More Student Busses Being Added - Deadline for Getting on Wait List - Monday?

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Spoofin said:
THIS. I get I am cheap and will likely regret not going to Orlando, but I just couldn't justify what it would have cost me to get there. Anything reasonable and I would have done it. I can only assume there are many many others in that same boat.
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I can understand the frustration on the student side concerning the lack of awareness by the U of M Marketing group about demand for these trips.



As far as the complaints by any employed person over age 22, who really wants to get to the game, about the price of the packages I have little sympathy. I am cheap as well, that is why I do not even bother to look at the cost of Creative Charter packages or the official tours. I can usually set up my own trip for half of what the charter cost is.

Right after the game was announced, I found some very low "hacker" fares on Kayak.com. Those deals are long gone, but had I been ready to commit, I could have arranged a trip for two on the spot for under around $1,000 total.

Today, found a few seats for around $240 into Atlanta, round trip. Car rental deals on Priceline can be found for not much more than $20 day, so I think the 5 hour drive from Atlanta to Orlando, with a side trip mixed in would have been very affordable. I really do not like Orlando much, so this plan is even better, in that I am not tied to Orlando and can drive to either coast before and after the game.

I suspect if I keep looking, I will find a way to get to the game for a reasonable price, if my current schedule conflicts clear by the 25th as expected.
 

Anybody can go for less than $1000. It's called a car and a cheap motel a few miles out of Orlando. After waiting this long for a New Year's Day Bowl, nobody should stay home!
 

oak_street1981 said:
As far as the complaints by any employed person over age 22, who really wants to get to the game, about the price of the packages I have little sympathy. I am cheap as well, that is why I do not even bother to look at the cost of Creative Charter packages or the official tours. I can usually set up my own trip for half of what the charter cost is.
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I haven't really complained.......but seeing as how they are able to set up these student packages......you'd wonder if they could set up a similar package for non-students. Look......I could afford to go down for the game. However, being strapped with about $50,000 in loans to pay off, it would be a pretty irresponsible way to spend $1,000+. I don't feel sorry for myself. I am more than happy to watch the game on TV. If the U happened to offer a trip like this to non-students though (obviously would be quite a bit more expensive), I would certainly consider it.
 

afurry91 said:
I really wanted to go. In the end, I realized I couldn't swing it with my work schedule. But I think I'll be content knowing I didn't spend the money. I ended up spending $100 on the citrus bowl store and bought a hoodie, and 2 t-shirts. I figured it was a nice consolation prize for myself.

And on another note, It'll be interesting to see how the fans travel to the national championship game this year. Their fans will have had the opportunity to travel to a conference championship game, a NYD bowl, and a national title game. How the hell do you choose/afford more than 1? Lol I'd be bankrupt before I even got to the third game.
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This is where D1A is putting a hell of a weight on the fan. I have to believe that average joe fan cannot afford Indy, + wherever, + the championship. A fan has to pick and choose what they will travel to. 1AA, II, and III have half the teams at home and if all goes to form, the top two teams only have to travel once.
 




afurry91 said:
And on another note, It'll be interesting to see how the fans travel to the national championship game this year. Their fans will have had the opportunity to travel to a conference championship game, a NYD bowl, and a national title game. How the hell do you choose/afford more than 1? Lol I'd be bankrupt before I even got to the third game.
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This is why in a playoff they should consider having early round be home games for the higher ranked teams. It is conceivable that IF we were to somehow make it to the National Championship game in coming years that we would have a trip to Indy, a trip to California for the Rose Bowl, and then a trip to Florida for the Nat. Champ. There are very few fans that can afford to go to more than even one of those trips. The games are all in a month(ish) span and happen to also be in the middle of the Holidays.
 

I'm speculating here:

But it sounds like they added at least 4 busses. I know they added two originally, and I am on one of those two. One of my friends did not get early notification that he was on one of those two busses and was told to call back today for more info. Norwood Teague tweeted that they added 2 and were trying for 4. My friend called today and was able to buy the package.

