After having attended the Minnesota Golden Gophers' last game in the Metrodome Saturday, there a few things that need to be discussed.
The Gophers' going-away party was crashed by their bitter out-of-state rival, Iowa. The Hawkeyes left Minnesota with a 55-0 win, marking the second-most lopsided victory in the history of the rivalry.
So, what’s my problem with Minnesota? The University of Minnesota is opening a new stadium beginning in the fall of 2009. But a beautiful stadium, with a beautiful view, is about to be spoiled by a horrific fanbase.
This stadium is expected to be a key proponent in the turnaround of this program.
First off, the Metrodome was completely full Saturday night with over 68,000 fans. How is that a horrific fanbase one might ask? Well, considering there were probably 30,000 Hawks fans there, that is rather pathetic.
Gopher fans were everywhere selling their tickets outside of the Metrodome, while their college team inside was fighting for its bowl lives. So, instead of going in to cheer on their team, they sell their tickets to the rival fans and allow Iowa to fill half the stadium.
Secondly, it’s a rivalry. It was my assumption that Gopher fans would be rocking and rolling after their loss in Iowa City last year. Once again, I was completely wrong.
As the Gophers ran out, I am confident in saying I have heard a Division III football game get louder than the ovation the Gophers received.
On the other hand, the Hawkeye fans didn’t disappoint. It sounded like they were going for a Big Ten title on the road.
Third, this program that I have heard so much about the last 12 weeks in terms of progress and potential has completely been flushed. The Gophers have lost four in a row and have no momentum going into bowl season (should they make an appearance).
They have one win over a team with a winning record. And that team plays in the MAC.
Finally, what does this have to do with the future of Gopher football? I have lost all faith in the future of this program.
8 comments Last one added 2 months ago — Leave a Comment
Tony Rice 7 months ago
I was also at the game as well and am writing from a Gopher fan's perspective:
First off - Due to the stadium being off campus and students have to take a bus to get to it, the student section was half full to start the game, but it was COMPLETELY FULL midway through the 1st quarter, don't publish lies or at least tell the whole truth please.
You hawkeye fans make it sound like you had half the stadium, which wasn't true. You had the majority of the upper deck in the SW corner of the endzone and you had other fans sprinkled in elsewhere. I was in the upper deck and had a good view of the seats and quite frankly you had 1/4th of the stadium at best (Which is still impressive). You guys were loud, props to you for that.
You also ripped on us for leaving midway through the 3rd quarter... you can't honestly tell me that you wouldn't do the same thing if that happened to you. I guarantee that if the Gophers go up 48-0 midway through the 3rd quarter in Kinnick next year that your stadium would be empty too. I stuck it out until I couldn't take it anymore, if that makes me a fair weather fan than so be it.
Yes, Iowa supports the hawkeye football team well, congrats! Guess what, the Gophers play in a professional sports town (Vikings, Wild, Twins, T-wolves, etc.) with so many more options it obviously makes it harder to sell out (especially at such a crappy facility). We are trying to change that with the move back to an outdoor stadium on campus, I think you will be surprised at the results. Try coming back in two years and finding a ticket. If you do, have fun watching it at a sports bar.
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Jon Altena 7 months ago
Thanks for your feedback. You're right about the student section from about 8:00 left in the first to 4:00 left in the second it was full but that was it. I myself am a Hawkeye fan either, I do enjoy watching them play but I also want to see the Gophers do alot better than that! As far as the attendance goes I still disagree I was in the back of the endzone opposite of the student section and there was at least fifty fifty. It may be hard to tell because of all the yellow as to which team people are chearing for but I still think Iowa took just about half of the stadium. You make a great argument about the sports team I do understand that but if Iowa was down 48-0 at Kinnick I can still garauntee they would have way more fans left than the Gophers. But again you're right theres no reason to stick around and watch your team get hammered. As for next year TCF will sell out and probably the year after that but if the Gophers are going to continue this Mason type football by year three for sure no one is going to want to sit in ten degrees and watch it. I am a season ticket holder next year at TCF with a couple of my buddies and am very excited to go watch them. I hope you're right.
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Notafan OramI 7 months ago
What is the litmus test for fan? If you pay for a seat it doesn't mean you owe a debt to anyone to cheer or jeer, it means you made a payment for a ticket, that allows you to watch an event. The Gophers sucked? Fine. Or horrible. But whether a person sits to endure/enjoy the whole game doesn't make them a fan or not. I have two ongoing health issues that make it nearly impossible for me to sit in a stadium for 3-4 hours. If I left due to those issues I am somehow not a fan? If I go see a movie and it sucks but I sit through it, does that mean I loved it? If I see a movie I love but cannot stay, does that mean I am not a fan of it?
