listed seem to make sense to me, but I also live out of state so I was always going to catch it on BTN.
 

Press release:

Spring Game Moved Indoors


The University of Minnesota football team will play its annual Spring Game at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 22, at the team's indoor football facility at Athletes Village. It was previously announced that the game would take place at Huntington Bank Stadium.


Due to limited crowd space, the game will no longer be open to the public, but it will still air live on BTN and on the Gopher Radio Network.

In addition to the move indoors, all fan-related activities – including the annual oar collection and diaper drive – scheduled to take place on Saturday have been postponed. Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck said that the team will hold a fan-friendly event during training camp and the team will hold its annual oar collection and diaper drive then.

"It is unfortunate that we need to move the game indoors," said Fleck. "But without a usable scoreboard at the stadium because of construction and the ongoing rain and threat of inclement weather in the Midwest, we wanted to do what was best for our fans and student-athletes. Moving the game inside allows our fans to enjoy it live on BTN or on the radio. We will plan an event during training camp where we can collect diapers for the community and fans can donate their personalized oars as well."
 




If anyone knows - since the Gophs moved to the Bank, what is the ratio of Spring Games being outside vs inside? Seems like a lot have been inside recently.
 

If anyone knows - since the Gophs moved to the Bank, what is the ratio of Spring Games being outside vs inside? Seems like a lot have been inside recently.
No idea on exact stats but I know I've felt a nice warm spring sun many times! 2021 was outside for sure because you actually needed a ticket for social distancing/capacity reasons.
 






Like clockwork, this happens every year. I guess I gotta listen on the radio and watch highlights on YouTube.
 

OK - got curious and started digging through the internets.

TCF opened in 2009, but that was the year the Spring Game was played at St. Thomas (I was there...)

can't find conclusive proof on 2010 or 2011. Chime in if you have better luck searching. a preview story on the 2011 Spring Game said there was a chance of rain.

But since then:
the Spring game was outdoors for 7 consecutive years from 2012 through 2018.
2019 - indoors
2020 - covid
2021 - outdoors
2022 - indoors
2023 - indoors

So of the last 11 Spring Games, (including this year) 8 have been outdoors and 3 indoors - but 3 of the last 4 were indoors. the old recency bias strikes again.
 

OK - got curious and started digging through the internets.

TCF opened in 2009, but that was the year the Spring Game was played at St. Thomas (I was there...)

can't find conclusive proof on 2010 or 2011. Chime in if you have better luck searching. a preview story on the 2011 Spring Game said there was a chance of rain.

But since then:
the Spring game was outdoors for 7 consecutive years from 2012 through 2018.
2019 - indoors
2020 - covid
2021 - outdoors
2022 - indoors
2023 - indoors

So of the last 11 Spring Games, (including this year) 8 have been outdoors and 3 indoors - but 3 of the last 4 were indoors. the old recency bias strikes again.
I am still sad about the situation…. But happy I was right about… the sad thing :(
 



What upgrades are they doing to the scoreboard?
 

They should make arrangements to use US Bank Stadium in future.
 



These kids must not want to play in the NFL, that’s what I hear every time a kid says he doesn’t want to play in the cold or elements of Minnesota.
 


OK - got curious and started digging through the internets.

TCF opened in 2009, but that was the year the Spring Game was played at St. Thomas (I was there...)

can't find conclusive proof on 2010 or 2011. Chime in if you have better luck searching. a preview story on the 2011 Spring Game said there was a chance of rain.

But since then:
the Spring game was outdoors for 7 consecutive years from 2012 through 2018.
2019 - indoors
2020 - covid
2021 - outdoors
2022 - indoors
2023 - indoors

So of the last 11 Spring Games, (including this year) 8 have been outdoors and 3 indoors - but 3 of the last 4 were indoors. the old recency bias strikes again.
Can confirm 2010 and 2011 were both hosted at TCF outdoors
 



Are all the scoreboards at the stadium inoperable? Seems like just the big one.

Honestly it seems like kind of a weak excuse. I'm sure most people would rather attend the Spring Game without the fancy video board than be forced to stay home.

Minnesota is a program that needs to constantly develop its relationship and visibility with fans in a crowded sports market, and things like this don't help in an 8 month offseason.
 



I believe complete replacement of video panels and the east board is getting enlarged along with new ribbon panels around the stadium.
wish they would double the size of the east one.
 




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