Renewals

[HouseOfHagen]

Just thought I would share some news with you all that I found exciting. Renewal rate is up this year compared to the same time last year. The waiting list for new season tickets has doubled from last year, so any non-renewal seats will get filled right away.

Just thought this was good news after all the people talking about not renewing their tickets. Seems like everyone is getting onboard with Kill which is great news for the program.

Just out of curiousity, how do you know that renewal rates are higher than last year and the waiting list has doubled? Last year, they had to drop season ticket prices to $199 after the renewal period ended as they had so many people drop their seats. So how was there still a waiting list if the stadium did not sell out last year after dropping prices? Are these all new ticket requests after last season was over? Where do you get your information?

 

[dpodoll68]

The ticket office is not out to screw over people like so many on here suggest. And the students are not lazy ignorant kids who sit on facebook all day and dont know any answers.

Malice, laziness, and ignorance are not incompetence. I don't think anyone is truly suggesting the former, but the latter is evident in spades.

 

[Gold Vision]

Just out of curiousity, how do you know that renewal rates are higher than last year and the waiting list has doubled? Last year, they had to drop season ticket prices to $199 after the renewal period ended as they had so many people drop their seats. So how was there still a waiting list if the stadium did not sell out last year after dropping prices? Are these all new ticket requests after last season was over? Where do you get your information?

When did they ever drop ticket prices to $199?

 

[HouseOfHagen]

Ticket prices were dropped to $199 in July or August I believe. I probably still have the email.

 

[GoAUpher]

Ticket prices were dropped to $199 in July or August I believe. I probably still have the email.

That was for recent graduates only. At least, that's how I recall it.

 

[DLguy]

Just out of curiousity, how do you know that renewal rates are higher than last year and the waiting list has doubled? Last year, they had to drop season ticket prices to $199 after the renewal period ended as they had so many people drop their seats. So how was there still a waiting list if the stadium did not sell out last year after dropping prices? Are these all new ticket requests after last season was over? Where do you get your information?

Was told directly from a very reliable source. I worked in the ticket office during my time in school and still know many people within the department. So i try to answer any ticket or seating related questions. If I dont know the answer, I ask a source to make sure the correct information is being given. The ticket office also does scan this site for feedback to make any corrections to their process.

 

[DLguy]

When did they ever drop ticket prices to $199?

Tickets were never dropped to $199 due to a lack of ticket sales. The Alumni Association teamed up with the ticket office to offer a discounted rate for recent grads. I beleive some of it had to do with suggestions on here for just that.

Here is a link.

https://www.mygophersports.com/Onli...ticle_id=E3D6E8D5-A4EF-4F81-9068-0749D7F9B6EA

 

[Gold Vision]

Tickets were never dropped to $199 due to a lack of ticket sales. The Alumni Association teamed up with the ticket office to offer a discounted rate for recent grads. I beleive some of it had to do with suggestions on here for just that.

Here is a link.

https://www.mygophersports.com/Onli...ticle_id=E3D6E8D5-A4EF-4F81-9068-0749D7F9B6EA

That's what I had remembered too. Just questioning the OP.

 

[whatupgoldy]

Oh Really?

Sure.

First the student workers pile all of the seat requests into a big pile in the center of the room. Then they take turns running and jumping into the pile, like leaves in the fall. When they tire of that activity they enjoy hours of paper airplane making and origami. Joel Maturi checks in occasionally, asking "How's the seat thing going, guys?" "Just fantastic, Mr. M, almost done" usually replies the 5th year, literature/business/astro-physics major, looking up from his Facebook/Angry Birds game. Most days are also passed with betting pools centered on how long ticket office callers will stay on the line before hanging up.

After a few more weeks of paper snowball fights, best of 247 paper football games and life-changing paper cut incidents, the deadline for the assignment finally arrives. This day consist mostly of the students furiously processing request forms into the industrial shredder, and then a few hours of upgrading the seats of friends and family, (and anyone smart enough to attach a $50 bill to their request form).

The rest of the year is spent answering calls with "Your request must have been submitted incorrectly, or could not be fulfilled as requested, but rest assured, there are no bad seats in TCF Bank Stadium. Thank you for calling."

Hope this helps.

Do you really think that the students - who make the minimum wage, have any say in the decisions as to who gets what seats/upgrade request granted? Let alone their friends and family -somehow all having and or wanting season football tickets? Is the student from Wisconsin going to have their parents buy tickets and give them the best possible seats without going through the process? I am putting myself in the student’s shoes, as a recent graduate. If you understand how things work, take the frustration out at the top of the line (Maturi etc.). Not the student worker on the noodles in a cup budget!