So over the weekend I'm assuming they went from 2 more busses to 4 more busses making it 6 total. Or 240 total students. I still think they could do more, but doubt they will. Especially since this package was advertised very little.
 

IAGopherfan said:
This is why in a playoff they should consider having early round be home games for the higher ranked teams. It is conceivable that IF we were to somehow make it to the National Championship game in coming years that we would have a trip to Indy, a trip to California for the Rose Bowl, and then a trip to Florida for the Nat. Champ. There are very few fans that can afford to go to more than even one of those trips. The games are all in a month(ish) span and happen to also be in the middle of the Holidays.
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Agree, and I think most people would. However, there is one particular very interested party who will do their best to make sure that playoff games on home field sites never ends up being the case at the FBS level. Who? The bowl committee lobbyists and chamber of commerce types in each city. The Rose, Orange, Sugar, Fiesta and now also Peach & Cotton don't want to miss on the opportunity to host these playoff games and have them change to home site games.
 



fraternity2017 said:
I'm speculating here:

But it sounds like they added at least 4 busses. I know they added two originally, and I am on one of those two. One of my friends did not get early notification that he was on one of those two busses and was told to call back today for more info. Norwood Teague tweeted that they added 2 and were trying for 4. My friend called today and was able to buy the package.

So over the weekend I'm assuming they went from 2 more busses to 4 more busses making it 6 total. Or 240 total students. I still think they could do more, but doubt they will. Especially since this package was advertised very little.
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Great to hear they were able to get more buses lined up. Thanks for the info.
 

fraternity2017 said:
I'm speculating here:

But it sounds like they added at least 4 busses. I know they added two originally, and I am on one of those two. One of my friends did not get early notification that he was on one of those two busses and was told to call back today for more info. Norwood Teague tweeted that they added 2 and were trying for 4. My friend called today and was able to buy the package.

So over the weekend I'm assuming they went from 2 more busses to 4 more busses making it 6 total. Or 240 total students. I still think they could do more, but doubt they will. Especially since this package was advertised very little.
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Much like fraternity2017, I have no insider information at the moment, but my hunch is that as of now they have 6 buses filled and do not plan on adding more. I say this because I had three friends who were lucky enough to get pushed from the wait list onto the trip today. That being said, I also had three friends who as of now are still on the wait list. One of them called the ticket office and they told him he is "really far down the list and probably won't make the cut."

Out of our group two people made it on the trip right away Friday, three people made it on from the wait list today, and four people did not make the cut today. Obviously a really small sample size here, but based on the fact that 4/9 people in our group did not make it I think there is a solid number of students who would still like to sign up.
 

I did some checking, tour buses range from 47 to 57 passenger capacity, assuming a relief driver to stay on the road. It looks like 336 or so students if the bigger buses were sourced.
 

@jgkfan: @tSwag55 damn! Just over 7,000 sold...student bus count now up to 5, working on 6th.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1418689949.212628.jpg
 



They would probably continue to add buses if they have the drivers for it.
 


Spoofin said:
I'll drive
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I know you are having some fun, at least I think you are. ;) But out of curiosity, don't tour bus operators require a special class licensed driver in order to drive those rigs?
 

supadupafly said:
I know you are having some fun, at least I think you are. ;) But out of curiosity, don't tour bus operators require a special class license driver in order to drive those rigs?
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Without a doubt.
 

Not if you are going on a joy ride.
 

Buses don't make money for their owners sitting in the garage. They tend to be closely scheduled so there isn't an unlimited availability. Drivers are limited in in the number of hours they can drive. One way of keeping a bus moving is to have two drivers so that the bus keeps rolling without mandatory rest stops. Once there, you need to have a place to stay, so it's a multifaceted logistics exercise. Bus availability, driver availability, and room availability all need to come together. Each additional bus will be progressively harder to arrange.
 

Hey everyone, long time lurker on the forum, first time posting.

