Stadiums – Page 22 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Battle for Fans Tight in Twin Cities

Posted on May 21, 2018May 21, 2018 by David Shama

On a gorgeous Sunday yesterday we got a reminder about our crowded sports marketplace. The Twins and United played outdoors, while the Lynx opened their season indoors at Target Center.

The Golden Gophers and our seven pro teams (add in the Saints, Timberwolves, Vikings and Wild) often butt heads on the same day. The winners are Minnesota sports fans who have a plethora of professional and Gopher teams to follow in a society that thrives on choices and variety in everything from autos to wieners.

This area’s sports smorgasbord is among the most diverse in the nation. We also rank at the top with our lineup of (mostly) modern venues: Allianz Field, CHS Field, Target Center, Target Field, TCF Bank Stadium, 3M Arena at Mariucci, U.S. Bank Stadium, Williams Arena and Xcel Energy Center.

Ask the business side leaders of Minneapolis-St. Paul teams how they view all the competition from one another, and then get ready for a politically correct answer. They will tell you how great it is to have a rich sports landscape and that all the teams can be successful financially. The stock answers will include how they cheer for each other and wish for success by all.

Kumbaya? Maybe.

Truth is, if you eliminated several of the teams, popularity and box office success would increase for at least some organizations. Last Sunday the Twins drew 28,577 fans and the Lynx attracted 13,002, according to the Star Tribune. Despite playing in spectacular weather against border rival Milwaukee, the Twins missed a sellout by about 10,000 customers. The Lynx, in a seaon opener celebrating last year’s WNBA title and playing a top team in the Sparks, had over 6,000 seats that went unsold. The United reported a sellout audience of 23,117 at its temporary home at TCF Bank Stadium.

At 3.5 million, this is one of the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the country and that large population helps to support all of our entertainment options, but imagine if neither the Twins, nor the Lynx, or United, had box office competition in the spring and summer. What if the Gophers didn’t have to battle the Vikings, Timberwolves and Wild for football, basketball and hockey customers?

Some operations get hurt in this crowded sports marketplace that includes a battle not just to sell tickets but also to generate revenues from suites, sponsorships, venue and broadcast advertisers, concessions and merchandising. Despite four WNBA titles in seven years, the Lynx work hard to sell tickets including in the playoffs. The Timberwolves and Gophers, even with infrequent successes, have histories of disappointing their fans. Support for these teams can be iffy and conditional.

You can add the Twins to that list. They and MLB also face the problems of inclement weather, lengthy games and slow pace of play.

The Vikings win any and all popularity contests here. With a winning team and fabulous venue in U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings can withstand any number of competitors for the sports dollar in this marketplace. The NFL, despite its infamous reputation for head trauma, remains at the top of the American sports kingdom including in Minneapolis.

The Wild has produced competitive teams but little to cheer about in the playoffs. The organization, though, excels at customer relations and is in sync with the rabid hockey market in Minnesota. Hockey fans have a special passion for their sport and the Wild has never seriously broken the bond with its fanbase.

It’s niche loyalty that serves the Saints, too. The local independent baseball franchise’s shtick has branded the Saints as entertainment first, winning second. Comedian Bill Murray is an owner and there seemingly is no end to the gimmicks in the organization’s marketing plan. The Saints do it right, including dividing up their CHS Field seat allotment into thirds for season tickets, groups and individual sales.

Saints games are family friendly and tickets inexpensive compared with many of the offerings in this market. Affordable pricing is part of the United’s strategy, also. The second-year Minnesota MLS franchise is aiming to fill its stadium with what executives see as an unfilled opportunity to satisfy the existing and growing soccer interest in the state.

Part of what’s fueled the population growth in this area is an increasing immigrant population. Many of those newcomers love the “world’s sport”—soccer. A lot of immigrants are young and like other Minnesota millennials have grown up playing soccer.

Millennials, though, are an elusive target for some sport marketers. Baseball, football and golf all want to score with millenials who have a reputation for short attention spans. Ask a millennial if he watched a Twins game, or even the Vikings, and a predictable answer is he opted for a 25-second video recap.

For now at least there isn’t any downsizing in this busy sports marketplace that includes the Minnesota Whitecaps, the women’s pro hockey franchise that has been around since 2004. Leaders announced last week the Whitecaps are joining the National Women’s Hockey League. That’s the highest level of American women’s professional hockey, so we’re big league in that, too.

Expansion of the sports menu appears likely with Minneapolis-St. Paul trading the 3M Championship senior golf tournament for a PGA Tour event starting in 2019. More competition for the sports dollar locally but another option for the consumer.

Comments Welcome

Pack My Bags, Sports Trips Beckon

Posted on May 15, 2018May 15, 2018 by David Shama

I need to credit Jay Buckley’s Baseball Tours for today’s column idea. The company is promoting a September weekend in Seattle where customers can watch the University of Washington Huskies, Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Mariners—and I am tempted to sign-up.

