StarTrib: How plunging ticket sales have changed Gophers sports

[happygophersgolucky]

What do you have against a person taking the loss of their child, using it to refocus his life, putting himself out there to try to better the lives of others.

That's essentially what RTB is about. That's upsetting to you?

Agreed grumps. One can question (I don't) chances of RTB improving the culture but "to despise the whole RTB thing" is going way to far.

 

[Rog]

The only thing shocking about the ticket revenue is how small of an impact that has on the budget. Ticket revenue might be down 8 million but the shared revenue from the conference jumped from 36 million to 54 million this year. The total budget is up to 121 million. Now that we've got the practice facilities built and the tv revenue is better than ever, it's time to cut ticket prices and fill the stadiums.

Will cutting ticket prices, even in half, sell out the stadium?

 

[fmlizard]

Will cutting ticket prices, even in half, sell out the stadium?

For a lot of Big Ten games, yes. For some lower tier B1G, late season, and out of conference matchups I'm not sure if you could fill it up for free.

 

[Winnipegopher]

Wow. You must literally live in a cave. I'm surprised you have internet access with your neanderthal thinking. You don't think that casual fans in Minneapolis noticed that the gophers got shut out in their last two games? Or, I guess like you, everyone in the Cities live in caves and don't pay attention to anything until the day of purchase. I am sure the poor ticket sales have nothing to do with the gophers past performance. I guess in your world it is the gophers not doing more gimmicky ticket ideas like buying 10 doughnuts at Krispy Kreme and getting season tickets.

If you think that casual fans are unaware of how poorly the gophers played last year and that the casual fan does not take last year's performance into consideration when deciding to go to the NMUSU game or buy any tickets for this coming year, then you clearly do not understand consumer behavior. With the advent of the Internet (I know you may not be familiar with this tool) consumers are more informed than ever.

To think that how the gophers performed last year has no correlation to the poor ticket sales is laughable. Quite frankly, with your neanderthal thinking, I can see why someone like you might think I am stupid, but believe me, you are the one who is ignorant.

Moreover, at this point the Gophers are not reaching the casual sports fan, they are trying to bring in non-season ticket Gopher fans. The casual fan is going nowhere near TCF until a big season is underway.

 

[hungan1]

Why not approach corporate donors to buy blocks of tickets at certain games and use them to uplift kids with cancer and their families? As incentives/rewards for disadvantaged youths doing good and for programs like Bolder Options and other youth mentoring programs? That will be a small start and for worthwhile causes like the kind of giving back RTB espouses.

 

[SamSquatch]

I agree with those who say it's primarily ticket prices and winning. Personally, the Kill/Claeys era was also a major turn off. Very boring football with no good wins (never beat anyone ranked in the T25 at end of season). Most outcomes were completely predictable, on top of being super bland.

Additionally, the student section suffers partially due to the Metrodome days. Used to have to get up early and take a bus to go party in the Liquor Depot lots for an 11 a.m. game, and then worry about getting home. It was just a lot of work. So a culture of consistent student tailgating was never established. It could have been established when the stadium moved home but the Brewster years absolutely bungled that once in a lifetime opportunity and the culture of losing persists. Moving back to campus truly was a potential positive inflection point and it is just so sad how badly it went. Getting more students to games would absolutely improve the atmosphere.

Lower prices, show some higher-level competency, win some noteworthy games.

 

[Gophers_4life]

I agree with those who say it's primarily ticket prices and winning. Personally, the Kill/Claeys era was also a major turn off. Very boring football with no good wins (never beat anyone ranked in the T25 at end of season). Most outcomes were completely predictable, on top of being super bland.

Additionally, the student section suffers partially due to the Metrodome days. Used to have to get up early and take a bus to go party in the Liquor Depot lots for an 11 a.m. game, and then worry about getting home. It was just a lot of work. So a culture of consistent student tailgating was never established. It could have been established when the stadium moved home but the Brewster years absolutely bungled that once in a lifetime opportunity and the culture of losing persists. Moving back to campus truly was a potential positive inflection point and it is just so sad how badly it went. Getting more students to games would absolutely improve the atmosphere.

Lower prices, show some higher-level competency, win some noteworthy games.

I'm sure this has been argued forever, and could be again, but ... more tailgating near stadium. It's not easy, because it is what it is. Other big time schools, don't have that problem of being right in the urban city, with lack of land.

