BleedGopher
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per the STrib:
In a competitive Twin Cities sports market, the Gophers did enjoy an immediate spike in relevance last year.
“Hard-core fans — our true, passionate fans — are always talking about this stuff,” Gophers senior associate athletics director Chris Werle said. “But when something happens like a Nebraska win — that’s unexpected, that’s exciting, that ends a drought — now they have something to tell casual fans about.
“Instead of our score being up on ESPN, we got 40 seconds worth of highlights. The local news stations made it their lead — that never happens for Gophers football. So now it’s what everybody’s talking about for a few days.”
Gophers season ticket sales are up. As of Friday, the team had sold 33,028 season tickets, compared to 31,315 on that date last year. The athletics department is trying to raise money for a proposed $190 million complex that would benefit several Gophers sports. The football team’s return to relevancy last fall surely helps.
Werle said he never wants to condone fans rushing onto the field, but he realizes that at those moments everyone wants to feel a part of it.
“That’s what beating Nebraska gets you — that shared ‘We were all there.’ In a few years I’m guessing probably 70,000 people will say they were at that game, and we only hold 50,000.”
http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/272444671.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue
Go Gophers!!
In a competitive Twin Cities sports market, the Gophers did enjoy an immediate spike in relevance last year.
“Hard-core fans — our true, passionate fans — are always talking about this stuff,” Gophers senior associate athletics director Chris Werle said. “But when something happens like a Nebraska win — that’s unexpected, that’s exciting, that ends a drought — now they have something to tell casual fans about.
“Instead of our score being up on ESPN, we got 40 seconds worth of highlights. The local news stations made it their lead — that never happens for Gophers football. So now it’s what everybody’s talking about for a few days.”
Gophers season ticket sales are up. As of Friday, the team had sold 33,028 season tickets, compared to 31,315 on that date last year. The athletics department is trying to raise money for a proposed $190 million complex that would benefit several Gophers sports. The football team’s return to relevancy last fall surely helps.
Werle said he never wants to condone fans rushing onto the field, but he realizes that at those moments everyone wants to feel a part of it.
“That’s what beating Nebraska gets you — that shared ‘We were all there.’ In a few years I’m guessing probably 70,000 people will say they were at that game, and we only hold 50,000.”
http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/272444671.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue
Go Gophers!!
