Citrus Bowl Win Would Take Sting Out of Ticket Price Increase
Twitter, Facebook and all social media platforms were abuzz last week when the University of Minnesota Football program announced steep price hikes for season tickets from 2015-2017.
At face value, the hikes are huge. In TCF Bank Stadium their are six types of seating delineation. Up to now, the chairback season ticket holders were required to donate money to the university in varying amounts as a requirement of purchasing a season ticket. Bench seaters, no donation.
Until now. Some of the cheap seats will also require a donation.
In my case, my two seats in Section 142, Row 15, seats 3-4 (30-yard line home side) would go from $1,000 for the pair this season to $2,080 in 2017, a whopping 100-percent-plus increase.
I voiced concern to the athletic department and fed off the rage on social media. But the Unversity ticket folks amicably reached out to me to explain the move. First, Gopher football has not had a season ticket increase since 2009, the first season at TCF Bank Stadium. Very true.
Second, the University's commitment to become a top tier football program AND take care of all its scholarship athletes requires more resources. It was explained to me that the cost of a full ride for all Gopher scholarship athletics will be in the 95-plus million range in 2017 -- up from like 51 million during 2009. With current models, the athletic department would go from making a profit to being deep in the red. Even with the lucrative BIG TV contract. Ok, I can buy that, too.
Finally, the Arms Race that is college football, is spiraling every upward. Our BIG bretheren such as Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan all have large "seat license" type donations required to buy season tickets. Their programs are building Taj Mahal, world-class facilities that feature, athlete living, food service, strength and performance training and more. It's the cost of being great. And our counterparts are seating from 80,000 to 111,000 fans. Ever been to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln? Wowza.
My same seats, for example, would be $5,000 at the Ohio Stadium. That makes our increase much more palatable. From the fellow fans I associate with, none will likely bag out of their season tickets. However, getting additional seats may prove financially problematic.
Not lost on us should be the massive improvement of the Gopher product on the Field. It's gone from a being a Ford Pinto to at least a loaded Taurus lately. For entertainment value, the Gopher ticket will still be a good deal. Instead of paying $71 a game to watch once-trash-talking Iowa and Nebraska fans leave The Bank with heads down, I'll be doling out about $154 for that fun. It'll be worth it.
Which brings me back to the title of this blog: Citrus Bowl Win Would Take Sting Out of Ticket Price increase. You bet it will! Fans have memories. A win in Florida would shutup the naysayers, boost morale of the current fan base. And maybe inject a pipeline of first-time season ticket buyers and single-game sales. It would also create a buzz for Gopher fans going into 2015, Year 5 of the Jerry Kill rebuilding project.
And most agree, once you tailgate, experience The Bank and watch a quality Gopher win, you are somewhat hooked on the experience. I know I'll be fueled by a bowl win over the Tigers. And I will be chomping at the bit to take in the Spring Game to gaze at some of the new recruits and maturity of current players.
At face value, the hikes are huge. In TCF Bank Stadium their are six types of seating delineation. Up to now, the chairback season ticket holders were required to donate money to the university in varying amounts as a requirement of purchasing a season ticket. Bench seaters, no donation.
Until now. Some of the cheap seats will also require a donation.
In my case, my two seats in Section 142, Row 15, seats 3-4 (30-yard line home side) would go from $1,000 for the pair this season to $2,080 in 2017, a whopping 100-percent-plus increase.
I voiced concern to the athletic department and fed off the rage on social media. But the Unversity ticket folks amicably reached out to me to explain the move. First, Gopher football has not had a season ticket increase since 2009, the first season at TCF Bank Stadium. Very true.
Second, the University's commitment to become a top tier football program AND take care of all its scholarship athletes requires more resources. It was explained to me that the cost of a full ride for all Gopher scholarship athletics will be in the 95-plus million range in 2017 -- up from like 51 million during 2009. With current models, the athletic department would go from making a profit to being deep in the red. Even with the lucrative BIG TV contract. Ok, I can buy that, too.
Finally, the Arms Race that is college football, is spiraling every upward. Our BIG bretheren such as Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan all have large "seat license" type donations required to buy season tickets. Their programs are building Taj Mahal, world-class facilities that feature, athlete living, food service, strength and performance training and more. It's the cost of being great. And our counterparts are seating from 80,000 to 111,000 fans. Ever been to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln? Wowza.
My same seats, for example, would be $5,000 at the Ohio Stadium. That makes our increase much more palatable. From the fellow fans I associate with, none will likely bag out of their season tickets. However, getting additional seats may prove financially problematic.
Not lost on us should be the massive improvement of the Gopher product on the Field. It's gone from a being a Ford Pinto to at least a loaded Taurus lately. For entertainment value, the Gopher ticket will still be a good deal. Instead of paying $71 a game to watch once-trash-talking Iowa and Nebraska fans leave The Bank with heads down, I'll be doling out about $154 for that fun. It'll be worth it.
Which brings me back to the title of this blog: Citrus Bowl Win Would Take Sting Out of Ticket Price increase. You bet it will! Fans have memories. A win in Florida would shutup the naysayers, boost morale of the current fan base. And maybe inject a pipeline of first-time season ticket buyers and single-game sales. It would also create a buzz for Gopher fans going into 2015, Year 5 of the Jerry Kill rebuilding project.
And most agree, once you tailgate, experience The Bank and watch a quality Gopher win, you are somewhat hooked on the experience. I know I'll be fueled by a bowl win over the Tigers. And I will be chomping at the bit to take in the Spring Game to gaze at some of the new recruits and maturity of current players.
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