 

[CP Gopher]

I got cut off from a post I was writing, then messaged that it went through. I don't see it on here, so I'll just start over.

I'm dropping from two tickets to one for a few reasons, the main one being that I'm tired of recruiting people to go with me.
Am hoping to get a seat near the poeple I tailgate and bar-hop with.
I've talked to the ticket office three times, and visited in-person twice to inquire about my situation.
I literally received five different variations of answers regarding the process, timetable, seat location, etc.
I finally mailed my renewal form, writing in big bold letters that they need to call me immediately when its my turn and not to make a decision for me. My biggest worry is being moved to some remote nosebleed section in the middle of opposing fans.
I know some of you have had good fortune with the ticket office, but the system used is not effective enough.
My wife's friends (who aren't even football fans) bought season tickets for the first time last year in the middle of August. They ended up in the front row, one section closer to midfield than I am. They made no extra donation. How the hell does that happen?

 

[DLguy]

I know some of you have had good fortune with the ticket office, but the system used is not effective enough.
My wife's friends (who aren't even football fans) bought season tickets for the first time last year in the middle of August. They ended up in the front row, one section closer to midfield than I am. They made no extra donation. How the hell does that happen?

I will tell you how this happened, they got their tickets thru a 3rd party such as a ticket broker. They did not order them thru the ticket office. The ticket office did not sell any season tickets in August as they were sold out. Please try to find out all the facts before you start bashing the ticket office.

 

[Iceland12]

I will tell you how this happened, they got their tickets thru a 3rd party such as a ticket broker. They did not order them thru the ticket office. The ticket office did not sell any season tickets in August as they were sold out. Please try to find out all the facts before you start bashing the ticket office.

What you are suggesting would not only shut down this site but the internet as we know it!

 

[DLguy]

What you are suggesting would not only shut down this site but the internet as we know it!

Hahaha! Very true!

 

[CP Gopher]

I will tell you how this happened, they got their tickets thru a 3rd party such as a ticket broker. They did not order them thru the ticket office. The ticket office did not sell any season tickets in August as they were sold out. Please try to find out all the facts before you start bashing the ticket office.

THEY WENT TO THE TICKET OFFICE AND BOUGHT THE SAME TWO SEATS FOR EACH HOME GAME. MAYBE THIS DOESN'T COUNT AS BUYING "SEASON TICKETS'" BUT FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE TRYING TO UPGRADE LAST YEAR IT WAS A REAL KICK IN THE REAR.
AND AFTER THE RESPONSES I'VE RECEIVED TO MY INQUIRIES IN THE PAST MONTH I THINK I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BASH THE TICKET OFFICE.
THE SYSTEM HAS FLAWS.

 

[Johnny Olson]

The Twins have a great system for dealing with upgrades. They have a special website which shows open seats on a stadium Map. If you want to upgrade or add seats you simply click the seat.
Seniority dictates when you may enter the site.
The Gopher ticket office needs to pay some attention to how the professional operations do things.

 

[DLguy]

THEY WENT TO THE TICKET OFFICE AND BOUGHT THE SAME TWO SEATS FOR EACH HOME GAME. MAYBE THIS DOESN'T COUNT AS BUYING "SEASON TICKETS'" BUT FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE TRYING TO UPGRADE LAST YEAR IT WAS A REAL KICK IN THE REAR.
AND AFTER THE RESPONSES I'VE RECEIVED TO MY INQUIRIES IN THE PAST MONTH I THINK I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BASH THE TICKET OFFICE.
THE SYSTEM HAS FLAWS.

Well there you go. They dont even have season tickets. Your whole argument is worthless. So those tickets became available in August, for reasons we dont know. Some guesses here. Some one had to drop their tickets. Some one had to reduce their tickets. Or the most logical reason, the athletic department had those tickets held for internal use, and when it was determined they no longer needed them, they opened them up to the public for sale. This does happen as the department HAS to have a good number of tickets set aside for certain needs. This is standard practice at any facility across the country. Either way, these tickets were NOT available for upgrades during the seating upgrade process. And your freinds will NOT be able to renew in this spot, OR get the benefits/points from being a season ticket holder last year. I really hope you can understand this explanation, if not then there is no hope with you.

