Surprise! U of M botches Thursday night opening game logistics

[gopherguy05]

So in getting the tickets, and reading the little guide they give you with the tickets, and talking to someone who appears to be in the know, surprise, surprise the U has botched the Thursday night game plans already:

1. The St. Paul Lot will not be available for parking for the Thursday opener. Apparently what will happen is if you have a parking pass for this lot, you will be given one for the Washington Avenue Ramp. No tailgating for you. What, you wouldn't have bought a season pass had you known that was going to happen....tough luck/

2. Apparently, ALL of the parking lots will not open until 3PM for a 6PM kickoff. Apparently the U does not want to kick out employees who park in those lots until 3 PM so those who would like to tailgate can. Can you imagine Ohio State or WI saying you can't tailgate until 3 hours before kick because employees are parking in the tailgate lots. Hell, those schools would send everyone home at Noon...

3, So take your lets be generous 35,000 people, and take away the 1000 cars that park in St. Paul and move them all to the East Bank, and take away all the people who arrive early to tailgate, and suddenly you are trying to get all the employees out and 25,000 people in to the game in less than 3 hours....have fun in that parking jam. Luckily I'll be on the west bank and avoiding that.

4. Good luck getting any walk-up sales to the game. No way to get from the State Fair to campus unless you want to ride the city bus. Traffic headaches galore when ALL your day of game parking is either in the Oak Street or Coffman ramps.

We only get to deal with the State fair headache for the next 3 years at least too. Guessing there won't be too many repeat buyers on the season parking passes for St. Paul after this year...

The U will end up getting SAVAGED in the press for this after the inevitable huge traffic jam when half the people don't get into the stadium until the 2nd quarter....and they will deserve it. I swear, noone thinks about unintended consequences of actions over there, or they just don't give a crap.

 

[BleedGopher]

If this info is true, it will be a really bad start to the season for fans. I know a lot of people who are taking work off that day with the expectation of a great, long tailgate, and are bringing fans who don't normally go to Gopher games. Not to mention, this is our one night game of the year.

Go Gophers!!

 

[howeda7]

If this is all true, wow. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

 

[norman dale]

WTF?


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Enjoying <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23collegegameday&src=hash">#collegegameday</a> on ESPN. Lets get them to the U one day!! How great it WILL be.</p>— Norwood Teague (@GoldenGopherAD) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoldenGopherAD/statuses/272361127080493056">November 24, 2012</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/peterson_erik">@peterson_erik</a> Cannot agree more! This will be a HUGE push in the off season, promise!!!</p>— Norwood Teague (@GoldenGopherAD) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoldenGopherAD/statuses/272366691739119616">November 24, 2012</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

So much for that promise Mr. Teague.

 

[Go4]

you've gotta be f'n kidding me. i mean come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we are so far from the top half of the big ten on many levels and pre-game atmosphere is a huge part of it.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

I knew this was coming. They'll sell those spots to fairgoers. They let NDSU have the run of the State Fairgrounds 2 years ago. In the biggest U tailgating lot, they let NDSU set up their booster club or whatever it's called right in the middle of the lot. They had an 80-ft tent and actual vendors set up in the lot. On what should have been parking spaces for U fans, they had trailers and vans selling funnel cakes and corn dogs. Why? So they could jam the lot at $10 a pop. Yet another big FU to season ticket holders.

 

[Stan]

WTF?

+1.

 

[e.bigelow]

I knew this was coming. They'll sell those spots to fairgoers. They let NDSU have the run of the State Fairgrounds 2 years ago. In the biggest U tailgating lot, they let NDSU set up their booster club or whatever it's called right in the middle of the lot. They had an 80-ft tent and actual vendors set up in the lot. On what should have been parking spaces for U fans, they had trailers and vans selling funnel cakes and corn dogs. Why? So they could jam the lot at $10 a pop. Yet another big FU to season ticket holders.

+ $10. Doesn't this just pi$$ everyone off?!?! I'm soo mad right now!

 

[Ole]

+1.

SO glad I took time off already for an epic noon to 6 tailgate.
Teague and the punk kid in the ticket office will be getting a few weeks of phonecall wrath. Seriously minor league. I just want to scream.

 

[El Amin Fan]

I'm not sure why everyone is upset. I mean come on, our athletic department had fun and exciting caravan tours in out-state Minnesota this year. There were even pom-poms put on each table. I heard that even a couple of people under 65 years old attended the one in Chisholm. After The Rouser they did a "we've got the spirit chant" so I don't want to hear anyone complaining that the U isn't into the fan experience. If you are, then you didn't attend the caravan tour in International Falls at 11am on a work day.

But more seriously, we are so bush league.

