Selling Tickets

[Iceland12]

We went and saw Moneyball with two sets of friends this weekend. We have 10 season tickets among us so naturally we started talking Gophers at dinner afterwards. One couple isn't going to anymore games this year except for possibly the Illinois game. They've had tickets since 2007. The other couple has missed one game in the last two years, Iowa last year . They've had trouble giving their second set away. They've had them since 1999. They've had an offer of $200 for the Nebraska game from a co-worker since the game got on the schedule. Until yesterday they said no. After the Purdue game they're selling them. "I don't want to see them get slaughtered again" and "Even the Coach says they suck!"

Anybody who had Season Tickets in Wacker's last year had some hope when Mason was hired. That is until Mason, with one of the best throwing QB in Gopher history went to the option. Brewster's first year had everybody cringing, but if they wanted to get seats in TCF it was a good idea to keep them.

Now? Kill and most people on the board are righting-off next year for sure and maybe two or THREE seasons after that. The question becomes who will keep their tickets and then who will actually show-up to sit in them?

Oh, and forget the threat of "they'll want to keep them because once they get good they won't be able to GET them!"

That's wrong on so many levels.

 

[tikited]

We went and saw Moneyball with two sets of friends this weekend. We have 10 season tickets among us so naturally we started talking Gophers at dinner afterwards. One couple isn't going to anymore games this year except for possibly the Illinois game. They've had tickets since 2007. The other couple has missed one game in the last two years, Iowa last year . They've had trouble giving their second set away. They've had them since 1999. They've had an offer of $200 for the Nebraska game from a co-worker since the game got on the schedule. Until yesterday they said no. After the Purdue game they're selling them. "I don't want to see them get slaughtered again" and "Even the Coach says they suck!"

Anybody who had Season Tickets in Wacker's last year had some hope when Mason was hired. That is until Mason, with one of the best throwing QB in Gopher history went to the option. Brewster's first year had everybody cringing, but if they wanted to get seats in TCF it was a good idea to keep them.

Now? Kill and most people on the board are righting-off next year for sure and maybe two or THREE seasons after that. The question becomes who will keep their tickets and then who will actually show-up to sit in them?

Oh, and forget the threat of "they'll want to keep them because once they get good they won't be able to GET them!"

That's wrong on so many levels.

Selling tickets to the enemy is simply wrong. Sell tickets to Neb./Wisc./Iowa fans and it becomes a crime. You can't explain it any other way.

 

[Iceland12]

Selling tickets to the enemy is simply wrong. Sell tickets to Neb./Wisc./Iowa fans and it becomes a crime. You can't explain it any other way.

Much like drunken driving, cheating on your taxes and smoking dope it's a crime that a whole lot of people will be committing. Though in a couple of years, according to the coach and many posters, there won't be many people around who can actually commit the crime.

 

[GopherinFlorida]

I'm wondering what this thread is about...is it that some people don't renew season tickets when their team sucks for years at a time? (not really news) Is it that we can expect a lot of empty seats at Gopher games in the future until we don't suck anymore? (Also, not news) Is it that you have some friends with season tickets that are thinking about getting rid of them? (Thanks...but seriously worth a thread?)

Thanks for your insight on this breaking news!

 

[Iceland12]

The other part? I'm still enough of an "old school" guy that I'll support the school and the kids. Read this site and that makes me a "criminal" to most posters. Most posters say the school and it's administration sucks. The kids? The coach finally backed off saying that they were talentless and lazy and most posters ripped Kill for not being hard enough on them.

 

[Bayfieldgopher]

These are the times when a team needs support. Not just when it is doing well.

Fans expect the team to do well but some aren't willing to tough it out. The UM needs revenue to support the program and enable it to have the resources to recruit and compete. Without it, the task gets much more difficult.

No one said will be easy nor even enjoyable. But those who missed the Iowa game last year wished they would have been there.

Mrs Bayfield and I will not waiver and will continue to support the program.

 

[Iceland12]

I'm wondering what this thread is about...is it that some people don't renew season tickets when their team sucks for years at a time? (not really news) Is it that we can expect a lot of empty seats at Gopher games in the future until we don't suck anymore? (Also, not news) Is it that you have some friends with season tickets that are thinking about getting rid of them? (Thanks...but seriously worth a thread?)

Thanks for your insight on this breaking news!

Maybe not as necessary as 41 threads on Maturi but a little "econ" is something that appears to be lacking.

