Ticket sales up

I still say if the student tiks don't sell out by a certain date, sell them to students of other local colleges. Even to high schools/students.
 


Even to high schools/students.

Not sure if the liability issues could be worked out but I'd like to see a ticket donation program for area high school students that includes a free or reduced fare ride to the game on public transportation. Perhaps they could show up at the TCF stadium on game to get their game ticket and receive a free transit pass for the ride home? I'm thinking some fans and businesses might help subsidize such a program.

Just spitballing. I'm sure others could think of something a lot smarter.

Go Gophers!
 

I think students should be able to buy two guest season tickets for parents or friends from other schools (Mankato, St Cloud St, etc)

I think a better idea would be to put aside a thousand or two for recent alumni. Maybe for the two years after they graduate they can buy student tickets at a discounted amount. Not as low as student tickets but lower than the normal ticket.
 

I think a better idea would be to put aside a thousand or two for recent alumni. Maybe for the two years after they graduate they can buy student tickets at a discounted amount. Not as low as student tickets but lower than the normal ticket.

I just graduated from St. Thomas. However, my family has had season tickets for 25 years. I can tell you first handedly that many people my age, alumni or not, have increasingly expanded their interest in Gopher Football . Maybe its because of the great party in lot 37 (We have a pretty good tailgate), but I truly feel there is a newfound interest with 20 somethings.

Building on your idea: Many country clubs or public golf courses have reduced rates for 20 somethings. What if the U, in order to build lifelong gopher fans, discounted season tickets for individuals this age. I feel like the goal now should be to grow this fan base with people who have 50+ years to be season ticket holders.
 


I think a better idea would be to put aside a thousand or two for recent alumni. Maybe for the two years after they graduate they can buy student tickets at a discounted amount. Not as low as student tickets but lower than the normal ticket.

As a current student and Gold season ticket holder I really hope the U will adopt this policy. Currently going into my sophomore year and I can't tell you how large a percentage of the student crowd last year was freshman..there is a new breed of hope in University of Minnesota sports and student ticket sales reflect that. If students aren't able to find solid jobs right away out of college I'm guessing season tickets will be the first thing people cross off their budget. Keep the prices closer to student levels for a couple years after college makes complete sense for the athletic department as a way to keep fans coming to games and eventually getting full-priced season tickets.
 

I think a better idea would be to put aside a thousand or two for recent alumni. Maybe for the two years after they graduate they can buy student tickets at a discounted amount. Not as low as student tickets but lower than the normal ticket.

Don't they already do this? I could swear they started it a couple years ago, but there is minimal information on season tickets right now.
 

As a current student and Gold season ticket holder I really hope the U will adopt this policy. Currently going into my sophomore year and I can't tell you how large a percentage of the student crowd last year was freshman..there is a new breed of hope in University of Minnesota sports and student ticket sales reflect that. If students aren't able to find solid jobs right away out of college I'm guessing season tickets will be the first thing people cross off their budget. Keep the prices closer to student levels for a couple years after college makes complete sense for the athletic department as a way to keep fans coming to games and eventually getting full-priced season tickets.

The U already sells discounted season tickets for recent alums. The sections are limited and are near the student section. You only qualify if you have graduated from the U within the last 2 or 3 years. The price isn't close to student levels, but you do save some money.
 

There are roughly 13,000 high school boys basketball players in Minnesota. Hockey has 5,000.
Hockey State? Yeah, I guess, if you compare it to Mississippi or Alabama.
 



There are roughly 13,000 high school boys basketball players in Minnesota. Hockey has 5,000.
Hockey State? Yeah, I guess, if you compare it to Mississippi or Alabama.

That is because every single little town school has a basketball team. Your school basically has to have an enrollment of 500+ in 9-12, and even many of those don't have hockey.

You cant really throw out numbers to justify that. Look at attendance for the state tourney for each. Hockey sells out. Basketball draws very little. But if Gopher hockey goes to the Frozen Four, a few hundred people go. If basketball goes, thousands and thousands will go.
 

There are roughly 13,000 high school boys basketball players in Minnesota. Hockey has 5,000.
Hockey State? Yeah, I guess, if you compare it to Mississippi or Alabama.

Access and cost have a lot to do with that
 

That is because every single little town school has a basketball team. Your school basically has to have an enrollment of 500+ in 9-12, and even many of those don't have hockey.

You cant really throw out numbers to justify that. Look at attendance for the state tourney for each. Hockey sells out. Basketball draws very little. But if Gopher hockey goes to the Frozen Four, a few hundred people go. If basketball goes, thousands and thousands will go.