 

[acemac]

it’s not just the cost of the ticket. it’s the traffic to get to the game, it’s the lack of affordable parking, it’s the walk from the parking lot 3 miles away, it’s the lack of tailgating (unless of course, you donated), it’s the total lack of any action on the field for the last 10 years, it’s the long walk back to the car when the wind is blowing 30mph and its 15deg, it’s the first three games in great weather against a boring opponent, it’s the one nice weather big ten game against northwestern/Indiana, it’s the giant donations required for a family to have good seats.

why would I not want to stay home and sit on my couch and watch the game? the U needs to reevaluate the whole game day experience. Starting with the silly no tailgating lots all the way to the walk back to the car. Head to another big ten game and you will see a better game day.

I am not sure they could do anything including wining to get me to get my tickets back.

 

[PMWinSTP]

I agree with those who say it's primarily ticket prices and winning. Personally, the Kill/Claeys era was also a major turn off. Very boring football with no good wins (never beat anyone ranked in the T25 at end of season). Most outcomes were completely predictable, on top of being super bland.

Additionally, the student section suffers partially due to the Metrodome days. Used to have to get up early and take a bus to go party in the Liquor Depot lots for an 11 a.m. game, and then worry about getting home. It was just a lot of work. So a culture of consistent student tailgating was never established. It could have been established when the stadium moved home but the Brewster years absolutely bungled that once in a lifetime opportunity and the culture of losing persists. Moving back to campus truly was a potential positive inflection point and it is just so sad how badly it went. Getting more students to games would absolutely improve the atmosphere.

Lower prices, show some higher-level competency, win some noteworthy games.

A majority of games at the metrodome were afternoon/night games...which people complained about.

 

[salzie]

I'm sure this has been argued forever, and could be again, but ... more tailgating near stadium. It's not easy, because it is what it is. Other big time schools, don't have that problem of being right in the urban city, with lack of land.

Agreed. There just isn't tons of open space. I think there are spots they could do better

And when most people say game day experience, they mean getting rip roaring drunk in a parking lot while over cooking hot dogs and brats. Not concierge service and watered down corporate

 

[salzie]

Based on what people have told me, no. The "row the boat" thing pretty much answers the question. Out of my 10 or so friends who have had tickets previously and those who do, simply despise the whole RTB thing.

I don't have an issue in particular with RTB. I think it's a bit overdone as we have Ski U Mah. Kill never preached brick by brick this much and it was part of it. BUT, if you look at what fleck is doing in the community and what he has his players, it's undeniable that he's genuine about it. I think people still have negative associations to sayings related to Brew getting his chili hot

 

[salzie]

it’s not just the cost of the ticket. it’s the traffic to get to the game, it’s the lack of affordable parking, it’s the walk from the parking lot 3 miles away, it’s the lack of tailgating (unless of course, you donated), it’s the total lack of any action on the field for the last 10 years, it’s the long walk back to the car when the wind is blowing 30mph and its 15deg, it’s the first three games in great weather against a boring opponent, it’s the one nice weather big ten game against northwestern/Indiana, it’s the giant donations required for a family to have good seats.

why would I not want to stay home and sit on my couch and watch the game? the U needs to reevaluate the whole game day experience. Starting with the silly no tailgating lots all the way to the walk back to the car. Head to another big ten game and you will see a better game day.

I am not sure they could do anything including wining to get me to get my tickets back.

Season parking pass at Oak Street was ~100/season, and that is far less than 3 miles and relatively easy to get in and out.

Urban school isn't going to have cheap parking in heart of campus

But I also get what you're saying. That is a problem beyond MN, some people would rather stay home and watch on TV

I really enjoy going to game live

 

[Gophers_4life]

some people would rather stay home and watch on TV

When you get down to it, this is literally THE challenge that the athletic dept must ask itself: what have we done, what are we doing, and what are we willing to do ... in order to convince the average Gopher fan to get off the couch, and come to campus?? What does it take to do that?

 

[Section2]

the product on the field has been boring for years. Even in the good Kill years, it was a boring style of football. To fill up we either need big time wins, or an exciting style. Fleck could provide both.

If we win and have big time games, and big wins at home, then the stadium fills up, then it becomes a fun environment which builds more ticket sales. It's not marketing or prices, to me, it's the product on the field.

 

[Dano564]

It's not just parking, it's traffic.
If you get caught in the traffic you'll go a block every 10 minutes or so. It's really an unfortunate situation.


Goal one should be to get the stadium packed. Sure, keep your high prices for between the 20's and your donations. But you have too many pricing tiers.

