What should pregame look like around the stadium

[LakerFan]

I was sniping about Tailgating on the Cyclegate thread and didn't want to hijack their post so I started this one.

IMO as a fan, I would like to see them block off the section of Oak street that goes in front of the stadium pre and post game and use that area for fan congregation, food and beverage sales. There is room there to put up a stage and either have live music or at least have some music playing. It doesn't seem that difficult to do this and it seems strange to me that they don't.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

View attachment 3584

I was sniping about Tailgating on the Cyclegate thread and didn't want to hijack their post so I started this one.

IMO as a fan, I would like to see them block off the section of Oak street that goes in front of the stadium pre and post game and use that area for fan congregation, food and beverage sales. There is room there to put up a stage and either have live music or at least have some music playing. It doesn't seem that difficult to do this and it seems strange to me that they don't.

Doesn't seem difficult? Cutting off access to 4th St isn't going to happen from a traffic flow and a public safety standpoint.

 

[beatles]

Doesn't seem difficult? Cutting off access to 4th St isn't going to happen from a traffic flow and a public safety standpoint.

I'm no expert on traffic flow and all that but it seems to me that if they really wanted to they could probably find a way to do this. It's just 7 days a year. But this has been brought up many times throughout the years and I'll be shocked if it ever happens.

 

[LakerFan]

Doesn't seem difficult? Cutting off access to 4th St isn't going to happen from a traffic flow and a public safety standpoint.

You can get to 4th street by going around the other side if the stadium. Yes it impacts traffic flow but traffic flow is already impacted by 50,000 fans trying to cross Oak street.

 

[Northrop]

traffic flow is already impacted by 50,000 fans trying to cross Oak street.

Not true.

 

[Hates Monikers]

"Look like around the stadium" puts this in an intersting light. When you walk toward the stadiums in Madison and Lincoln, and all you see is red. When you walk toward TCF Bank stadium coming from University and Washington Avenues, it can look barren, especially during Sally's closure.

I believe there are far more people pregaming here than we get credit for. But nobody sees them. We have a bunch at East River Flats, a bunch at the state fairgrounds, more in Dinkytown. But you don't see as much around the stadium, at least not University Avenue. The tailgate lots on the other side are great for those donating, but those not donating don't see them. Seeing the party -- seeing that there is a party -- is half of the issue.

What to do? Closing streets would be great, but difficult. Most of the area is built up, so can we use what's there? The lawn outside the Alumni Center is a huge opportunity. When Nebraska took that over two years ago, I could hardly believe the U didn't do something similar on its own the next week. (And I'm not talking about selling beer to a few folks on the sidewalk in front of the door.) Allow fraternities to party outside?

With all the grief we give the U about game-day atmosphere, the least they can do is help people see the fun that people already there are having.

 

[homermn]

View attachment 3584

I was sniping about Tailgating on the Cyclegate thread and didn't want to hijack their post so I started this one.

IMO as a fan, I would like to see them block off the section of Oak street that goes in front of the stadium pre and post game and use that area for fan congregation, food and beverage sales. There is room there to put up a stage and either have live music or at least have some music playing. It doesn't seem that difficult to do this and it seems strange to me that they don't.

Completely agree, connect stadium village and the light rail stop there to the stadium. Stub & Herb's, BWW, and I assume sally's have places to congregate outside. But, you can't take your kid or don't want to into a bar. This spreads it out, makes it easier to walk into the stadium, and gives people an excuse to come down early. Shut it down 20 minutes prior to kick off and get fans in the stands. There's a revenue and experience opportunity the University is leaving on the table.

I loathe how late of a crowd we have, but I truly believe people would show up if they had an easier option than finding a tailgate or cramming in b-dubs.

 

[AuEGO4]

I have always been a fan of having a student organization or the school set up "pre-paid tailgating experiences" around the Northrup Mall. That area could be a great congregating area for anyone who wants to take the train in and not have to worry about setting up or taking down the tailgate. Then just take the short walk to the stadium and have a great time. This area seems like a perfect spot do to something like that. Pre-paying for tailgating isn't a new concept. TCU had full on cement enclosures with TVs and grills by their stadium for rent. Penn State has RV companies that rent out an RV for the weekend fully stocked. And anyone who went to USC saw how to tailgate without a car. It was very impressive.