There are multiple reasons for there being far more basketball players in Minnesota, but it is a fact.
The state hockey tournament is a fabulous event that hasn't been screwed up yet by the MSHSL (although they're trying).
The state basketball tournament has suffered for multiple reasons. Too many classes making for confusing and inconvenient tournament schedules, games taking place in the middle of March Madness (forcing basketball fans to make a choice), terrible job of marketing, etc.
As a whole, Gopher basketball is far beyond Gopher hockey in popularity and it's not even close.
I like hockey a lot, but it's still very regional. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
 

There are multiple reasons for there being far more basketball players in Minnesota, but it is a fact.
The state hockey tournament is a fabulous event that hasn't been screwed up yet by the MSHSL (although they're trying).
The state basketball tournament has suffered for multiple reasons. Too many classes making for confusing and inconvenient tournament schedules, games taking place in the middle of March Madness (forcing basketball fans to make a choice), terrible job of marketing, etc.
As a whole, Gopher basketball is far beyond Gopher hockey in popularity and it's not even close.
I like hockey a lot, but it's still very regional. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Yeah, but who's got the hardware? ;)
 



CP Gopher hits the nail on the head in relation to hockey vs basketball, and I agree with DLguy's comments quoted in CP's post, as well. I have become a very big hockey fan over the past 10 years after growing up in southern MN where it basically doesn't exist. I now prefer hockey to basketball but overall basketball still dwarfs hockey, even in MN.

I think open enrollement, AAU, and the MSHSL have combined to destroy anything that was left of the great HS basketball tournament culture that once existed in this state. Ironically, the number of quality BB players has grown, while the popularity of the HS tournament has faded.
 

Ticket sales up about FB has evolved into BB/HOCKEY. I'm impressed.
 


I take it then that you must be impressed everyday when you come to the GopherHole.:rolleyes:

As a matter of fact, I am. It's amazing to me that so many with ADHD do so well here on GH.
 

That is because every single little town school has a basketball team. Your school basically has to have an enrollment of 500+ in 9-12, and even many of those don't have hockey.

You cant really throw out numbers to justify that. Look at attendance for the state tourney for each. Hockey sells out. Basketball draws very little. But if Gopher hockey goes to the Frozen Four, a few hundred people go. If basketball goes, thousands and thousands will go.

No it doesn't. It used to on a regular basis back when I was still in high school (1998 grad), but there have not been many true sell-outs at the boys state hockey tournament for a number of years now. It is more the exception than the norm for the hockey tournament today.
 

No it doesn't. It used to on a regular basis back when I was still in high school (1998 grad), but there have not been many true sell-outs at the boys state hockey tournament for a number of years now. It is more the exception than the norm for the hockey tournament today.

Kind of like Gopher football.
 


There are multiple reasons for there being far more basketball players in Minnesota, but it is a fact.
The state hockey tournament is a fabulous event that hasn't been screwed up yet by the MSHSL (although they're trying).
The state basketball tournament has suffered for multiple reasons. Too many classes making for confusing and inconvenient tournament schedules, games taking place in the middle of March Madness (forcing basketball fans to make a choice), terrible job of marketing, etc.
As a whole, Gopher basketball is far beyond Gopher hockey in popularity and it's not even close.
I like hockey a lot, but it's still very regional. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I'd argue they already have. Ever since 1992.
 

I came here hoping to find some up to date info on how football ticket sales are going. I'm learning that this has become the Sybil of GH threads. I now want to block this thread out of my mind forever. :banghead:
 


Hockey mom's and dad's are the worst when kids are going through the system. They all think their kids are the next
Gretzky. I know several volunteer coaches over time when our kids were in school that quit because they couldn't deal with the wrath from the parents. Most of these parents have never even laced up a pair of skates and the ones that have want to relive their glory or lack of through their kids. Because of the expense of the sport the fund raising
has gotten way out of hand. Our neighbors kids hit us up twice a season to purchase raffle tickets, or buy things like
tins of popcorn. Most of this is for ice time and weekly tournaments. Pequot Lakes and Pine River HS had to combine teams because parents are starting to back off getting their kids into hockey because of the expense. More
parents are directing their kids into playing soccer. We were fortunate, all our kids gravitated toward basketball,
football, volleyball, and softball.
 





per Sid:

… Through July 30 a year ago, the Gophers had 27,981 general season football tickets sold, with a student sale of 2,138. Now they are up in sales to 28,152 general season tickets and 3,611 student tickets.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/269313911.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue

Go Gophers!!


Huh, best season they have had in a decade and we are only up 171 season tickets? wow.

student season ticket increase is huge though. which is awesome. Never could understand why students aren't interested in these games. they are cheap and fun to attend as a student and i went to school when the games were in the dome....
 

Huh, best season they have had in a decade and we are only up 171 season tickets? wow.

student season ticket increase is huge though. which is awesome. Never could understand why students aren't interested in these games. they are cheap and fun to attend as a student and i went to school when the games were in the dome....

The problem is they lost their last three games and their Offense was god-awful doing it. Probably had a whole lot of non-Season Ticket Holder viewers too. After the Gophers blew that Texas Bowl game, can't help fans for thinking "same old Gophers".

If they had a semblance of a Passing Offense in any of those three games, they win them. Just a "decent" Passing game against the Badgers or MSU and they would have played in a January 1 game.

"If, if, if, if"

That's a word that the great, untapped Gopher fan base was been hearing for far to many years.
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