Gophers struggling to sell tickets

[Excel]

From the Star Tribune, so many quotables.

U of M's woes

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Sales have steadily dropped from 10,000 in the first year at TCF Bank Stadium, to 7,800 the second year to less than 6,000 last year. Now, with the teams first home game on Sept. 8 less than a month away, roughly 2,000 student season tickets have been sold.

The University of Michigan has sold 21,715 student season tickets so far this year, and the University of Wisconsin sold its 13,119 student season-ticket allotment in just 30 minutes. Ohio State...has sold more than 26,000. At Iowa, students have so far bought 9,700 season tickets. Even... Indiana...has so far sold 12,315 student season tickets for 2012.

Gophers say the darndest things

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Kyle Severson, a junior, said he bought a student season ticket during his freshman year, but he decided not to last year to save money... "It would be helpful if they won more often" said Severson. "We lose a lot, so there's not really a reason to go to a game" Jessica Shudy, a sophomore from Minneapolis, said as she sat in the school's student union.... "It was pretty bad" she said of watching the team last year. Among her friends, she added, the football team is "not really a big thing."

Bob Hughes, president of the University of Minnesota's Goal Line football booster club..."We lost a lot" (Here's my favorite bit) But Hughes, despite the sagging numbers, is optimistic. "I easily see seven victories this year" he said. "I've never been so excited in my life."

So given Minnesota's schedule how many games will they win this year?

@ UNLV (2-10)

v. New Hampshire (8-4) Minnesota has lost to an FCS opponent each of the last two years

v. Western Michigan (7-6)

v. Syracuse (5-7)

@ Iowa (7-6)

v. Northwestern (6-7)

@ Wisconsin (11-3)

v. Purdue (7-6)

v. Michigan (11-2)

@ Illinois (7-6)

@ Nebraska (9-4)

v. Michigan State (11-3)

Offense Returning Starters: 6

Key Player: QB MarQueis Gray, SR, 8TDs, 8 INTs 50.7% completion, 966 yards rushing, 6 TDs rushing

Defense Returning Starters: 6

 

[everybody knows my name]

The Gophers are going to be the most improved team in the Big Ten this year. Don't take my word for it - read up on Gerry DiNardo, Howard Griffith, and Tom Dienhart. Seven wins is very doable. http://btn.com/2012/...ractice-tweets/

Jerry Kill is a real football coach, and he's building this program the right way. Fans up here are taking notice.

The O-Line is going to be the most improved unit on the most improved team. Each man has gained 15 pounds of good weight in the off-season, and 2012 will be the first season in the last six years that we've had the same offensive system that we played the year before. Think about that - six years! Gray is going to have more time in the pocket and better running lanes. Scary, huh?

One of our weakest units last year was our receiving corps. This year that group has seen a huge improvement in quality. Young speedsters like Devin Crawford-Tufts, Marcus Jones, and Isaac Fruechte are going to complement skilled pass catchers like freshmen Andre McDonald and Jamel Harbeson. I wish I could tell you which guys are going to end up stars, but can do you tell which chocolate chip is the best one in the bag?

Our TEs are good again this year, like they always are. Our best kicker didn't miss a field goal last year, and even had a rushing TD. Our kick returner holds the Big Ten all-time record for return yards. Our LBs are the most veteran unit on the team. Our D-line is going to double their sack total from last year. We brought in a tailback (Gillum) that the coaching staff has been drooling over since they were at Northern Illinois - strong, fast, tough, and smart.

And BTW, the season ticket sales thing is actually a bogus non-story. Marcus Fuller of the St Paul Pioneer Press checked the numbers, and we're actually at 92% of last year's total from the same date. (http://blogs.twincit...e-to-2011-pace/) Furthermore, a win in the season opener at UNLV (road game) will be a boost to student ticket sales. They just want to know the team won't suck again before they buy.