 

[Unregistered User]

Not true.

Shut up eagan

 

[LakerFan]

Not true.

It's called hyperbole. It's not 50,000 but it's significant. I think from a traffic cop standpoint shutting down Oak street has some benefit. You eliminate two crossings to monitor completely and you could put up barriers during game times to force people to cross University north south only (because the other side is connected east west) and similarly cross 4th street east west only because the otherside is connected north south within the pregame area.

 

[AO54]

New rule for gameday, if you see a piece of grass on University property, you can throw up a tent and party. It would be a nice problem to have to worry about a party getting to be too big and too fun.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

New rule for gameday, if you see a piece of grass on University property, you can throw up a tent and party. It would be a nice problem to have to worry about a party getting to be too big and too fun.

Here's where the U says "you lost me?"

 

[fraternity2017]

- Encourage fraternities to tailgate instead of discourage
- Turn the superblock area into a tailgate zone on game days, it already has grills, volleyball courts, lots of space, nearby restaurants, and tons of students.
- Let people tailgate on the mall
- Move the student tailgate lot closer to students

 

[Ski U Mah 55]

- Encourage fraternities to tailgate instead of discourage
- Turn the superblock area into a tailgate zone on game days, it already has grills, volleyball courts, lots of space, nearby restaurants, and tons of students.
- Let people tailgate on the mall
- Move the student tailgate lot closer to students

Most importantly:
-Don't enforce alcohol strictly, limit to unruly or dangerous activity.

 

[hungan1]

My group will be taking the light rail to the Bank for the TCU game. If there was an open area with tailgating and for fans to congregate, it will be great so that we can come even earlier to take in the atmosphere.

 

[MrGopher]

And anyone who went to USC saw how to tailgate without a car. It was very impressive.

This x100. When my group were walking around before that game, all I could think was "Why the f*** can't we do this on the Mall?". It could be absolutely spectacular.

 

[AuEGO4]

My group will be taking the light rail to the Bank for the TCU game. If there was an open area with tailgating and for fans to congregate, it will be great so that we can come even earlier to take in the atmosphere.

The Commons Hotel has had an outdoor tailgate the past couple of years outside in the circle drive area. If it is too hot the Alumni Center is a nice place to cool off with lots of people hanging out in there. Some bash it for being the "older crowd" but I can't bash it because my parents like to stop in there for a drink before the game and they are only 60. You can always troll the tailgate lots with a case of beer and look for Gopherlady. She throws one heck of a party.

 

[Taji34]

I always thought it would be cool if the Band could move their Plaza Show the McNamara plaza (though I am a bit biased, being a band member and all, haha), and if athletics did something there as well (To get people there for our show, and just to have a great place for people to congregate, while still being close to Stub and Herbs, Sally's, Big Ten, and TCF), but I don't know what the reason was to put it where it is now (In front of mariucci). Was it just worry no one would go, and they wanted to keep that area open just in case, and just haven't changed it? Did the Minneaoplis police say they wouldn't block all the roads required (Though to be honest, it wouldn't need to be a permanent block, just block it to let us through both ways, no more than a few minutes tops IMO), did athletics flat out say no? I wish I new, but I think it would be the perfect place for that. If not the band, athletics at least needs to do something with it.

 

[fraternity2017]

I took part in a focus group about gopher football fan relations and for some reason they sounded like they don't have a ton of options for adding new tailgating space or they don't think it's realistic.

 

[LakerFan]

I took part in a focus group about gopher football fan relations and for some reason they sounded like they don't have a ton of options for adding new tailgating space or they don't think it's realistic.

Their idea of expanding tailgating is increasing the cost of parking in a lot and not doing anything to organize or add to the festivities. No vendors, no music. Keep in mind this is the same people with the mindset that were losing money selling beer at $8 a can in their own stadium. Knock me over with a feather that they thought doing anything new was unrealistic.