Now maybe the people who live a long ways away, don't have season tickets or even show up for many games, those people should rethink their constant "it's going suck for a few years" attitude. Your "investment" is a pretty easy one to make. Then blaming the Administration for not spending the money to get things done on one hand while acting as if getting the money to spend isn't that big a deal. That also is pretty damn easy.

Buy some "f-ing Season Tickets. Don't sell them just eat the cost and THEN come back here and say that not even trying to win isn't that important.

 

[GopherinFlorida]

Maybe not as necessary as 41 threads on Maturi but a little "econ" is something that appears to be lacking.

Now maybe the people who live a long ways away, don't have season tickets or even show up for many games, those people should rethink their constant "it's going suck for a few years" attitude. Your "investment" is a pretty easy one to make. Then blaming the Administration for not spending the money to get things done on one hand while acting as if getting the money to spend isn't that big a deal. That also is pretty damn easy.

Buy some "f-ing Season Tickets. Don't sell them just eat the cost and THEN come back here and say that not even trying to win isn't that important.

You make many assumptions about my financial contributions to the U being somehow lacking or less than a season ticket holder, and that I am not a season ticket holder or my family that still lives in Mpls not being season ticket holders. You would be wrong on all fronts. Further, when did I ever say trying to win is not that important?

In this thread, I challenged the value of it because the idea that season ticket holders don't renew when the team sucks and it is can be hard to sell tickets when your team sucks is stating the obvious and a waste of my time to read the drivel. Now, if the gentlemen had given an actual opinion or suggestion or really anything of value other than I had dinner with some season ticket holders and they were complaining and selling tickets cuz they didn't want to see a loss...well then maybe I would have responded in kind.

 

[imthewalrus]

Go ahead keflivik: tell your fair-weather friends to do what ever. It sounds as if you are advertising asking people to dump their tickets because your good buddy badger joel macturi is catching heat for all of his incompetence. Go right ahead.

prexy k and his new ad are really going to be under the gun...but, make no mistake about it keflivik, the new prexy is on the hook to make TCF BANK STADIUM work. Because prexy b and bjm have done such a horrible job with the revenue sports, it will insure that prexy k will be FORCED to focus upon the revenue sports. As a result, some non-revenue sports may suffer to the point of being eleminated.

I'm going to be in TCF BANK STADIUM in my seats for EVERY game God willing. I'll be there to meet and greet Nebraska, iowa and wisky and Illinois fans. It is, after all Big Ten Football and basically I enjoy talking to the fine folks who are fans of ALL Big Ten Teams. It will be a pleasure, as always to chat before and after the games. It is going to be a tough year, but SO WHAT? I've seen tough years before. I also got to see a NC year during the course of being a Gopher Fan.

Tell your wimpy friends to be sure to do a short-term cap. gain on any money they get for their tickets over face value.

The time draws neigh for prexy k to start being a vocal, visable, functioning prexy around here. He is going to have to start having a presence. Since prexy b and the current ad have let the football program and the other revenue programs slip so incredibly badly, prexy k is going to have to deal with revenue sport issues very soon.

 

[Iceland12]

You make many assumptions about my financial contributions to the U being somehow lacking or less than a season ticket holder, and that I am not a season ticket holder or my family that still lives in Mpls not being season ticket holders. You would be wrong on all fronts. Further, when did I ever say trying to win is not that important?

In this thread, I challenged the value of it because the idea that season ticket holders don't renew when the team sucks and it is can be hard to sell tickets when your team sucks is stating the obvious and a waste of my time to read the drivel. Now, if the gentlemen had given an actual opinion or suggestion or really anything of value other than I had dinner with some season ticket holders and they were complaining and selling tickets cuz they didn't want to see a loss...well then maybe I would have responded in kind.

So every thread and post is all about you? Also a pretty bad and self-centered assumption. Don't read it. If you've read the board and seen the constant suggestions that throwing away the season or not playing your best players is fine. That it has no impact then you would have got the point, but since it's all about you it wasn't clear. Every post must interest you or be about you?


Happy?

 

[Jike Spingleton]

Buy some "f-ing Season Tickets. Don't sell them just eat the cost and THEN come back here and say that not even trying to win isn't that important.

Having to travel 1,000 miles each way for home games is a lot more tolerable when you actually have a fighting chance going in. I've already got airfare for Nebraska and Iowa (week-long vacation in MN) and Illinois (Thanksgiving) lined up, but dropping $400 on airfare to watch us lose by 50+ to Wisky doesn't sound too appealing at the moment. I do abide by the rule to never sell tickets to a rival, so although I'm confident there will be a Gopher fan using my ticket on 11/12, even if there wasn't, the seat would go empty.