Bottom line: this team is really improved, and will continue to improve. We're developing the horses and teaching them to do the work. Coach Kill isn't one to hype his team (just look at his preseason comments from last year!) but he's really talking up not only Marqueis Gray, who we already knew was a physical specimen, but also unsung guys like Ra'Shede Hageman and Thieren Cockran.

 

[Excel]

Not much to argue with there. That's your opinion and you argued it reasonably and rationally. +1 to you. I'll just say that I'll believe it when I see it.

For a moment there I thought Brewster was the man to turn U of M around. I was wrong. As much as I hate your entire state and everything related to it part of me wants to see you guys improve, the battle for the axe is getting boring.

Anyhow please stick around HB, it'd be nice to get a Minny poster here more frequently. Don't make me go to the hole for my daily dose of minnsanity.

 

[WoodyHayes1951]

I'll give them 3 wins

2-2 in the non conference and 1-7 in league play.

 

[WoodyHayes1951]

I like the answer to the second question.

"return to prominence" ?

Is Dwight D. Eisenhower coming back to the oval office?

 

[HuskerShark]

I could see Minnesota getting to a bowl game this year. However, I think 7 or 8 wins is probably their ceiling.

 

[mrandyk]

I'll say 6 wins, at the absolute best.

 

[WoodyHayes1951]

@ UNLV (2-10) Win

v. New Hampshire (8-4) Don't know. I will give them a Win just to be nice

v. Western Michigan (7-6) Loss. WMU is a better program

v. Syracuse (5-7) Win because I don't know what Cuse brings to the table

@ Iowa (7-6) Loss

v. Northwestern (6-7) Loss

@ Wisconsin (11-3) Loss

v. Purdue (7-6) Probable Loss

v. Michigan (11-2) Loss

@ Illinois (7-6) Probable Loss

@ Nebraska (9-4) Loss

v. Michigan State (11-3) Loss

3 wins. I can see 4 or 5 if I'm being nice.

 

[everybody knows my name]

@ UNLV (2-10) Win

v. New Hampshire (8-4) Don't know. I will give them a Win just to be nice

v. Western Michigan (7-6) Loss. WMU is a better program

v. Syracuse (5-7) Win because I don't know what Cuse brings to the table

@ Iowa (7-6) Loss

v. Northwestern (6-7) Loss

@ Wisconsin (11-3) Loss

v. Purdue (7-6) Probable Loss

v. Michigan (11-2) Loss

@ Illinois (7-6) Probable Loss

@ Nebraska (9-4) Loss

v. Michigan State (11-3) Loss

3 wins. I can see 4 or 5 if I'm being nice.

The Gophers beat Illinois and Iowa last year and you're predicting they lose to those two teams and everybody else in the B1G this year. So you think they're getting worse? Neutral observers from the Big Ten Network don't agree.

I'd settle for 3 wins OOC and 2-3 wins in conference, which means 5 or 6. I think the big jump to contention is still a year or two away, but if you look at coach Kill's record, it's coming. It's always been in year 2 or 3 of his tenure, wherever he has coached.

 

[Excel]

@ UNLV (2-10) Win

v. New Hampshire (8-4) Don't know. I will give them a Win just to be nice

v. Western Michigan (7-6) Loss. WMU is a better program

v. Syracuse (5-7) Win because I don't know what Cuse brings to the table

@ Iowa (7-6) Loss

v. Northwestern (6-7) Loss

@ Wisconsin (11-3) Loss

v. Purdue (7-6) Probable Loss

v. Michigan (11-2) Loss

@ Illinois (7-6) Probable Loss

@ Nebraska (9-4) Loss

v. Michigan State (11-3) Loss

3 wins. I can see 4 or 5 if I'm being nice.

The Gophers beat Illinois and Iowa last year and you're predicting they lose to those two teams and everybody else in the B1G this year. So you think they're getting worse? Neutral observers from the Big Ten Network don't agree.