Have one tier for lower deck between the 20's.
One tier for upper deck between the goalines.
All other tickets sell for $35. Sell them for $25-30 as part of season tickets.

See if the place sells out then. At that point, people see it as a value and would buy.
Asking $75 for borderline seats just doesn't appeal to enough people in a major league city.

 

[grumps]

Agreed grumps. One can question (I don't) chances of RTB improving the culture but "to despise the whole RTB thing" is going way to far.

It's a convenient excuse at best to just be negative for almost no reason.

Fleck loses his son. Tremendously tough. Goes through divorce likely related to it.
He decides to take the biggest negative of his life and turn it into a message of positive to keep fighting when times are their darkest.
He's single-handedly, and through teaching his team, touching lives of kids not related to football to encourage them to keep fighting.
He uses his platform to spread this message as far as he can, and this is where people get upset.

"Oh, he's putting oars on the helmet"
"Oh, it says RTB now"
"I'm not going to buy tickets because I had positive attitudes and helping kids. It's so obvious Fleck is promoting himself rather than trying to do good."

I mean, eventually you just have to ask, what do you have against kids with cancer?
He's not asking people to send him funds to send his kids to private school.

 

[Hates Monikers]

Moreover, at this point the Gophers are not reaching the casual sports fan, they are trying to bring in non-season ticket Gopher fans. The casual fan is going nowhere near TCF until a big season is underway.

I agree with those who say it's primarily ticket prices and winning. Personally, the Kill/Claeys era was also a major turn off. Very boring football with no good wins (never beat anyone ranked in the T25 at end of season). Most outcomes were completely predictable, on top of being super bland.

the product on the field has been boring for years. Even in the good Kill years, it was a boring style of football. To fill up we either need big time wins, or an exciting style. Fleck could provide both.

52,366

That was the average attendance in 2015. That's more than the stadium holds today (we had the extra seats for the Vikings that year). That followed an 8-win season. Sure, they went to the Citrus Bowl the year before, but I'm not sure that's the "big season" some people mean when they talk about what is needed for better attendance. And it included Jerry Kill's "boring" style of football.

Now, the 2014 season did include nice wins over Nebraska and Michigan (and a loss to Illinois). And the 2015 home schedule was very attractive. But we didn't need to win a Rose Bowl to fill the stadium. It also included the first of two ticket increases.

Only TWO seasons have passed since 52,366. What happened? Nine wins in 2016 -- more than in 2014. Attendance dropped. A new coach in 2017 -- replacing the boredom, supposedly. Attendance inched up, but I'm sure Mark Coyle expected more excitement. Oh yeah ... another large cost increase occurred in 2016.

I believe cost is the biggest factor. But I think a lot of people are overthinking it. We don't need to win a championship. People will go if the team is competitive and the tickets are fairly priced. "Winning big" as a marketing strategy is a pretty ballsy gamble for a program that hasn't won big in 50 years.

 

[Iceland12]

52,366

That was the average attendance in 2015. That's more than the stadium holds today (we had the extra seats for the Vikings that year). That followed an 8-win season. Sure, they went to the Citrus Bowl the year before, but I'm not sure that's the "big season" some people mean when they talk about what is needed for better attendance. And it included Jerry Kill's "boring" style of football.

Now, the 2014 season did include nice wins over Nebraska and Michigan (and a loss to Illinois). And the 2015 home schedule was very attractive. But we didn't need to win a Rose Bowl to fill the stadium. It also included the first of two ticket increases.

Only TWO seasons have passed since 52,366. What happened? Nine wins in 2016 -- more than in 2014. Attendance dropped. A new coach in 2017 -- replacing the boredom, supposedly. Attendance inched up, but I'm sure Mark Coyle expected more excitement. Oh yeah ... another large cost increase occurred in 2016.

I believe cost is the biggest factor. But I think a lot of people are overthinking it. We don't need to win a championship. People will go if the team is competitive and the tickets are fairly priced. "Winning big" as a marketing strategy is a pretty ballsy gamble for a program that hasn't won big in 50 years.

Very good post and rationally explained too IMHO.

Would only suggest that it's more than possible that many of the people who swore that they were "done with Gopher Football" after the scandal and/or it's aftermath in 2016 were telling the truth. They weren't done just with the Head Coach or players, they were down with the program itself.