Not renewing my tickets isn't an option. Not now, not ever. In fact, we booked our hotel for next year's Iowa game over the weekend.

 

[gophers&guns]

I'm having a similar problem with the guy I split season tickets with, and it's driving me nuts. I have set up my tailgate early every week, bought and prepared all the food for who ever I'm bringing to the game along with friends who are just coming to party. Then this guy shows up two hours before game time, takes my beer and food, and thinks it's ok because we are friends.

I was told the other night he is selling his two tickets to someone who will pay him for tickets plus the commission he gets from the people he is selling them to from Nebraska. Then he said he is also just planning on giving his Wisconsin tickets to a guy he knows who went to Madison.

I have already made up my mind that when it's time to renew our season tickets I giving him the big f-you and keeping all four of the seats for myself!

 

[GoAUpher]

Not renewing my tickets isn't an option. Not now, not ever. In fact, we booked our hotel for next year's Iowa game over the weekend.

Hotel? Have you given up on the tent already?

Also, +10000000 on the bolded. That's how I am too. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, but the tickets are my allotted big purchase in our budget each year. Thick or thin, those tickets get paid for. Thankfully unlike Jike my travel to home games only involves a 4 hour drive, not a plane ride.

 

[tikited]

I have already made up my mind that when it's time to renew our season tickets I giving him the big f-you and keeping all four of the seats for myself!

Perfect solution Gopherguns. Dude sounds like a moocher and a bad fan.

 

[CP Gopher]

I'm still going. Screw anyone who cops out.

 

[dlw4gophers]

I have had my seats since 1971. I did miss 2 season because I was not around enough those two years to have season tickets. I miss a game once in a while, but I will be at these last four games. There is no excuse for a season ticket holder to sells there tickets to a pig eye or a becky fan. NO EXCUSE. If you do that, I hope you need the couple hundred $ that your going to get real bad. I would not be able to sleep at night if I knew I put two extra pigs in the stands.

 

[GopherVotary]

We overbuilt. Is there anyway we can downsize?

 

[Rhinegator]

I will be in my seats for the next 4 games, will NOT sell. If I can not attend will give to loyal gopher fans. My concern is this, the 4 seats behind me always have someone different in them. At the Miami game I found out the tickets are owned by Coke and they give them out to employees and distributors. At the Miami game the people were very good Gopher fans from western Minnesota and fun to be with. The NDSU game the seats were occupied by NDSU fans and not as much fun to be around. It will be interesting to see who has the seats for the Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Iowa games. I think it is wrong for Coke to purchase tickets for Minnesota home games and then give them to opponent's fans. If these seats are given to opponents fans from Wis, Neb, & Iowa, I may need to make a call to Coke. Coke was probably given the tickets by the U as a part of their conssessions deal at TCF. I may even have to quit drinking a 6 pack of Diet Coke per day. How I hate rum and pepsi.

 

[kellyleeks]

Hotel? Have you given up on the tent already?

Also, +10000000 on the bolded. That's how I am too. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, but the tickets are my allotted big purchase in our budget each year. Thick or thin, those tickets get paid for. Thankfully unlike Jike my travel to home games only involves a 4 hour drive, not a plane ride.

Jike isn't cool enough for the tent option.

 

[Ron Johnson Super Fan]

These are the times when a team needs support. Not just when it is doing well.

Fans expect the team to do well but some aren't willing to tough it out. The UM needs revenue to support the program and enable it to have the resources to recruit and compete. Without it, the task gets much more difficult.

No one said will be easy nor even enjoyable. But those who missed the Iowa game last year wished they would have been there.

Mrs Bayfield and I will not waiver and will continue to support the program.

+1. Getting kicked in the nuts every Saturday sucks but I won't (can't?) walk away.

 

[Jike Spingleton]

Jike isn't cool enough for the tent option.

When four dudes decide to pitch a tent and I'm not invited, it stings a little.

 

[Iceland12]

When four dudes decide to pitch a tent and I'm not invited, it stings a little.

That's more information then we need to know..

 

[gophers&guns]

So has anyone ever seen the whiskey tango trailer, I'm playing on building a similar one over the winter for next year so I can get some crazy tailgate parties going. I'm also planning on going to all the away games with it too.

 

[blue52]

In reference to Coke giving away tickets to opposing fans, how's this? Last year at the Ohio State game, sitting next to us in our season Outdoor Club seats were Ohio State fans decked out in Ohio State gear. They made a point of yelling how Minnesota sucked, loudly cheering for Ohio State, and when asked how they got their Outdoor Club tickets? Why their brother works in the ticket office and got them free tickets.