 

[Adam]

Well there you go. They dont even have season tickets. Your whole argument is worthless. So those tickets became available in August, for reasons we dont know. Some guesses here. Some one had to drop their tickets. Some one had to reduce their tickets. Or the most logical reason, the athletic department had those tickets held for internal use, and when it was determined they no longer needed them, they opened them up to the public for sale. This does happen as the department HAS to have a good number of tickets set aside for certain needs. This is standard practice at any facility across the country. Either way, these tickets were NOT available for upgrades during the seating upgrade process. And your freinds will NOT be able to renew in this spot, OR get the benefits/points from being a season ticket holder last year. I really hope you can understand this explanation, if not then there is no hope with you.

I purchased a single season ticket the week of the USC game. I have been included in all of the e-mails and notifications that have been sent to season ticket holders throughout last season and this offseason and I renewed my season ticket for this year through the same process as other season ticket holders. I'm not exactly sure how this situation compares to the one in question here, but none the less I was able to purchase a full and renewable season ticket last September.

 

[CP Gopher]

Well there you go. They dont even have season tickets. Your whole argument is worthless. So those tickets became available in August, for reasons we dont know. Some guesses here. Some one had to drop their tickets. Some one had to reduce their tickets. Or the most logical reason, the athletic department had those tickets held for internal use, and when it was determined they no longer needed them, they opened them up to the public for sale. This does happen as the department HAS to have a good number of tickets set aside for certain needs. This is standard practice at any facility across the country. Either way, these tickets were NOT available for upgrades during the seating upgrade process. And your freinds will NOT be able to renew in this spot, OR get the benefits/points from being a season ticket holder last year. I really hope you can understand this explanation, if not then there is no hope with you.

....And there's the problem. I've had season season tickets for several sports at various times (North Stars, Wild, Gopher hoops, hockey and football, Twins, Vikings), and one of the "standard practices" is informing current season ticket holders when better tickets become available before offering them to the public.....And, to debunk another one of your claims, they ARE getting the same tickets for this football season. They were contacted by phone shortly after the Iowa game and asked if they wanted the same seats for 2011.

 

[Southoftheriver]

Not to change this too much, but...
My seats at the HHH were left field between the uprights about 5 rows down. When TCF opened I would have liked to have end zone seats because I like to watch the line, holes, coverages, etc. and that perspective gives you a far better view IMO. The U decides to over reserve seats for students who, after the weather gets below 65F and you're playing at 11 again because you suck, don't show up. Much is made about revenue lost because of no alcohol, but if those first 5 - 10 rows of the bowl end upper deck were sold to non-students as season tickets, revenue would be increased. Most of the upper deck is empty because of no-shows or because with bleacher seating more students can stand in the lower deck than there are seats.

 

[year of the gopher]

Well there you go. They dont even have season tickets. Your whole argument is worthless. So those tickets became available in August, for reasons we dont know. Some guesses here. Some one had to drop their tickets. Some one had to reduce their tickets. Or the most logical reason, the athletic department had those tickets held for internal use, and when it was determined they no longer needed them, they opened them up to the public for sale. This does happen as the department HAS to have a good number of tickets set aside for certain needs. This is standard practice at any facility across the country. Either way, these tickets were NOT available for upgrades during the seating upgrade process. And your freinds will NOT be able to renew in this spot, OR get the benefits/points from being a season ticket holder last year. I really hope you can understand this explanation, if not then there is no hope with you.

One additional explanation on why the tickets became available in mid-August. U faculty and staff renew their tickets at the same time as everyone else, but have the option of paying through payroll deduction in July and August. Perhaps an employee season ticket holder quit, retired, or got laid off after renewing but before payroll deduction kicked in and decided not to ante up to pay the cost at that point.

How often it happens I have no idea, but I've always figured it must happen periodically. Either way, DLguy is right, there are a number of legitimate reasons that the tickets were unavailable at upgrade time but became available later on. Ticketing is a very, very complex business.

 

[CP Gopher]

One additional explanation on why the tickets became available in mid-August. U faculty and staff renew their tickets at the same time as everyone else, but have the option of paying through payroll deduction in July and August. Perhaps an employee season ticket holder quit, retired, or got laid off after renewing but before payroll deduction kicked in and decided not to ante up to pay the cost at that point.

How often it happens I have no idea, but I've always figured it must happen periodically. Either way, DLguy is right, there are a number of legitimate reasons that the tickets were unavailable at upgrade time but became available later on. Ticketing is a very, very complex business.