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Jon Altena 7 months ago
I understand your concern if you have a health issue thats one thing. But someone who buys a ticket to just sit and watch is a spectator not a fan. A fan is someone who is equally loyal through success and defeat, who still supports their team in either end of a blowout. Thats how I feel about it.
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Ellis Beck 7 months ago
We Minnesota Golden Gopher fans are NOT fairweather. You have to show up when the team is winning in order to be considered fairweather, and the 80% full (at best) for a game featuring a 7-1 Minnesota and a 6-2 Northwestern shows that.
Minnesota fans are terrible. They are quiet when the Gophers lose, they are mildly riled up when they win. There is no fan presence at all, not ever.
But why would there be? Last Rose Bowl in 1961? That means nobody under the age of 55 can even pretend to remember the "good 'ole days of glory." Stadium miles off of campus? That means the people that SHOULD care, the students, can't even get drunk in their dorms or frats and stumble in.
And let's not forget another HUUUUGGGEEE factor!
Quick, name the other BCS teams that have all 4 major sports to compete against!
...Georgia Tech- Wonderful on-campus facility, city in the heart of college football territory (and I'm sure Atlanta cares dearly about the Thrashers).
...Boston College- On campus stadium with capacity at 44,000 (the Gophers averaged approx. 48,800 for home games, take out the bloated Iowa numbers and it's still 46,300).
... Arizona State- On-campus facility, good football team.
...Northwestern- On-campus facility. No fans. Ever.
... and Miami U.- Similar situation to the Gophers, only with a program with a recent run at the top of the nation. They averaged 46,300 in an off campus stadium. Hmm...
What do Iowa fans have to do during the week? Obsess about Iowa football. Same goes for Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, and Illinois.
It's tough to draw good attendance numbers when there is 4 major sports that play within 10 miles of your stadium (or in it). It's tough to draw good attendance numbers when the team is notoriously poor. It's tough to draw good attendance numbers when you play in a sterile stadium off campus. It's tough to draw good attendance numbers when the team is coming off of a 1-11 season. Combine these, and it's damn near impossible.
But, a new stadium can bring new life. Remember, bad fans can quickly become dedicated fans, if they have a good reason to be.
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Jon Altena 7 months ago
Ellis,
Thanks for your response you make great points. I guess its true that they arent fairweather because they arent real great fans in the first place. They do have four major sports to go against, which does make it tough but its not four teams that are very good. Twins do well, wild do well, vikings do ok but the the wolves and even the twins attendence isnt great.
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Jon Barclay 2 months ago
So just because the state of Iowa isn't home to any pro teams Iowan's cant be fans? First of all nearly 1/4 of students at the University of Iowa are from the Chicago area, and are Cubs, White Sox, Bears, and Blackhawk fans. The rest of Iowans follow the Vikings, Twins, Cubs, and Even the St. Louis teams.
I can't back this up because all of the sites I've looked at only go through 2004, but Iowa is approaching its 50th sold out home game. Most gopher fans blame this on our last 9 years of decent seasons, but 10 years ago, we were 1-11 and still averaged almost enough fans to completely fill the seats in the dome. When filled Kinnick becomes the 5th larges city in Iowa, the dome just doesn't hold very many fans. So why build a new stadium that won't be filled near capacity during a bad season. It's like Indiana expanding their always empty stadium.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqmZapsR2a8
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Ellis Beck 7 months ago
Don't look at records, look at fan loyalty. True, the Twins don't have great attendance, but they consistantly draw 35-45,000 for big series. The numbers are diluted by the fact that they play the Royals, Tigers, Indians, etc.
The Wolves are defenseless. And hopeless. Actually, I am getting depressed, let's move on.
The Vikings have not had a game blacked out for years, which means they are constantly at the 64,000 mark.
And the Wild are at just over 300 home games as a franchise. Not one of those games has been at 100% capacity. They are all over that mark. Every one.
So yeah, they have some hurdles. But I really think they will draw in this stadium. I mean, fans feel they need to own a space. Look at Gopher Basketball fans with the Barn, or Cleveland Brown fans with the Mistake by the Lake. It doesn't always need to even be a nice place to play, there just needs to be come ownership.
The Gophers have always been the third-best attraction in the Dome (even 4th best when the Wolves played there). A new stadium gives some validity.
...As a sidenote, I did enjoy the article you wrote, it was well written. But, I hope to god you are wrong.
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