 

[e.bigelow]

SO glad I took time off already for an epic noon to 6 tailgate.
Teague and the punk kid in the ticket office will be getting a few weeks of phonecall wrath. Seriously minor league. I just want to scream.

I took Gameday AND the day after off to come down for the game! As a season ticket holder, I am ssssoooo mad right now!!!

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

Play it safe and stay home! Seriously. Although traffic and lack of parking is a real concern, I have even greater concerns as should you. I'd suggest not going to the game if for no other reason to avoid possible heat stroke. But if the weather doesn't scare you off, the crime in and around Dinkytown should do it. Not to mention the unscrupulous scalpers that can take advantage of you and your loved ones. You also risk getting pig flu from those who attend both the fair and game (Don't believe me, just ask Dr. Osterholm). I'm pretty sure the food and beer inside the stadium are not inspected. Oh the humanity of it all.

 

[forever a gopher]

So what exactly was the point of scheduling a Thursday night game during the State Fair if they couldn't get the tailgating/parking situation figured out?

Boy am I glad I took off all day, so I can start tailgating at 3pm.

Complete bush league.

 

[howeda7]

The game is still 27 days away. Presumably the U at least occasionally glances at this board. It's clear there's a cluster coming if they do nothing, so perhaps fix what can be fixed, eh Teague?

 

[GopherGod]

The game is still 27 days away. Presumably the U at least occasionally glances at this board. It's clear there's a cluster coming if they do nothing, so perhaps fix what can be fixed, eh Teague?

I would hope that the powers that be have enough foresight to know how this would be received before doing it. If they need to rely on message boards to tell them then that would be pretty sad.

 

[GopherLady]

So in getting the tickets, and reading the little guide they give you with the tickets, and talking to someone who appears to be in the know, surprise, surprise the U has botched the Thursday night game plans already:

1. The St. Paul Lot will not be available for parking for the Thursday opener. Apparently what will happen is if you have a parking pass for this lot, you will be given one for the Washington Avenue Ramp. No tailgating for you. What, you wouldn't have bought a season pass had you known that was going to happen....tough luck/

2. Apparently, ALL of the parking lots will not open until 3PM for a 6PM kickoff. Apparently the U does not want to kick out employees who park in those lots until 3 PM so those who would like to tailgate can. Can you imagine Ohio State or WI saying you can't tailgate until 3 hours before kick because employees are parking in the tailgate lots. Hell, those schools would send everyone home at Noon...

3, So take your lets be generous 35,000 people, and take away the 1000 cars that park in St. Paul and move them all to the East Bank, and take away all the people who arrive early to tailgate, and suddenly you are trying to get all the employees out and 25,000 people in to the game in less than 3 hours....have fun in that parking jam. Luckily I'll be on the west bank and avoiding that.

4. Good luck getting any walk-up sales to the game. No way to get from the State Fair to campus unless you want to ride the city bus. Traffic headaches galore when ALL your day of game parking is either in the Oak Street or Coffman ramps.

We only get to deal with the State fair headache for the next 3 years at least too. Guessing there won't be too many repeat buyers on the season parking passes for St. Paul after this year...

The U will end up getting SAVAGED in the press for this after the inevitable huge traffic jam when half the people don't get into the stadium until the 2nd quarter....and they will deserve it. I swear, noone thinks about unintended consequences of actions over there, or they just don't give a crap.

Please, please, please tell me this isn't true. You're a great poster, but I really hope your info is off, or the powers that be are smart enough to realize how horrible of a decision this is. ONLY the U could botch a 6pm game like this.

 

[Formo]

I'll get over it. Although they should have thought about the State Fair logistical nightmare before scheduling a home opener during a weeknight. While the fair is still going on.

Like I said to Nadine, the biggest issue I have with the whole thing is not allowing tailgating to start ASAP in the morning. 3pm start time for tailgating?! Really? Might as well ban it all together at that point. And I'm one of those who bought a pass to park in the fairgrounds. I'm sure I'll survive one game parking in the Washington Ave ramp.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

I'll get over it. Although they should have thought about the State Fair logistical nightmare before scheduling a home opener during a weeknight. While the fair is still going on.

Like I said to Nadine, the biggest issue I have with the whole thing is not allowing tailgating to start ASAP in the morning. 3pm start time for tailgating?! Really? Might as well ban it all together at that point. And I'm one of those who bought a pass to park in the fairgrounds. I'm sure I'll survive one game parking in the Washington Ave ramp.

You'll survive, as will the rest of us. What I don't understand is why the U continues to kick aside its dwindling fanbase. Oh well. At least if you're inconvenienced by this mess, you'll get to take off week two to enjoy a road game against a marquee BCS opponent.