...And again, this is my point. Most sports franchises will inform current season ticket holders if better seats become available. I can give you an example: I had Twins season tickets from 2001-07. My seats were in the second level (row 3) behind 3rd base. In '06, I received a phone call in March telling me two seats were available behind home plate (same level, but in row 2). I took them up on the offer.
For my wife's friend (new to Gopher football) to be able to secure two pretty good seats ahead of thousands of people supposedly on a list is ridiculous.

 

[DLguy]

....And there's the problem. I've had season season tickets for several sports at various times (North Stars, Wild, Gopher hoops, hockey and football, Twins, Vikings), and one of the "standard practices" is informing current season ticket holders when better tickets become available before offering them to the public.....And, to debunk another one of your claims, they ARE getting the same tickets for this football season. They were contacted by phone shortly after the Iowa game and asked if they wanted the same seats for 2011.

Did you not read a word I wrote? Those tickets they release to the public are not available during the time of renewals. And they cannot offer them for upgrades, other wise you would piss and moan next year when they moved you back because they need to have the option of those tickets for the next season. It just so happens that for the current year they were not needed, and they were not gonna let them go to waste. And this IS typical practice at all the teams in the metro. I cannot count the number of times I have gone to Twins games and bought walk ups in the lower level. It is because they hold tickets as well for specific reasons, and when they are then no longer needed they sell them, to turn a profit.

---Adam, buying a single seat season ticket is a lot easier, because there are a number of single seats available. Much easier to buy a single season ticket then a pair or more.

---And in regards to the end zone tickets, the U must provide the students with 10,000 seats at a very minimum. This is the rule, and the endzone seats are the hardest to sell so that is why the students are there. They are not gonna break up the student section for a few hundred people. Wouldnt make sense.

 

[gotomn]

I think what you are getting is a bunch of people who are upset that they feel they have zero say in the option to move. My group of 6 all have names on the wall of contributions, u of m graduates and longtime season ticket holders.

The last 2 years, we send in our ticket request for upgrade options. Then, during a random slow period during the summer, we get a curt mass email that lets us know the following:

------
Dear Season Ticket Holder,

The football season ticket upgrade process has been completed. This year's process was especially challenging as we renewed our season tickets at over 93% and we received over 3,200 requests for seat improvements. Due to the large number of requests, the upgrade process took longer to complete than anticipated and we thank you for patience during the process. Unfortunately, we were unable to accommodate your specific request. However, a limited number of seats and parking spaces are still available if you would like to purchase additional or move from your current location.

Starting on Monday, June 21 at 9am, you can call the Gopher Ticket Office at 612-624-8080 or 1-800-UGOPHER to inquire about the specific locations that remain available. You will have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23 to purchase additional seats or move to a different location.

-----

We get the most random and vague response that puts it on the season ticket holder to inquire about specific remaining locations. So what was the point of my initial request if I then have to turn around and call during the 3 day window about "specific locations"?

They put all of the energy and emphasis in getting our initial tickets, with a great system that allowed us to see what seats were available. Since then, the only system available is the "hope and pray" system of moving to better seats.


People who have tickets want to feel that the U has an interest in retaining their business. The reality, as you can see above, is that they have a large amount of flaws in their system. When you have to compete against the professional teams, and how they treat their ticket holders, the U is a big step down.

All people ask is for a personal response that lets them feel as if they have a say in where they sit. Instead, they have a system that lets you write in a request, send it in to the black hole, and 3 months later get a standard form response. The students work hard to do the best they can, I just don't think they get enough support from the department to properly take care of the ticket holders.

 

[DLguy]

I think what you are getting is a bunch of people who are upset that they feel they have zero say in the option to move. My group of 6 all have names on the wall of contributions, u of m graduates and longtime season ticket holders.

The last 2 years, we send in our ticket request for upgrade options. Then, during a random slow period during the summer, we get a curt mass email that lets us know the following:

------
Dear Season Ticket Holder,

The football season ticket upgrade process has been completed. This year's process was especially challenging as we renewed our season tickets at over 93% and we received over 3,200 requests for seat improvements. Due to the large number of requests, the upgrade process took longer to complete than anticipated and we thank you for patience during the process. Unfortunately, we were unable to accommodate your specific request. However, a limited number of seats and parking spaces are still available if you would like to purchase additional or move from your current location.

Starting on Monday, June 21 at 9am, you can call the Gopher Ticket Office at 612-624-8080 or 1-800-UGOPHER to inquire about the specific locations that remain available. You will have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23 to purchase additional seats or move to a different location.