 

[TexasAggie11]

how to tailgate without a car

Let's be honest here, tailgating with a car is the lowest, most basic form of tailgating. You've got to ditch the vehicle, unless it is a custom tailgate rig, because cars just get in the way of forming a tailgating scene. 80% of your space is taken up by a giant hunk of steel and rubber. The only real tailgate that works in a parking lot is for RVs. For custom trailers, busses, large smokers, or custom vehicles, they should be parked at the edge of the tailgate area but leave the interior for people.

 

[homermn]

Who at the U of M has the authority to create or decide on any changes? Is it the athletic department, facilities, administration, regents, a group of people who fly under the radar and get paid to not do anything on the West Bank?

 

[RailBaronYarr]

Honestly, the U could try a few things here and there. But the nature of our current situation makes a really rockin' gameday atmosphere in close proximity to the stadium challenging. What do I mean?

- Small-ish stadium size. 50,000 max, with an average actual gameday attendance in the mid 40s (barring a big game vs Iowa, Wisc, or Nebraska) is roughly half the bodies milling about compared to a Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska. People like other people.
- TCF is surrounded by parking. What isn't parking is institutional uses (medical discover buildings to the north, office plaza to the south), other (empty on gameday) arenas, some stormwater retention ponds, and rail yards beyond the parking/medical to the north. The parking surrounding TCF could be a benefit for gameday atmosphere if it weren't taken up by the very mostly wealthy or corporate users who car less about tailgating. A decade of winning will turn that tide (certainly, rich people at other schools tailgate well).
- Somewhat by design, somewhat by convenience, some of the better spots to tailgate for the non-rich people are far away. State fairgrounds, river flats, etc. They suck would-be partyers to other places where a random, first-timer coming in by car, LRT, foot, whatever, doesn't see the atmosphere.

I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Certainly, the far-flung lots encourage folks to be late shows for the actual game. But each has their own thing that makes them fun. We should embrace that. The U already closes off Oak St between the stadium and Mariucci. I would suggest extending that closure all the way down to Washington Ave (open it up to cars after the game; the slow trickle pre-game can find a better entry route to accommodate this). Get our many area food truck vendors to set up shop along this space, set up crummy folding chairs and tables (maybe a few umbrellas) along with cheap games of bag toss, etc for people to use. This space needs to be easy for people to congregate and cross. University Ave is a major barrier coming fro the south (few crossing points, the fence, the office building blocking walking paths). People who are eating or drinking in SV have no reason to leave their bar or do anything else.

Beyond that, I think things will take care of themselves. I think TCF will always be a better bar-gaiting scene than tailgating. We have the LRT, bike paths, etc to get folks near the stadium. The U should be clear (if they aren't already) that mixed-use buildings to the east of the stadium should tie together with the stuff going on along Washington Ave. And the Prospect Park station redevelopment area even further east will add another area for stadium-goers to grab a drink before the game.

I dunno. I appreciate the RV tailgate culture at other places. We can have that, too, but it makes way more sense at the fairgrounds to me.

 

[gopherdudepart2]

I agree with Taji34 about the need for the plaza show to be on the Mcnamara plaza

I always thought it would be cool if the Band could move their Plaza Show the McNamara plaza (though I am a bit biased, being a band member and all, haha), and if athletics did something there as well (To get people there for our show, and just to have a great place for people to congregate, while still being close to Stub and Herbs, Sally's, Big Ten, and TCF), but I don't know what the reason was to put it where it is now (In front of mariucci). Was it just worry no one would go, and they wanted to keep that area open just in case, and just haven't changed it? Did the Minneaoplis police say they wouldn't block all the roads required (Though to be honest, it wouldn't need to be a permanent block, just block it to let us through both ways, no more than a few minutes tops IMO), did athletics flat out say no? I wish I new, but I think it would be the perfect place for that. If not the band, athletics at least needs to do something with it.

