University of Minnesota Athletics
Seating Plan for TCF Bank Stadium Announced
5/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
With TCF Bank Stadium literally rising from the ground and the Golden Gopher football team’s triumphant return to campus just over 16 months away, the Minnesota Athletics Department announced its strategy for allocating seats in the new facility Friday with the introduction of the Gopher Points system.
Gopher Points is a criteria-based plan that rewards season ticket holders with points based upon their financial support, loyalty and affinity (connection to the University of Minnesota). The point totals, once verified, will then be used to determine when season ticket holders will select their seats in TCF Bank Stadium.
“A lot of hard work and tough choices were made while developing Gopher Points,” Director of Athletics Joel Maturi said. “In the end we believe that we’ve developed a system that is both fair and unique to Minnesota. We have done our best to reward those individuals who stuck with us through thick and thin and I am very pleased with the plan that has been developed.”
The plan, which is detailed in a brochure that will be mailed to all season ticket holder over the next two weeks, was developed following in-depth research of peer institutions, consultation sessions with university leaders, meetings with external stakeholders and two rounds of focus groups with season ticket holders and donors.
It is believed to be one of the most comprehensive and inclusive of any of the nine other existing plans currently being utilized in the Big Ten Conference, according to Associate Athletics Director for Development, David Crum.
“The process of developing Gopher Points really came down to three areas season ticket loyalty, financial support and family,” Crum said. “And though the categories are simple on the surface, they cover a lot of ground and we believe give season ticket holders a variety of opportunities to obtain points.”
In addition to awarding points for financial gifts to athletics, Gopher Points rewards university giving at a greater level than other Big Ten institution. The system also rewards consecutive years of season ticket purchases at a generous rate, while recognizing the contributions of Golden Gopher letterwinners and University of Minnesota, Twin Cities graduates with a one-time award of points.
According to Crum, season ticket holders will receive their point totals with the brochure mailing. A verification period that allows season ticket holders to confirm that their point totals are correct will follow.
“Gopher Points brochures and point totals will be mailed in waves, beginning on Tuesday, May 27,” said Crum. “The mailings will proceed as fast as we can and we expect that all season ticket holders will have their point totals by mid June.”
Season ticket holders and donors will also have an opportunity to increase their point totals before they are finalized on Dec. 31, 2008 Crum said.
Point totals can be increased by purchasing additional season tickets, purchasing a lifetime membership to the alumni association or contributing to the Golden Gopher Fund.
According to Crum, the way for a season ticket holder to “best increase” their point total is through a gift to the “Back to Campus” campaign, which supports stadium construction efforts.
“The way Gopher Points is structured, a stadium gift is the most powerful way an individual can increase their points,” said Crum. “A little really can go a long way and even the smallest contribution to the stadium can make a difference in a season ticket holder’s ranking.”
Season ticket holders will be able to start selecting their seats in TCF Bank Stadium early in the spring of 2009.
The Athletics Department also unveiled a new preferred seating program for TCF Bank Stadium that will be dedicated to raising money for scholarships.
The preferred seating program requires that all season tickets purchased in the 10,000 seats located between the 20-yard lines include an additional donation for scholarships. The required donations range from $100 to $500 per seat, per year depending on location.
Construction of the 50,000-seat facility continues at a rapid pace. Installation of much of the steel structure had been completed, including the full height of the press box on the south side of the stadium. Steel erection is slated to be finished in late June.
The stadium's lower and upper seating bowls are also being installed and the facility is expected to be fully enclosed by Fall 2008. At that point interior finishing will begin.
TCF Bank Stadium is on schedule for substantial completion in July 2009 and will open for the first Golden Gopher football game of the season on September 12, 2009.
For more information on Gopher Points and Minnesota’s new preferred seating program, please visit the official Gopher Points website located at gopherpoints.umn.edu.
