Strange thing on the bleacher sections

[HopHead]

Like a lot of folks here, I have been monitoring the seat selection process and yesterday something interesting happened on every single bleacher section. All the aisle seats from rows one, two, eight and nine are showing as selected. Rows eight and nine are the rows directly above the access steps for the upper deck.

This seems too coincidental to be people selecting these seats. I wonder if they are reevaluating the number of seats they will try to squeeze into these rows and they have "blocked" them off until a decision can be made.

 

[Gold Vision]

I got an email yesterday stating that those are Partially Obstructed View Seats:

We do have a very limited number of seats that have partially obstructed views of the field due to railings. These seats are generally located in the upper level in rows 2 and 9. These seats are not available through the regular seat selection process. If you would like to discuss buying these partially obstructed view seats, please call the Gopher Points office at 1-800-UGOPHER. Due to continuing stadium construction, you will not be able to sit in these seats prior to selecting them.

 

[HopHead]

Thanks for the info. Do you know who they sent the e-mail to?

 

[Rouser]

I rec'd the email as well. I assume it was sent to those who have not selected seats yet (I do not select until Monday).

 

[UpnorthGo4]

It is ridiculous that it took them more than a month into the seat selection process to figure out that these are obstructed view seats. I discovered that two weeks ago when I checked out the seats I was planning to select. There are going to be some upset Gopher fans who have already selected their seats when they find out about the obstructed view.

 

[at the bar]

I wonder if the U will need to classify other seats as partially obstructed after all of the railings get put in. I'd be a little nervous if I had an aisle or first row seat until I sat down for the first game.

There may be some fans reselecting seats after getting that email.

 

[GoAUpher]

I wonder if the U will need to classify other seats as partially obstructed after all of the railings get put in. I'd be a little nervous if I had an aisle or first row seat until I sat down for the first game.

There may be some fans reselecting seats after getting that email.

Row 1 won't be an issue as the railing is only 32 inches high there.

 

[UpnorthGo4]

The railings are much higher for the aisle seats in Row 1. They are definitely a problem - especially for the bleacher seats.

 

[at the bar]

That's right. Seats in the aisles in Row 1 have a much higher than 32' 3 bar railing in front of each upperdeck entrance now. It looks like you would need to look through the railing to see the lower 1/3 of the field. I would not be happy to have to reselect seats but wouldn't want to look through the bars either.

 

[old chap]

They did this with the chairback sections as well. Very early on in the process, they blocked out those same seats in the chairbacks from selection.

 

[Curseislifted33]

WHAT! is it for the first rows in the lower level as well?

 

[GoAUpher]

The railings are much higher for the aisle seats in Row 1. They are definitely a problem - especially for the bleacher seats.

Let me expand on my response...like at the bar said, the section of railing in row one that is in front of the stairs from the concourse entrance is higher than 32 inches. That's the section of railing that's causing the obstruction noted by the U. But the majority of the railing in front of row one is 32 inches high. See here for confirmation (screenshot of FAQ and from virtual tour/e-mail attached).

I'm not sure why they'd list only row 2 as affected. I'd think the aisle seats in row 1 and possibly row 3 would also have to deal with this.

UPDATE: Sorry Upnorth, I misread your post and thought you were saying it was higher everyone on the 1st row railing. My bad!

 

[GoAUpher]

WHAT! is it for the first rows in the lower level as well?

Yes, see attached.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

My limited experience with a railing obstruction

I received seats in the second level at Camp Randall with a similar obstruction in 2004 or 2006. I believe that they were made available to the U as part of the visiting seat allotment because of the obstruction. The railing was a bit of an annoyance, and I probably would not want to deal with it as a season ticket holder, but I adjusted to it pretty quickly.

 

[Ski U Mah 55]

I don't think that railing would bother me too much especially while there is action going on to focus on. That said I don't think I would pay top dollar for those seats either.