 

[gopherdudepart2]

Why not approach corporate donors to buy blocks of tickets at certain games and use them to uplift kids with cancer and their families? As incentives/rewards for disadvantaged youths doing good and for programs like Bolder Options and other youth mentoring programs? That will be a small start and for worthwhile causes like the kind of giving back RTB espouses.

Many overestimate impact of Big corporations philantrophy and ticket buying. Gophers athletics has seen as big a drop in corporate ticket purchasing as normal season tickets for all revenue sports but especially football. The highest cost seats are the most available. Club and suite tickets are as empty as stadium seats. Even corporations want to be associated with winners. The Gophers have not done a goid job showing their games are entertaining and bring value for the cost. It will take some major sustained winning to bring sales back up. A Lot more damage was done done with the money grab of scholarship seating. There is not good value for scholarship seat outside 20 yard line. Lack of quality home games at high prices will continue to effect sales. There seem to be 25000 empty seats in all later season games. Football fans see Gophers on the schedule and the apathy Is like a non conference game even for Big 10 conference games. Only Purdue is at our level of dislike in Big 10 as opponents go that and Rutgers. Style of football and high prices 75 for Fresno State to sit
Not close is not perceived as good value. Brewster rhetoric hurt Fleck, but so did scholarship seating to pay for all programs. The sex scandal and the
bowl boycott created a lot of dislike, negative perception. Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapakt alk

 

[Tucker32]

Well, that's fine, but that's not 20k people.
They need a plan to price the tickets right to get the place packed so people feel like getting tickets is a deal and you need to move quickly.

If someone is stopping buying tickets because of a change of coaches, then you probably were charging too much or you're not going to get them back regardless.

It’s a combo of donations, winning, and the new coach.

When the ticket office called me to try to get me to renew they shared that, “we are hearing that a lot,” when I said I disagree with the direction PJ is going with RTB, oars on uniforms, etc. I know personally five other people, with 2-4 tickets each, who have left for the same reason. For some, PJ just pushed them over the edge because they were already unhappy with the donations. For others, it was simply PJ. There are a number of regents unhappy with the selling out to PJ as well.

None of us are over 55, and I can’t imagine they just want to see us leave. We have supported the program for many years, through bad times and better times. For me, just get rid of all the RTB stuff in the stadium and on uniforms, and keep the rallying cry internal with your players. Let The U be The U, and some would come back. Lower donations and more would.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[grumps]

It’s a combo of donations, winning, and the new coach.

When the ticket office called me to try to get me to renew they shared that, “we are hearing that a lot,” when I said I disagree with the direction PJ is going with RTB, oars on uniforms, etc. I know personally five other people, with 2-4 tickets each, who have left for the same reason. For some, PJ just pushed them over the edge because they were already unhappy with the donations. For others, it was simply PJ. There are a number of regents unhappy with the selling out to PJ as well.

None of us are over 55, and I can’t imagine they just want to see us leave. We have supported the program for many years, through bad times and better times. For me, just get rid of all the RTB stuff in the stadium and on uniforms, and keep the rallying cry internal with your players. Let The U be The U, and some would come back. Lower donations and more would.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Funny how RTB is the straw the breaks the camels back.
Encouraging people during tough times. Supporting kids with illnesses. Overcoming losses of loved ones. Giving back to the community.
I guess some people would rather have a program where this doesn't take place.

Or that "He should keep it internal".

Go visit kids that are sick, but only those who are attending the U. Do diaper drives but only for parents on campus. Do turkey drives, but only for starving students. Don't be sharing the message of RTB so you influence others. That's horrible and offensive.

 

[Tucker32]

Funny how RTB is the straw the breaks the camels back.
Encouraging people during tough times. Supporting kids with illnesses. Overcoming losses of loved ones. Giving back to the community.
I guess some people would rather have a program where this doesn't take place.

Or that "He should keep it internal".

Go visit kids that are sick, but only those who are attending the U. Do diaper drives but only for parents on campus. Do turkey drives, but only for starving students. Don't be sharing the message of RTB so you influence others. That's horrible and offensive.

Wow. That’s not what I said at all. Make it what you want. I said keep your RTB and oars internal. You don’t paste it all over the stadium, helmets, etc. that has nothing to do with players doing community service, which is great, and really not new at all. Previous coaches had players doing the same things, the basketball program does, track and field... he’s really not doing that much different. I’m glad he is, but it’s not novel... he just markers it a lot more.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Iceland12]

Wow. That’s not what I said at all. Make it what you want. I said keep your RTB and oars internal. You don’t paste it all over the stadium, helmets, etc. that has nothing to do with players doing community service, which is great, and really not new at all. Previous coaches had players doing the same things, the basketball program does, track and field... he’s really not doing that much different. I’m glad he is, but it’s not novel... he just markers it a lot more.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He's trolling.