 

[Schnauzer]

I haven't missed a game at TCF Bank Stadium since it opened. I love college football. Through the years it has become my favorite spectator sport. I barely notice the NFL now, including the Vikings. I watch them if I don't have anything else to do and my interest in them rises and falls like the rest of the fair weather Minnesota sports fans. If they contend for the super bowl, I'll be pretty interested in them again and I'll be more willing to go out of my way to watch them on Sundays.

Meanwhile, I did NOT attend the 'U'. I really have no reason to be "loyal" to the Gopher football squad. I learned to love the Gophers from my dad when I was a kid and as the only big time college conference team in the state, it was easy to maintain that association even after I attended and graduated from a different (DIII) school. Not sure why, but my own personal fandom in college football, and by birth the Gophers, increased greatly as I got older. Perhaps the Barber/Maroney years helped a little and I would have remained a "typical" fan if they had never even partially recovered from the Wacker years. But, personally for me something changed in the 2000's and I found that I enjoyed the college atmosphere enough to put up with a crappy on-field product. I'll be back in my seats next year, continuing to enjoy the college game and hoping to finally see the Gophers show signs of improvement.

I can't speak to the rest of it. If your friends cancel their tickets, and the "typical" MN fanbase continues to migrate away, toward whomever is winning... so be it. Perhaps I will finally get a positive response to my yearly request to move closer to the middle of the field.

yeah, I want to see the stadium full, the team winning every Saturday, and the stadium expanded due to ticket demand. But, I can't control your dinner party friends and I can't control the blue chip football players when they make their college decisions. I can enjoy a fall afternoon at the stadium, arriving early to see the band, and cheering on the team. I can control those things so I will stick with that for now.

 

[tikited]

I haven't missed a game at TCF Bank Stadium since it opened. I love college football. Through the years it has become my favorite spectator sport. I barely notice the NFL now, including the Vikings. I watch them if I don't have anything else to do and my interest in them rises and falls like the rest of the fair weather Minnesota sports fans. If they contend for the super bowl, I'll be pretty interested in them again and I'll be more willing to go out of my way to watch them on Sundays.

Meanwhile, I did NOT attend the 'U'. I really have no reason to be "loyal" to the Gopher football squad. I learned to love the Gophers from my dad when I was a kid and as the only big time college conference team in the state, it was easy to maintain that association even after I attended and graduated from a different (DIII) school. Not sure why, but my own personal fandom in college football, and by birth the Gophers, increased greatly as I got older. Perhaps the Barber/Maroney years helped a little and I would have remained a "typical" fan if they had never even partially recovered from the Wacker years. But, personally for me something changed in the 2000's and I found that I enjoyed the college atmosphere enough to put up with a crappy on-field product. I'll be back in my seats next year, continuing to enjoy the college game and hoping to finally see the Gophers show signs of improvement.

I can't speak to the rest of it. If your friends cancel their tickets, and the "typical" MN fanbase continues to migrate away, toward whomever is winning... so be it. Perhaps I will finally get a positive response to my yearly request to move closer to the middle of the field.

yeah, I want to see the stadium full, the team winning every Saturday, and the stadium expanded due to ticket demand. But, I can't control your dinner party friends and I can't control the blue chip football players when they make their college decisions. I can enjoy a fall afternoon at the stadium, arriving early to see the band, and cheering on the team. I can control those things so I will stick with that for now.

I can relate to everything you wrote. Well, not everything. I try to arrive early but that doesn't always happen. Everything else mirrors my life with Gophers.

 

[HouseOfHagen]

I've been a season ticket holder for about ten years (2 tickets) now and have made it to the vast majority of home games. After the Brewster debacle and knowing we could only make a few games this year, we thought about dropping the tickets but eventually renewed. Now as the season progresses, we can't even give the tickets away to Gopher fans when we can't make it. So it's either sell them to an opposing fan or toss the tickets in the garbage. Maybe I'm not as financially well off as the rest of you, but regardless, it's gotten to a point with the team's performance and lack of Gopher interest that I would rather sell them to earn back some of my $ than toss them away.

 

[GoAUpher]

Maybe I'm not as financially well off as the rest of you, but regardless, it's gotten to a point with the team's performance and lack of Gopher interest that I would rather sell them to earn back some of my $ than toss them away.

I'll be honest. I think selling to opposing fans is sacrilegious. I say most instead of all because there are very specific circumstances under which fans of other teams can end up in my seats. For instance, a very good friend who is a Husker is coming with me to this season's game (we had a pact made years ago that the next time the Gophers/Huskers played we would bring the other guy to a game. He's also not a toolbucket). I also allowed a good friend who is an OSU fan to use my seats last year because I know he's a classy guy and could be counted on not to make an a** of himself. He'd already gone to TCF with me in 2009 (cheered the Gophers while there) and wanted to bring his wife to see the stadium.