Probably would not take much to coordinate that change with the Director of the marching band , U of M PD, the alumni association and athletics and your really only talking about asking the police to shut off Oak street for 15 to 20 minutes to make this happen, allowing safe passage for everyone crossing the street to the stadium.
When this plaza show used to be an hour and half before the kick off at the Dome it used to be well attended with a lot of Gopher fans, Goldy, the band and the cheer squads, now that are over by Marriucci what used to be 2 to 3,000 people gathered is luck if it is 500 to 600 people. Over by Mcanamara plaza this whole thing would be a lot more visible and it would give that march down University feel that many have longed for. You would get Spectators on both sides of the street and the sound reverbing off of that building would add another affect level to the excitement of the whole thing, think large concert back drop with a ton of sound. Allowing people to toss the football and frisbees around on the Mall and open areas would not be a bad thing either. The Mcnamara location for the pre-show seems like a no brainer idea. A plaza show over by Mcnamara would be more visible and seem more like our own SKULL session like they have at OSU for pre-game.

 

[Hates Monikers]

I took part in a focus group about gopher football fan relations and for some reason they sounded like they don't have a ton of options for adding new tailgating space or they don't think it's realistic.

They could work with private businesses and the city to allow tailgating in the small, private lots that dot the neighborhood around the stadium. A number of businesses offered that during the first half of the first season TCF was open. But the U isn't going to help with that because it would take away business from their own lots.

 

[Ragpile]

Are you sure you don't hate monkeys? Theyz kin. Clarifi!

 

[oak_street1981]

I always thought it would be cool if the Band could move their Plaza Show the McNamara plaza (though I am a bit biased, being a band member and all, haha), and if athletics did something there as well (To get people there for our show, and just to have a great place for people to congregate, while still being close to Stub and Herbs, Sally's, Big Ten, and TCF), but I don't know what the reason was to put it where it is now (In front of mariucci). Was it just worry no one would go, and they wanted to keep that area open just in case, and just haven't changed it? Did the Minneaoplis police say they wouldn't block all the roads required (Though to be honest, it wouldn't need to be a permanent block, just block it to let us through both ways, no more than a few minutes tops IMO), did athletics flat out say no? I wish I new, but I think it would be the perfect place for that. If not the band, athletics at least needs to do something with it.

McNamara Plaza is the place where the Ohio State Band had their pregame show, and they even marched there from some place up by the frat houses, imagine that! The spot works very well for a band pregame show for both aesthetic reasons, and ease of attending for fans at the surrounding bars and parking areas.

As someone else already mentioned, the U of M let Nebraska host a large pregame party on the plaza, and yet our own fans cannot even hang out there with their own food and drink, and the long suffering small, private owners have to jump through hoops to do anything for Gopher fans on their own property on which they pay huge taxes.

 

[dpodoll68]

McNamara Plaza is the place where the Ohio State Band had their pregame show, and they even marched there from some place up by the frat houses, imagine that! The spot works very well for a band pregame show for both aesthetic reasons, and ease of attending for fans at the surrounding bars and parking areas.

As someone else already mentioned, the U of M let Nebraska host a large pregame party on the plaza, and yet our own fans cannot even hang out there with their own food and drink, and the long suffering small, private owners have to jump through hoops to do anything for Gopher fans on their own property on which they pay huge taxes.

The U of M didn't let Nebraska do anything. The Gateway Corporation did, and received a hefty sum for their troubles. Also, once again, the U of M doesn't own the Alumni Center.

 

[LakerFan]

The U of M didn't let Nebraska do anything. The Gateway Corporation did, and received a hefty sum for their troubles. Also, once again, the U of M doesn't own the Alumni Center.

You keep bringing this up like it's a deal breaker or big news. We get it, there is a rental cost to that area, it isn't free. The point is whoever is in charge of fan relations for Nebraska was willing to spend that on an away game while the U of M isn't willing to do it on home games.

 

[dpodoll68]

You keep bringing this up like it's a deal breaker or big news. We get it, there is a rental cost to that area, it isn't free. The point is whoever is in charge of fan relations for Nebraska was willing to spend that on an away game while the U of M isn't willing to do it on home games.

It's apparently big news to some. Re-read marchdownuniversityave1981's post and then make your spiel to him.