offer from ticket office

[nooram]

As a season ticket holder for Gopher Men’s Basketball you have the opportunity to purchase two additional season tickets for the 2011-12 season. You will be able to select those new season tickets with your current season tickets during the reseating of Williams Arena in the Spring/Summer of 2012. This is a great way to add one or two additional seats and have them all seated together.
The majority of open season tickets are in the upper level behind either basket; please call Gopher Fan Relations for specific availability of season tickets. Additional season tickets purchased are not guaranteed to be next to your current seats for the 2011-12 season, but remember you will have the ability to select all your seats together for the 2012-13 season.
**A maximum of two additional season tickets can be purchased per season ticket holder.
To purchase season tickets please call the Gopher Fan Relations at 612-624-8080. Season tickets are $660 per ticket.
If you have any other questions about your season tickets or the Gopher Points process, please call us at 612-624-8080.
Thank you for supporting Gopher Men's Basketball.

 

[Moonlight]

We got this too this am. Quote from Sir Moonlight: "They're panicking already."
I know quite a few people who are saying they are renewing this year but don't know about next year.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Seems like they're targeting people who'll refuse preferred seating by enticing them to get extra nosebleeds with the guarantee they'll have 3-4 (non-donation) seats together in 2012-13.

While we're here, does anyone know the exact amount (or close to it) of chairback seats in Williams Arena? My seat ranking is currently about 4,800. ... I'm assuming there are at least 5,000 chairbacks in Williams?

 

[Moonlight]

Not necessarily - I'm not assuming those who do this will take non-donation seats next year, tho I suspect this seals our departure as we have good non-donation seats that are likely to be gone before we choose.
It seems it also means that the number they gave of tickets that will select ahead of you in seat selection will not be accurate. If some will now be choosing additional seats, that pushes those behind them further back.

 

[SelectionSunday]

It's going to be interesting to see how this shakes out. If my customer and seat (the one I'm more concerned with) ranks take a huge dive all of a sudden, then I'll be concerned. I recently donated to the Williams capital campaign (5 points), and it barely made a dent in my customer/seat ranks. However, so far my ranks are holding pretty steady.

I think what Rouser said a couple weeks ago appears pretty accurate. Unless you donate a huge chunk of change between now & December 31 -- if you just give $25 or $50 here or $100 there -- it's not going to move your ticket-selection needle much at all.

 

[bga1]

Not necessarily - I'm not assuming those who do this will take non-donation seats next year, tho I suspect this seals our departure as we have good non-donation seats that are likely to be gone before we choose.
It seems it also means that the number they gave of tickets that will select ahead of you in seat selection will not be accurate. If some will now be choosing additional seats, that pushes those behind them further back.

I doubt this offer has much impact. Hang in there. Unless we have a really, really good year this year (I hope we do), I doubt non-premium folks are going to get hurt too bad. In this economy I just don't foresee a rush to the ticket office to pay more. This is not real big a corporate ticket attraction like the Vikings or Twins. These are just fans who most likely are not interested in paying for more tickets or liking the idea of the premium program. There will be plenty of dropouts to match new buyers.

 

[SelectionSunday]

BGA, that's pretty much how I'm looking at it. I hope the Gophers have a fantastic season, obviously, but if they have another season of 9-9ish and 6th or 7th in the B1G, I just don't see there being a mad rush to become a Gopher season-ticket holder in 2012-13. I think it's more likely the number of people with more Gopher Points than me will drop, not rise. I'm optimistic there'll be plenty of good seats available (including non-donations) when it's my time to select seats, and I'll be willing to pay a little more if there are a couple seats too good to pass up.

 

[howeda7]

We got this too this am. Quote from Sir Moonlight: "They're panicking already."
I know quite a few people who are saying they are renewing this year but don't know about next year.

I predict that short of a Sweet 16-type season, this whole plan is going to be 'delayed' for a few years.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Can't see any scenario where preferred seating gets delayed. They're not going to do all this work & planning and just chuck it aside because the Gophers don't have a Sweet-16 type season.

I'd sure like a Sweet 16-type season, though. It's been too long (1996-1997). Even a survive & advance into the 3rd round (formerly 2nd round) would be a breath of fresh air. At least then we can get the feeling of having our team stick around for a few days. One-and-dones are no fun, whether it's the B1G or NCAA tournament.

 

[GopherLady]

Seems like they're targeting people who'll refuse preferred seating by enticing them to get extra nosebleeds with the guarantee they'll have 3-4 (non-donation) seats together in 2012-13.

While we're here, does anyone know the exact amount (or close to it) of chairback seats in Williams Arena? My seat ranking is currently about 4,800. ... I'm assuming there are at least 5,000 chairbacks in Williams?

At the meeting I attended, I had down that 8000 will have preferred costs.

 

[SelectionSunday]

8,000 chairbacks? Wow, that's a lot more than I thought, and certainly good news. Thanks GL.

 

[Moonlight]

Really, they ought to let people retain the seats they have if they wish, or choose new improved ones. Like the uncertainty in the stock market, this is causing people to consider bailing.

 

[bga1]

Really, they ought to let people retain the seats they have if they wish, or choose new improved ones. Like the uncertainty in the stock market, this is causing people to consider bailing.

You are exactly correct. If you have been in the arena 20-25 years and have earned the right to sit in a certain set of seats by longevity- it seems that someone should not be able to just buy your seat out from under you. The market will soon let them know if they are erring or not.

 

[GopherJake]

You are exactly correct. If you have been in the arena 20-25 years and have earned the right to sit in a certain set of seats by longevity- it seems that someone should not be able to just buy your seat out from under you. The market will soon let them know if they are erring or not.

Agree. And they are in a bit of a buyer's market right now (understatement). Economy, lackluster teams, disappointment-upon-disappointment. Not good timing for them.

I agree with Howeda on one thing - this whole thing is going to flop if they have another season like last year. That arena will be half-sold at best if we have a repeat........