I'd settle for 3 wins OOC and 2-3 wins in conference, which means 5 or 6. I think the big jump to contention is still a year or two away, but if you look at coach Kill's record, it's coming. It's always been in year 2 or 3 of his tenure, wherever he has coached.

Both your Iowa and Illinois games are on the road. You squeaked by Iowa last year in the cities. I doubt you'll beat them at Kinnick where in the lifespan of most of your players you've won only once. The Gophers are more likely to beat Illinois than Iowa but I still think they'll lose that game.

Given that Minnesota is 22-75 on the road against BCS opponents since 1990 I'm going to pick them to lose more often than not.

 

[WoodyHayes1951]

@ UNLV (2-10) Win

v. New Hampshire (8-4) Don't know. I will give them a Win just to be nice

v. Western Michigan (7-6) Loss. WMU is a better program

v. Syracuse (5-7) Win because I don't know what Cuse brings to the table

@ Iowa (7-6) Loss

v. Northwestern (6-7) Loss

@ Wisconsin (11-3) Loss

v. Purdue (7-6) Probable Loss

v. Michigan (11-2) Loss

@ Illinois (7-6) Probable Loss

@ Nebraska (9-4) Loss

v. Michigan State (11-3) Loss

3 wins. I can see 4 or 5 if I'm being nice.

The Gophers beat Illinois and Iowa last year and you're predicting they lose to those two teams and everybody else in the B1G this year. So you think they're getting worse? Neutral observers from the Big Ten Network don't agree.

I'd settle for 3 wins OOC and 2-3 wins in conference, which means 5 or 6. I think the big jump to contention is still a year or two away, but if you look at coach Kill's record, it's coming. It's always been in year 2 or 3 of his tenure, wherever he has coached.

What do you mean Neutral observers?

I'm not a Wisky or Iowa fan. I'm a OSU fan and Minny football really isn't on my mind so I'm just telling you what I'm seeing. If they go 8-4 then more power to them.

IMO the talent at Minny is going to be inferior to all 8 Big Ten teams they play. does that mean they go 0-8? no. But I base predictions on what should happen. Minny beating Iowa or Illinois on the road(both start Junior Qbs) is an upset. They will probably get one or two but I can't say their talent is better than Purdue or Illinois(the two least talented teams they play in the Big Ten)

 

[everybody knows my name]

What do you think I mean by neutral observers? The Big Ten Network had its team of analysts traveling to fall camps and reporting on what they see. They say Minnesota is far improved over last year. Gerry DiNardo says they've been improved each time they've visited campus for the last two years.

This isn't top-secret stuff and I'm not speaking in code. I shared a link earlier in this thread and I'll share it again: http://btn.com/2012/08/12/dinardo-minnesota-practice-tweets/

 

[WoodyHayes1951]

"Far Improved over last year" is a very,very vague statement. Especially since last season was none too spectacular.

I'm am going with the term "talented". Much more concrete.Not a perfect word but It will do.

I am going to ask a very simple question. Which of the 8 Big Ten teams they play is Minny more talented than?

 

[mrandyk]

"Far Improved over last year" is a very,very vague statement. Especially since last season was none too spectacular.

I'm am going with the term "talented". Much more concrete.Not a perfect word but It will do.

I am going to ask a very simple question. Which of the 8 Big Ten teams they play is Minny more talented than?

You just had to exclude Indiana.

 

[everybody knows my name]

"Far Improved over last year" is a very,very vague statement. Especially since last season was none too spectacular.

I'm am going with the term "talented". Much more concrete.Not a perfect word but It will do.

I am going to ask a very simple question. Which of the 8 Big Ten teams they play is Minny more talented than?

I don't think I've been vague here. You want specifics, read my first post in this thread - the second from the top.

The Gophers have talent equal to Illinois' or Northwestern's, and nearly equal to Iowa's - I'll take this opportunity to remind you that our boys have beaten Iowa the last two years with inferior talent.