I emailed with the Gopher fan relations people today and called the office, hoping to get some info on the student trip situation. As of today, they have 5 buses, each carrying 40 students plus drivers and Gopher trip staff (so 200 students total). The fan relations office told me that, as of now, there are over 100 students on the wait-list, but that it seems highly unlikely that they will add anymore buses, so anyone still on the wait-list (myself included, sadly) will probably only get to go to Orlando if some students drop out of the trip or if they don't pay on time.

The woman I talked to basically admitted that it's a money issue, not a bus/driver/hotel issue...Basically, barring a large donation to subsidize more student trip packages, 200 students is the capacity. That's why the Gopher Football twitter was asking for ticket donations for students earlier today, but as of this afternoon, the office told me not to get my hopes up.

So not the best news, but that's what I was told. The woman I spoke to said she would email me throughout the week if anything changes or if the athletics department is able to work out a way to get more buses, so I'll update this thread if I hear anything new.
 

These extra games pay tens of millions to the conference. Should be able to scrape some of that to help make packages more affordable for fans. Especially for our top fans who give the most and spend the most.

I suspect if tOSU makes the champ game in Dallas, that they have a minimum of 2 charters that are just for their top givers that want to go for a niminal fee and buses upon buses for students that want to go.
 

why cant they push some of the ticket seat fees for season ticket holders to get as many students to the darn game.

I would feel a little better next year knowing my extra 600.00 I will be paying would help a student fan become hooked for life! then next year they could use some of the 1200.00 someone else will be paying for my seats :(
 

DoubleB said:
why cant they push some of the ticket seat fees for season ticket holders to get as many students to the darn game.

I would feel a little better next year knowing my extra 600.00 I will be paying would help a student fan become hooked for life! then next year they could use some of the 1200.00 someone else will be paying for my seats :(
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Sheesh they are coming after you hard already for those fees....Mine are only 150 for both my seats next year.....though by 2017 Ill be almost to 600
 

Ironman247 said:
Hey everyone, long time lurker on the forum, first time posting.

I emailed with the Gopher fan relations people today and called the office, hoping to get some info on the student trip situation. As of today, they have 5 buses, each carrying 40 students plus drivers and Gopher trip staff (so 200 students total). The fan relations office told me that, as of now, there are over 100 students on the wait-list, but that it seems highly unlikely that they will add anymore buses, so anyone still on the wait-list (myself included, sadly) will probably only get to go to Orlando if some students drop out of the trip or if they don't pay on time.

The woman I talked to basically admitted that it's a money issue, not a bus/driver/hotel issue...Basically, barring a large donation to subsidize more student trip packages, 200 students is the capacity. That's why the Gopher Football twitter was asking for ticket donations for students earlier today, but as of this afternoon, the office told me not to get my hopes up.

So not the best news, but that's what I was told. The woman I spoke to said she would email me throughout the week if anything changes or if the athletics department is able to work out a way to get more buses, so I'll update this thread if I hear anything new.
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Great info, thank you! Hope they get more donors and any student that wants to go, can!
 


GophersInIowa said:
How about Buffalo Wild Wings? It is their bowl and the headquarters is just down the road.
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Why doesn't BWW themselves being a locally based franchise charter buses for Minny fans to go to the Citrus Bowl?

That would have been a great PR move on their part if they sponsor contests for fans to win seats on the bus.
 

Girlfriend and I are around #40 in the waitlist. Will be waiting for a call later today hopefully...
 

Just donated towards student tickets. Hopefully the e-mail from the Gophers will motivate others to do so. Let's get the students there!
 

I just went to www.Gophersports.com as well and donated 1 ticket for a student. The more students we can get to the game I am all for it, one small brick i guess, hope it helps.
Go Gophers!
 

MirandaB said:
Just donated towards student tickets. Hopefully the e-mail from the Gophers will motivate others to do so. Let's get the students there!
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Got the e-mail and donated.
 

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