My rules are simple. Gopher fans above everyone (tough to do right now but it's the rule). No opposing fans at all (minus very special instances like those above) but specifically no Badger/Iowa fans. I don't sell to scalpers. Used to do it rarely for non-con games where the opposing team didn't travel but I've given that up because I don't like the idea of randoms ending up in my seats.

As a result, I look at the $550 I spend each season on a pair of tickets as a sunk cost. I expect to get none of it back. That way, I never feel pressured to sell my seats. While my wife and I are not bad off, I have to make sacrifices in the budget to make this happen. The tickets are my big purchase every year.

That said, the sunk cost idea certainly isn't an option for everyone. If it were me, I'd drop the seats and buy tickets for a few of the games I want to go to rather than be forced to sell them to opposing fans to afford them. But that's me and it's a hard choice to make for someone who has had the tickets for so long.

 

[HouseOfHagen]

I'll be honest. I think selling to opposing fans is sacrilegious. I say most instead of all because there are very specific circumstances under which fans of other teams can end up in my seats. For instance, a very good friend who is a Husker is coming with me to this season's game (we had a pact made years ago that the next time the Gophers/Huskers played we would bring the other guy to a game. He's also not a toolbucket). I also allowed a good friend who is an OSU fan to use my seats last year because I know he's a classy guy and could be counted on not to make an a** of himself. He'd already gone to TCF with me in 2009 (cheered the Gophers while there) and wanted to bring his wife to see the stadium.

My rules are simple. Gopher fans above everyone (tough to do right now but it's the rule). No opposing fans at all (minus very special instances like those above) but specifically no Badger/Iowa fans. I don't sell to scalpers. Used to do it rarely for non-con games where the opposing team didn't travel but I've given that up because I don't like the idea of randoms ending up in my seats.

As a result, I look at the $550 I spend each season on a pair of tickets as a sunk cost. I expect to get none of it back. That way, I never feel pressured to sell my seats. While my wife and I are not bad off, I have to make sacrifices in the budget to make this happen. The tickets are my big purchase every year.

That said, the sunk cost idea certainly isn't an option for everyone. If it were me, I'd drop the seats and buy tickets for a few of the games I want to go to rather than be forced to sell them to opposing fans to afford them. But that's me and it's a hard choice to make for someone who has had the tickets for so long.

Would it be better for me to buy single game tickets specifically to the games I can go to (and pay higher than face for rivalry games), and leave the remaining tickets available for visiting fans to purchase? Or buy season tickets, try to give away the tickets I can't use (to Gopher fans), and as a last resort sell them online? Given the availability of season tickets and single game tickets this year, if the season tickets are not purchased, won't those seats ultimately be used by opposing fans anyway (or sit empty)? Not trying to make a case or push to sell your tickets, just an explanation why I'd rather buy the season tickets. I do agree with most of what you said and I too, will not and have not sold tickets to WI or IA fans.

 

[GoAUpher]

Would it be better for me to buy single game tickets specifically to the games I can go to (and pay higher than face for rivalry games), and leave the remaining tickets available for visiting fans to purchase? Or buy season tickets, try to give away the tickets I can't use (to Gopher fans), and as a last resort sell them online? Given the availability of season tickets and single game tickets this year, if the season tickets are not purchased, won't those seats ultimately be used by opposing fans anyway (or sit empty)? Not trying to make a case or push to sell your tickets, just an explanation why I'd rather buy the season tickets. I do agree with most of what you said and I too, will not and have not sold tickets to WI or IA fans.

You are completely right that the outcome of leaving the seats open if you go the single game route and selling them via StubHub (or some other venue) is probably the same. For me, I'd hate that seats I control are being used by Hawks/Badgers and that's why I'd do it. Not saying that is a totally rational idea, it's just me. Then again, I'm saying I'd handle things this way having never been put in the position to choose. So I'll freely admit the desire to continue to hold my seats might trump principle when push comes to shove.

The other option is to donate the tickets to Tix for Tots or some other organization that will send kids to the game. You'd still be eating the cost, but you could write off the face value of the tickets as a charitable donation. Not useful if you don't itemize on your taxes though. In the same vein, you could use it as a chance to get people introduced to games at TCF and give them to neighbors with kids, etc. I'm guessing you may have tried the last one already, but thought I'd put it out there.