-----

We get the most random and vague response that puts it on the season ticket holder to inquire about specific remaining locations. So what was the point of my initial request if I then have to turn around and call during the 3 day window about "specific locations"?

They put all of the energy and emphasis in getting our initial tickets, with a great system that allowed us to see what seats were available. Since then, the only system available is the "hope and pray" system of moving to better seats.


People who have tickets want to feel that the U has an interest in retaining their business. The reality, as you can see above, is that they have a large amount of flaws in their system. When you have to compete against the professional teams, and how they treat their ticket holders, the U is a big step down.

All people ask is for a personal response that lets them feel as if they have a say in where they sit. Instead, they have a system that lets you write in a request, send it in to the black hole, and 3 months later get a standard form response. The students work hard to do the best they can, I just don't think they get enough support from the department to properly take care of the ticket holders.

It is very hard to upgrade seats for 6 seats when you have a high renewal rate. You would essentially have to have 6 peope in a group all drop their tickets, and then have nobody in front of you want to upgrade to better seats. Because if there are 3 sets of 2 with better history, they would have the option first. Upgrading a group is a long shot with a high renewal. I should know as we have 8, and even though we request an upgrade, we know we have no shot of moving.

And I dont see the point in calling the person to tell them they cannot be upgraded. That is a lot of unnecessary phone calls when nothing is going to be solved anyway. They will call if their are options for improvement.

 

[Pengy65]

When I had season tickets with the Vikings, I never had any input on upgrading other than writing a request as to "moving lower, closer to 50 yard line, price range" etc. That was 10-15yrs ago, so maybe that has changed, but it was much like this process. They sent a letter telling me where my new seats were after the process was complete. With the Gopher process they said they would contact people who were going to be upgraded before they actually finalized the new seats to make sure the ticket holder wanted the new location. If not, the ticket holder can stay where they are.

When I renewed my tickets online this year, I wrote in my request to upgrade to specific areas, ie certain sections and rows. After the online renewal deadline past I received a call from the ticket office asking to verify my upgrade request. They read back my request and clarified with me exactly what I meant by "no higher than row ____" etc. This is more personal contact than I ever had with the Vikings, so I feel ok about the system. I at least know they have received my request and it has been looked at.

I don't expect to be upgraded, as this will just be my 5th season as a season ticket holder and I am looking to move to very specific areas so my chances are limited. I did move up from my first to second year at the dome when renewals were down, so I do know it can happen.

 

[FarmGopher]

Do you really think that the students - who make the minimum wage, have any say in the decisions as to who gets what seats/upgrade request granted? Let alone their friends and family -somehow all having and or wanting season football tickets? Is the student from Wisconsin going to have their parents buy tickets and give them the best possible seats without going through the process? I am putting myself in the student’s shoes, as a recent graduate. If you understand how things work, take the frustration out at the top of the line (Maturi etc.). Not the student worker on the noodles in a cup budget!

Dude, it's called a joke. I just graduated from the U in '09. I know the students don't make the decisions on who gets a seat up-grades, they have one of those genius tick-tack-toe playing pigeons doing it, duh.

 

[Hammer Time]

I renewed my 2 seats pretty early on in the renewal process this year and didn't request an upgrade at all. I got a call from the ticket office confirming I didn't want to move seats and making sure I was satisfied in the seats I currently had. I thought that was great service from the ticket office and the people running things over there.

 

[Schnauzer]

Here is a link to the seat upgrade website.

https://www.mygophersports.com/Onli...ticle_id=6CFAEE32-3B83-4BB7-B751-C4217AB6B3C7

For the guy whos brother in law was able to buy new tickets, and got better seats has to take all factors into consideration. Number of seats, whether that individual donates money in any form, history in other sports. There are many factors as to why his seats might have been better.

And regarding basketball, you must remember that the majority of the people dropping season tickets are those with the least amount of history. Meaning they were up near the top, so improvements were very hard to come by. And there is only a 1 week window when anyone would know if better seats are available and that is during the renewal process. Just calling up and asking is not going to get you better seats, because they truely arent available at that time.

The ticket office is not out to screw over people like so many on here suggest. And the students are not lazy ignorant kids who sit on facebook all day and dont know any answers.

Double buzzer sound for you...

