Thanks to UST

[Zeppelin Gopher]

It was a great atmosphere today at St. Thomas. We should have brought our spring game there years ago.

 

[MinnMarchDTF]

I even saw a few UST students watching from their windows. It was a lot of fun. Can't wait for the first game in TCF!

 

[Ski U Mah 55]

I had never been to the stadium there and was very impressed, it's a nice intimate facility. I will definitely think about seeing a couple UST games this fall there!

 

[MNfootballfan]

I was thinking of this a few days ago... I don't know if this is a good idea or not, but to "show off" Gopher football I think it would be cool to travel around the state for the Spring Game. Play it in Duluth one year, Moorhead one year, St. Cloud, Marshall, Mankato, Winona, etc... I think it would be a nice way to show that we are the team in Minnesota. I know there is a monkey wrench with TCF and we are going to want to use that... just a thought...

 

[pharmacygopher]

I know that idea has been brought up before. I think it would be a good idea to move it around the state. It would always be 'fresh' in that community and should draw a good amount of people. But, if we get enough support where we can expect 20,000+ for the game, it should be in TCF. I don't know how many facilities in MN that can handle that many people.

 

[jovs]

I was thinking of this a few days ago... I don't know if this is a good idea or not, but to "show off" Gopher football I think it would be cool to travel around the state for the Spring Game. Play it in Duluth one year, Moorhead one year, St. Cloud, Marshall, Mankato, Winona, etc... I think it would be a nice way to show that we are the team in Minnesota. I know there is a monkey wrench with TCF and we are going to want to use that... just a thought...

St Johns would be a good place for St Cloud. Nice statium built into a natural bowl on one side, about the size of St Thomas, country setting.

 

[gopherluv]

St Johns would be a good place for St Cloud. Nice statium built into a natural bowl on one side, about the size of St Thomas, country setting.

I like the idea of holding the spring game at a few different stadiums. SJU would be one of them. So would Mankato, Duluth, St Cloud, and Marshall. But the ideal situation is to have the crowd support to have the game at TCF.

 

[CP Gopher]

I attended the UMD (Duluth) spring game on Friday night. It was hardly spring. 40 degrees, 25 mph crosswind......I was amazed that about 400 or so turned out to watch.
UMD lost a lot of talent from last year's national championship team, but should be strong again.
Duluth would love the Gopher spring game. UMD's facility has been upgraded and looks fabulous. It seats about 5,000 (with plenty of room on the ends for bleachers or standing) and a state-of-the-art two-level press box. There are also private viewing areas.
Duluth is a great football town. The UMD games generally draw about 3500 and the high school games get 2000-2500. When the Duluth schools play each other it's about 3,500.
We'd love to have it up here!

 

[Goldmember]

Not sure how many of you were there yesterday but it was an "above-capacity" crowd. I think they will be able to grow it to 20,000+. Which leaves TCF as the only option.

Everyone who was there yesterday is coming back next year. It was just that cool. The U should be able to do even more with the event when they have the opportunity to have it at their own facilities, thereby attracting more people. Then, consider the fact that the game will be on campus and easier for students to attend too.

But obviously nothing generates more buzz than winning.

 

[KoolAid]

I also like the idea of bringing it to St. John's. On a beautiful day, that stadium is pretty unstoppable. It can hold 10-12k pretty comfortably and even up to 18k with it being pretty crowded. I say someone try and make that happen

 

[Ski U Mah 55]

No offense to anyone, but the spring game will never be played at an out-state location. If it's not at TCF (which it will be from here on out) it will be at a metro site near the large population, tons of high schoolers, and biggest pocket of alumni/students.

 

[GopherGod]

Not sure how many of you were there yesterday but it was an "above-capacity" crowd. I think they will be able to grow it to 20,000+. Which leaves TCF as the only option.

Everyone who was there yesterday is coming back next year. It was just that cool. The U should be able to do even more with the event when they have the opportunity to have it at their own facilities, thereby attracting more people. Then, consider the fact that the game will be on campus and easier for students to attend too.

But obviously nothing generates more buzz than winning.

We need to get to where we can sellout TCF for a spring game to wow the recruits and show that the community supports the program like you saw at Ohio State, Nebraska, Alabama, etc. I have seen several interviews from athletes who attended one of these games that was wowed by the fan support.

 

[MNfootballfan]

No offense to anyone, but the spring game will never be played at an out-state location. If it's not at TCF (which it will be from here on out) it will be at a metro site near the large population, tons of high schoolers, and biggest pocket of alumni/students.

While I agree with you that the game will probably never be played at a out-state location, I don't agree with your reasons why. It is only the Gopher Spring game, I don't know to many people that get 'fired' up for it, other than most of us on here. They only got 7,000 people there yesterday and that was in the Metro. I believe if you brought the BIG Gophers to Marshall or another outstate location that would be the biggest show that the town has seen in a while. I don't know if too many students really care about the spring game - we have a hard enough time getting them to a Big 10 game, I really doubt they care about a spring game.

 

[4starrecruit]

Gopher Football belongs ONLY in TCF BANK STADIUM from this day forward! Football is finally back home at SKI-U-MAH! The Spring Game only belongs in that stadium . Let the state come to TCF BANK STADIUM. With only 50,000 seats it will be the ONLY game that non-season ticket holders from around the state and nation will be able to gain admissions to without paying scalper's prices for tickets. It is, indeed, the toughest ticket in town as of right now with only 50,000 seats available. Keep out wisky red. Limit iowa hawgzeys. Let the people of Minnesota travel to SKI-U-MAH to attend the spring game in TCF BANK STADIUM starting with the 2010 Spring Game.

 

[Maximus]

I don't know to many people that get 'fired' up for it, other than most of us on here. They only got 7,000 people there yesterday and that was in the Metro.

The U needs the people in the metro area "fired" up first about Gopher football more than they need the people in Marshall.

 

[Gopherholefan]

Although i would've been up for having the game in St. Cloud and Duluth the last couple of years, we have a state of the art facility now. Why would we want to move it? And also, I really cannot believe someone would/would've wanted to have the game in Marshall! How sad would that have been.

 

[husker70]

Make No Mistake

It will be easier to get 25,000 to a spring game on campus, than it would anywhere else in the state. Now, when the number climbs to 40,000 plus TCF will be rockin. The other thing about the spring game on campus, its a trial run for the players, fans, coaches, recruits, press. Secondly, you want TCF to be the go to place for Gopher Football, not a rotating schedule that has them playing in Mankato one year and Duluth the next. No need to. And finally, the best place to see Football played outdoors in the 5 State area will be TCF. State of the art, close to action, and right on campus. Saint Johns is quaint, but TCF is the best.

 

[MNfootballfan]

Although i would've been up for having the game in St. Cloud and Duluth the last couple of years, we have a state of the art facility now. Why would we want to move it? And also, I really cannot believe someone would/would've wanted to have the game in Marshall! How sad would that have been.

I threw out Marshall as an option. If you look at my first post, I basically said that the game belongs in TCF Bank Stadium - if we were still in the dome, I think that would be a pretty cool tradition. I want to TCF as much as we can because that place is aweosme.

 

[sugarriver]

Keep in mind the team uses this as a recruiting weekend. It certainly makes it harder to recruit to the U when the game is in another city. In TCF, we have an advantage over every school in the Big Ten right now - I say use it.