Nonconference Sked Update

[SelectionSunday]

Not sure how others feel, but speaking as one season-ticket holder I would not feel jobbed if the Gophers played a "neutral-site" game at Target Center or the X, even if it meant paying outside the regular parameters of my season-ticket package. I would be thrilled.

I want to see the Gophers play a good/recognizable basketball program or two in November & December. ... in the state of Minnesota. And I want it to happen more than (on average) once every other year. If it means taking a game to Target Center/X, so be it, so long as the return game (as TC-Monkey said) is at a similar "neutral site" and not on the opponent's home floor. And I'm not even asking for a Kansas or a Duke.

It can't be that difficult. Would it really be that difficult to schedule (as an example) a two-year "neutral-and-neutral" series with say, a Vanderbilt? If the schools refuse to play on the other's home court, then why not play at the Target Center & play in Nashville at the Predators home arena?

 

[howeda7]

Moving games to neutral sites is nothing more than an admission that you are a second-class program. It doesn't matter if it's 2 miles or 2,000 miles off campus. It is no longer a home game. If it is a series that is frequently/always played at a neutral site, like Georgia/Florida, Mizzou/Illinois, etc., that is one thing, but a random series that is meaningless to the fan base of either team should not be played anywhere other than our home field/floor. Do you think Indiana fans were happy with playing a "home" game at FedEx Field? If you want to hold up Indiana football as a model to exemplify, be my guest, but I'd rather at least present the illusion that my program is first-class.

Indiana playing a game in Maryland = Minnesota playing a game at the Target Center? Really? Give me a break. How about when Indiana plays a basketball game in Indianapolis, which they have done. What Indiana did in football was pathetic. But I guess the basketball program is second-class too.

And is Kansas a second-class program? They must be if they were willing to play in MN in an off-campus location like the Sprint Center which is much, much further off-campus than the Target Center.

 

[howeda7]

I hear what you're saying, but it won't happen that way.

To make this successful, you want alcohol sales, that won't happen if its part of the season package. You gotta charge more for the game, that will p*** off the season ticket holders (last thing we need now anyway). You'd also make the season package more expensive, which would drive down the sales of season tickets to the Barn. Finally, you've got the headache of mapping a season ticket holder premium seat to its corresponding premium position in the new venue.

There's simply no way its part of the season ticket package. Season ticket holders would get first rights to buy tickets though.

Having it be part of the season ticket package might be a headache, but it wouldn't be impossible. And even if they just give those folks first dibs, most of them would buy. Are you really going to spend the $$$ it takes to get season tickets and then say 'no thanks, I'll pass' on a game with Kansas or UCLA? I'd hope not.