 

[Hates Monikers]

Possibly. But I so think the U could do better with a longer-term outlook. Of course they have done the math and know that they're making more money with a higher price and fewer sales. But I think they would come out ahead over the long term if they thought about building a fan base over a generation rather than balancing next year's budget. Roll back prices a bit, get more people in the seats and bring their families and keep them for 20 years. Then sell tickets to their kids.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[SamSquatch]

52,366

That was the average attendance in 2015. That's more than the stadium holds today (we had the extra seats for the Vikings that year). That followed an 8-win season. Sure, they went to the Citrus Bowl the year before, but I'm not sure that's the "big season" some people mean when they talk about what is needed for better attendance. And it included Jerry Kill's "boring" style of football.

Now, the 2014 season did include nice wins over Nebraska and Michigan (and a loss to Illinois). And the 2015 home schedule was very attractive. But we didn't need to win a Rose Bowl to fill the stadium. It also included the first of two ticket increases.

Only TWO seasons have passed since 52,366. What happened? Nine wins in 2016 -- more than in 2014. Attendance dropped. A new coach in 2017 -- replacing the boredom, supposedly. Attendance inched up, but I'm sure Mark Coyle expected more excitement. Oh yeah ... another large cost increase occurred in 2016.

I believe cost is the biggest factor. But I think a lot of people are overthinking it. We don't need to win a championship. People will go if the team is competitive and the tickets are fairly priced. "Winning big" as a marketing strategy is a pretty ballsy gamble for a program that hasn't won big in 50 years.

I agree with this. Overall just a ticket that is too expensive for a bland team experience.

 

[WoodburyTim]

I think you have a very polite way of expressing what's on the minds of many of my demographic.

It isn't just on the mind of a certain demographic. I am in my 30's and most of the people that I know in my age group who care at all about Gopher sports expressed this sentiment, some who just said the hell with that culture. Don't group everyone under 50 into mindset that runs the U.

 

[GO4INLALALAND]

It isn't just on the mind of a certain demographic. I am in my 30's and most of the people that I know in my age group who care at all about Gopher sports expressed this sentiment, some who just said the hell with that culture. Don't group everyone under 50 into mindset that runs the U.

I'm in my mid 40's and I am really annoyed at how RTB has taken over Ski-U-Mah as the U's slogan. I do not like how Fleck is putting himself and his slogans/brand above the U and the team.

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

I'm in my mid 40's and I am really annoyed at how RTB has taken over Ski-U-Mah as the U's slogan. I do not like how Fleck is putting himself and his slogans/brand above the U and the team.

How is Fleck putting RTB ahead of Ski-U-Mah when over the past year and a half he's probably mentioned Ski-U-Mah more than the last 5 coaches combined?

 

[Pete smith]

I'm in my mid 40's and I am really annoyed at how RTB has taken over Ski-U-Mah as the U's slogan. I do not like how Fleck is putting himself and his slogans/brand above the U and the team.

For all you supposed Gopher fans in your 30’s,40’s,50’s whatever age, take a hike. If you can’t support PJ and his RTB culture, then you can’t support the Gophers. In just a very short time on campus, he has done MORE for Gopher football, Gopher athletics than Kill, Claeys, Brewster, Mason as well as the past coaches combined. Gopher football is close to being relevant once again. Something I witnessed back in the sixties. So complain all you want but PJ is the right coach at the right time. My suggestion to you is find something else to do during the fall on Saturdays, but for me I will be at TCF cheering as loud as I can for the Gophers.

 

[1983]

It’s a combo of donations, winning, and the new coach.

When the ticket office called me to try to get me to renew they shared that, “we are hearing that a lot,” when I said I disagree with the direction PJ is going with RTB, oars on uniforms, etc. I know personally five other people, with 2-4 tickets each, who have left for the same reason. For some, PJ just pushed them over the edge because they were already unhappy with the donations. For others, it was simply PJ. There are a number of regents unhappy with the selling out to PJ as well.

None of us are over 55, and I can’t imagine they just want to see us leave. We have supported the program for many years, through bad times and better times. For me, just get rid of all the RTB stuff in the stadium and on uniforms, and keep the rallying cry internal with your players. Let The U be The U, and some would come back. Lower donations and more would.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right on.