Shama: U Football Scheduling Needs Makeover

[joshvanklomp]

This assumes the Twins and Vikings can control their own scheduling. Odds are that they cannot.

Correct. They can make suggestions to their respective leagues about if certain days work better, but they don't make the final call.

 

[disco]

Just means he wanted to go to both. You could fit the people who give a damn about David Shama into a Prius. And still have room for luggage.

This. I'd never even heard of Shama until I joined Gopher Hole, and I've never heard him so much as mentioned anywhere else, ever. And I've been a sports fan in this town since the 1970's.

 

[hungan1]

Why not play the first non-conference game earlier, the week before the State Fair opens?

Other than that, live with it. The State Fair is the Grand Daddy of Minnesota summer events. The last big State get together celebration before school openings. Parking can be a huge problem with all the sporting events in the Twin Cities this time of the year - Vikings, Twins, Gophers, (Saints), State Fair. Wait until the Soccer Stadium opens.

There is lots of competition for $$$$ that families spend this time of the year. Most will more than likely opt for going to the State Fair. A Gophers game can cost a lot more than the State Fair for a whole family.

If the Gophers start building a championship team, then Thursday nights game opener crowd size at TCF wouldn't be such a big problem.

 

[WanderingGopher]

Playing our opener Thursday night has advantages -- more national exposure, getting "used" to playing a night game (which we usually have to do at least once in B1G season when it's more meaningful) and an extra 2 days to prepare for the next opponent.

Why should the Gophers play 4th fiddle to the state fair, Twins, and Vikings preseason, in our scheduling? Let Fleck build the program to where he wants, and then these other entities will have to deal with it. Gophers schedule generally is known years in advance. Vikings need to tell the NFL not to schedule them on this one night. (Vikings season ticket holders need to complain loudly enough to the Vikings front office).

 

[highwayman]

News flash: The Fair Does Not Affect Gopher Football.

These are the dumbest threads/things ever. Those who want to go to the Gopher game do. The Fair is not part of their equation. They park somewhere else if need be. Those who don't go because of "the Fair" CHOOSE NOT TO GO, not because they can't.

Anyone who prefers 4th week exhibition/practice so-called "professional" football over regular season college football is, well, a moron.

 

[Zeppelin Gopher]

A Gophers game can cost a lot more than the State Fair for a whole family.

You're really understating how crazy expensive the State Fair is.

 

[Zeppelin Gopher]

Personally I love the Thursday night opener, and feel this is a non story.

We are just two years removed from having 53K pack the house against TCU.

 

[LakerFan]

Personally I love the Thursday night opener, and feel this is a non story.

We are just two years removed from having 53K pack the house against TCU.

+1

Non issue, just based on general interest in gopher football and quality of their opponent. We packed for TCU, we will pack again when we are coming off of our next major bowl game or playing a really good opponent early.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Personally I love the Thursday night opener, and feel this is a non story.

We are just two years removed from having 53K pack the house against TCU.

Ditto. If Fleck's teams keep winning, building, and improving, we'll be arguing about the lack of reasonably priced non-con tix.

 

[Hates Monikers]

News flash: The Fair Does Not Affect Gopher Football.

These are the dumbest threads/things ever. Those who want to go to the Gopher game do. The Fair is not part of their equation. They park somewhere else if need be. Those who don't go because of "the Fair" CHOOSE NOT TO GO, not because they can't.

Anyone who prefers 4th week exhibition/practice so-called "professional" football over regular season college football is, well, a moron.

First time I've ever agreed with Highwayman on anything.

 

[DLguy]

Correct. They can make suggestions to their respective leagues about if certain days work better, but they don't make the final call.

Im not so sure about this. Is it just a coincidence that the Wild never have home games during the state hockey and wresting tournaments? Or the Twins never play the same day as the big concerts at Target Field which are booked over a year in advance? I think they can absolutely demand not to have a home game on a certain day. Especially when it impacts attendance which impacts revenue. If the Gophers are good, and drawing crowds, that 4th preseason game is going to be dead. The only reason it wasnt last year is because of the new stadium.

 

[GoGophers2005]

News flash: The Fair Does Not Affect Gopher Football.

These are the dumbest threads/things ever. Those who want to go to the Gopher game do. The Fair is not part of their equation. They park somewhere else if need be. Those who don't go because of "the Fair" CHOOSE NOT TO GO, not because they can't.

Anyone who prefers 4th week exhibition/practice so-called "professional" football over regular season college football is, well, a moron.

This is 100,000% the truth. I really don't care about the 'on the fence' fans when it comes to my Gophers. Thursday's are great and the U should keep it as long as it is beneficial to THEM! Not the State Fair, not the Vikings, not to the occasional fan who might come if the gophers were winning. If the Gophers want to change it I sure hope they are not listening to the Shama's who never gave them a dime for a ticket or ever parked in their tailgating lots and do so on their own terms.

I embrace these Thursday games by taking the day off and Friday. It's the perfect long weekend before summer is over. I've actually done the State Fair in the morning and tailgate the afternoon. Pretty darn great day if you ask me.

 

[joshvanklomp]

Im not so sure about this. Is it just a coincidence that the Wild never have home games during the state hockey and wresting tournaments? Or the Twins never play the same day as the big concerts at Target Field which are booked over a year in advance?

There's a pretty significant difference between scheduling around events booked AT YOUR STADIUM and events booked two miles away.

 

[1983]

Only in MN can the State Fair determine when school starts and when your premier University Plays Football?

Correct. Its the please everyone state which is impossible. Thursday night games here is stupid, always were. If you live in the burbs most people have to leave work early, many families are up north or somewhere coming home Saturday. The local conflicts with high school football....... Just play at 11 or 2:30 Saturday and most everyone is thrilled. Can we start the week after and skip the bye?

 

[Goldmember]

It's bad business to have all of the high-school football openers, the fourth NFL preseason game, and a 6PM kick-off against a MAC opponent on the Thursday before a holiday weekend. Oh, and there's a MLB game too.

It's sort of the opposite of the year Minnesota played TCU.