I don't think anyone believes the ticket office is "out to screw over people." It is just that for a variety of reasons, that is the end result - all too often. It helps to talk to a manager that can rise above the glut of misinformation in that ticket office, but that isn't always possible. I will never forget a few years back (still in the dome), my season ticket purchase was so screwed up that I got placed in different seats from what I was promised, AND my order was duplicated (got 8 seats in two locations instead of what I had ordered - 4 seats). I was trying to inform the kid I had on the phone and the whole situation was only getting worse. I finally pulled the "let me talk to a manager" card and I was told NO. I couldn't believe it. I kept pressing, and kept getting denied the opportunity to talk to a manager until I finally was told they'd take my name/number and have a manager call me. I never got that call and ended up enjoying 8 tickets for the price of 4 that year. I felt some guilt but that guilt went away every time I relived that conversation and the fact I NEVER got a call back despite my best efforts to correct THEIR errors. One of my all-time favorite customer service stories.

I am the guy whose bro-in-law got the seats I requested to move to in my change request form. No donations at all, and this was his first EVER purchase of season tickets for any Gopher sport since graduating from the U of M. Meanwhile, I have had season tickets for years and was denied my request to move to the section he was placed in (same number of seats).

Plus, as a NEW season ticket request, wouldn't his placement take place after ALL change request forms had been completed anyway? Regardless, there was NO reason he should have ended up in the seats in the section I had requested (if my change request form had been read).

For good measure, how is this for proof that my request form was never looked at??:

I made two requests: 1) move closer to the center of the field (including the section he was placed in), and 2) move my single seat (on the other side of the field) as close as possible to my original 4, wherever those seats end up (they weren't moved at all in the end). I got "denied" on BOTH requests. I found it impossible to believe that there was not ONE single seat available between my two locations, on opposite sides of the stadium. After getting notification there was nothing that could be done with my two requests, I called the ticket office and asked about it. Within 5 minutes my single seat was moved to the same section as my other four, just two rows directly in front of them.

Hmmmmm?

 

[whatupgoldy]

Bah, I get it!

Yes, I know that I have been butchered for not taking a joke as a simple joke – I was just trying to give a second opinion or point of view on the situation. Why are you comparing college to pro sports? Those are two completely different worlds! However living in MN- where the sports market is beyond over saturated (Twins, Vikings, Wild, Timberwolves, Swarm, Saints etc.), people have so many options and appears the fans tend to hop to the next best ticket in town, which is what I like to call a fair weather fan! What will happen to the Twins when the lure of the new stadium and poor performance continues? Will Target Field still draw the same crowd? Of course the Twins have a better system, they have more money and more staff to allocate towards newer technology etc. Reminder, The U of M Athletic Dept is still on a budget Freeze!

FYI – last July my cousin did not get the upgrade request he wanted and was sent an e-mail in July, letting season ticket holders know what seats were available before new season tickets went on sale to the public . I guess I am on the Ticket Office’s side on this one. However I usually just call and ask the Ticket Office what’s going on etc. When I was told my cousin didn’t get his upgrade request because the sets he wanted in the non-donation chair back areas had the highest renewal rate and most requested, I kind of got it! However I would looooove to be in that area! But I can understand everyone’s frustration and would ideally like to get in the non-donation charibacks on the sunny side!

 

[Gopher024]

Yes, I know that I have been butchered for not taking a joke as a simple joke – I was just trying to give a second opinion or point of view on the situation. Why are you comparing college to pro sports? Those are two completely different worlds! However living in MN- where the sports market is beyond over saturated (Twins, Vikings, Wild, Timberwolves, Swarm, Saints etc.), people have so many options and appears the fans tend to hop to the next best ticket in town, which is what I like to call a fair weather fan! What will happen to the Twins when the lure of the new stadium and poor performance continues? Will Target Field still draw the same crowd? Of course the Twins have a better system, they have more money and more staff to allocate towards newer technology etc. Reminder, The U of M Athletic Dept is still on a budget Freeze!

FYI – last July my cousin did not get the upgrade request he wanted and was sent an e-mail in July, letting season ticket holders know what seats were available before new season tickets went on sale to the public . I guess I am on the Ticket Office’s side on this one. However I usually just call and ask the Ticket Office what’s going on etc. When I was told my cousin didn’t get his upgrade request because the sets he wanted in the non-donation chair back areas had the highest renewal rate and most requested, I kind of got it! However I would looooove to be in that area! But I can understand everyone’s frustration and would ideally like to get in the non-donation charibacks on the sunny side!

Here's my issue with with I highlighted in your post. They had a great system in place for the first season. Why did they decide to throw that all away? It seems like they could have found a way to continue using that same site. I can't imagine that it would have cost them a whole lot of money to keep it around.