 

[Parski1]

It may be a mess this year, but they will figure it all out for future years. I love that we are starting the season off with a Thursday night game. Thursday night football and the State Fair on Friday.

 

[GopherLady]

I was fired up about this, and when I'm fired up, I can't sleep. So, I wrote a Star Tribune blog on it:

http://www.startribune.com/local/yourvoices/218194592.html

 

[WolfontheProwl]

Tailgating starts at 3:00? Sounds like you should take a few hours put on your maroon and gold and go to the state fair. Go to the Gopher tent at the fair sing the rouser a few times and maybe you will get a few people from the state fair to say "Let's go see the Gophers tonight". Have some cheese curds, a few things on a stick, then at 3 a beer or two tailgating and then the game.

 

[Tater]

I was fired up about this, and when I'm fired up, I can't sleep. So, I wrote a Star Tribune blog on it:

http://www.startribune.com/local/yourvoices/218194592.html

Good job Nadine. Same old song and dance. When I griped to everyone and anyone who listened at the U about no Pre Game Marching Band down University Avenue I got lame excuses amounting to "it is too hard to do." For an institution that is supposed to espouse creative thinking and problem solving, I'm all too often disappointed by the U's lack of both whenever a challenging situation arises.

They want us to make the football program a priority yet they don't support it themselves.

 

[station19]

Good job Nadine. Same old song and dance. When I griped to everyone and anyone who listened at the U about no Pre Game Marching Band down University Avenue I got lame excuses amounting to "it is too hard to do." For an institution that is supposed to espouse creative thinking and problem solving, I'm all too often disappointed by the U's lack of both whenever a challenging situation arises.

They want us to make the football program a priority yet they don't support it themselves.

Time to get over the obsession with band/University Ave. That would be a creative way to solve your problem.

 

[Tater]

Time to get over the obsession with band/University Ave. That would be a creative way to solve your problem.

You're missing the point 19, it's about how the U does not go all out for football and the fans who support it. It's about how we all can think of creative solutions and workarounds yet the U just throws up its hands whenever an obstacle is placed in front of it. The beer sales clusterF was another example if you're anti band talk.

 

[gophergv]

Lot 37 available to tailgate at noon....sort of

http://www1.umn.edu/pts/park/parkingrates.html

Lot 37 which many of you tailgate at is a daily parking lot - $4 a day. If a people start parking there at noon will they send you away. Better yet, get there at 8 and claim your spot. If they try to stop you at noon I guess you hit the bar for a couple hours. If you pull this off can I crash your tailgate until Ski-u-mah lot opens.

 

[station19]

You're missing the point 19, it's about how the U does not go all out for football and the fans who support it. It's about how we all can think of creative solutions and workarounds yet the U just throws up its hands whenever an obstacle is placed in front of it. The beer sales clusterF was another example if you're anti band talk.

I agree with what you are saying. Just making the point that the Band/University Ave issue has been debated over and over with some very good points on why it is not being done.

 

[Gopher Warrior]

Maybe the "HUGE push" to improve the game day experience will be selling beer at more locations throughout the stadium. Any word on whether or not this will happen this season? Only a matter of time...

 

[husker70]

I am always amazed that The University of Minnesota, which prides itself on the creative process, critical thinking, strategic planning, and offers degrees in Marketing cannot seem hold a one car parade. When it came to hospitality, event planning, Curt Carlson was without peer. Heck we have the touted Carlson School. And we kick the ticket holders in the teeth while we are saying we want to make the fan experience better. Actions as the say........ Maybe Norwood needs a few emails to jam his inbox. This is unsatisfactory.

 

[Tim Riggins]

I am always amazed that The University of Minnesota, which prides itself on the creative process, critical thinking, strategic planning, and offers degrees in Marketing cannot seem hold a one car parade. When it came to hospitality, event planning, Curt Carlson was without peer. Heck we have the touted Carlson School. And we kick the ticket holders in the teeth while we are saying we want to make the fan experience better. Actions as the say........ Maybe Norwood needs a few emails to jam his inbox. This is unsatisfactory.

I'm already crafting my email or Monday morning, this is a nice way to take the wind out if the sails before the season even starts.

 

[e.bigelow]

Anyone, feel free to post Norwood's e-mail here. So dissapointed that I went to the trouble of getting that full day off of work to "tailgate", PLUS the Friday after the game. Had I been informed of this a while ago, I would have considered just cutting out of work early rather than wasting two days of PTO. I'm sure I can't be the only one. Doesn't help being a Season Ticket holder and having to drive just over 3 hours to the cities for every home game from West Central Minnesota, certainly make me feel appreciated.

I am just even more mad at how they tried to quietly slide this in to the media guide quietly without any reason or explanation for it. What a joke.