I’ve always wanted to visit Seattle and the surrounding area. High on my wish list is seeing a UW game at iconic Husky Stadium overlooking Lake Washington. The venue is among the more revered in college football.

I am always up for visiting stadiums and arenas. My wife doesn’t share the same curiosity and enthusiasm, but she didn’t balk Sunday when I suggested stopping in Jordan, Minnesota to have a look at the “Mini Met.” First time visitor, but planning to go back and see the hometown baseball Brewers.

I give my wife a thumbs up for a planned trip to Athens, Georgia this fall. Her niece and husband will be hosting us for the Georgia-Auburn football game. I’ve always wanted to sample the hoopla of an SEC Conference football game and my day arrives on November 10.

I am excited to see the gameday atmosphere and the competition on the field between the Bulldogs and Tigers, two teams that could be in the chase for the national championship. And the anticipation of this trip also involves a stop in Atlanta to see the College Football Hall of Fame. I have visited the halls of fame for pro football, baseball, basketball and hockey but not the college shrine in Atlanta where there is sure to be some Golden Gophers memorabilia.

With inspiration from the Jay Buckley folks and my wife, I am listing below baseball, basketball, football, golf, hockey and tennis trips I am all in on—time, money and other priorities allowing.

Baseball

Cooperstown. I made a visit a long time ago and have always wanted to return. I could wander the halls of baseball’s shrine for days, and the town of Cooperstown is a charmer.

Fenway Park. The quirky home of the Red Sox has beckoned for years but despite a couple of trips to Boston I have yet to experience Fenway. Great town, great food and the basketball hall of fame is only a few hours away. Sign me up now.

AT&T Park. I haven’t been to San Francisco since the Giants opened their beautiful waterfront stadium at 24 Willie Mays Plaza. Give me a couple of days at the park, and then on to the wine country a short drive away.

Basketball

I have seen games in Madison Square Garden and the old Boston Garden so I am happy to check those off my list. NBA teams change venues so fast that 28-year-old Target Center falls into the “grandpa” category. The league doesn’t have any venues that make my heart pound so I will stick with the college scene.

Phog Allen Field House. This isn’t where the first peach basket was hung, but Wilt Chamberlain played there for the Jayhawks and the address is 1651 Naismith Drive. A “Beware of the Phog” banner looms on the north end of the court. “Rock, chalk, Jayhawks!”

Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke’s home arena would top most any poll of college fans for a “must-see” venue. You can count on my vote. It’s kind of crazy that this place doesn’t even seat 10,000 but is referred to as a stadium. Seems like the Dukies have almost that many championships.

Football

This is where the list could get unmanageable, but here is my Fab Five.

Bryant-Denny Stadium. The home of the Alabama Crimson Tide probably ranks No. 1 on any list of future trips. I hear part of the gameday presentation includes a video clip of Bear Bryant growling, “I ain’t nothin’ but a winner.”

Michie Stadium. It’s been a long time since I toured West Point and I’ve never seen the Black Knights of the Hudson play in their football home since 1924. That has my attention and needs to change.

Rose Bowl. I saw Minnesota defeat UCLA, 21-3, in the 1962 Rose Bowl. Very sad the Gophers haven’t been able to earn their way back to one of the most majestic venues in sports. I am ready to return to Pasadena without them.

Lambeau Field. I write this with embarrassment. Never been to Lambeau but I will change part of that in June when we visit the stadium—while wishing it was fall and the Packers were playing.

Husky Stadium. We covered this in paragraph two, but permit me to add how cool it would be to arrive at the stadium via boat on Lake Washington. Prefer by yacht, if not asking for too much.

Hockey

Bell Centre. This choice is a little tricky. Let me explain. Years ago I was at the Montreal Forum, referred to by many as the “most storied building in hockey history.” But the Forum has been in decline for a long while and the NHL Canadiens have made the Bell Centre their 21st century home. So while I feel no urgency to see the Bell, a trip to Montreal rekindles memories of the Forum. Then, too, Montreal is the closest you come to experiencing a European city while still in North America. My wife likes that.

Tennis

Wimbledon. I have been a tennis fan and player most of my life. My wife loves London. What else is there to say?

Golf

The Masters. No golf event gets me in front of the television with more passion and pleasure than the Masters. It’s not just the great tradition and the gorgeous golf course. The April tournament signals to Minnesotans the snow season will end soon.

Amen.

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PGA to Take Over Tapemark Tourney

Posted on May 10, 2018May 10, 2018 by David Shama

The Klas family is ending its 47-year commitment to the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am in June. Sports Headliners has learned the Minnesota PGA will take over the golf tournament in 2019 and beyond.

The inspiration for the tournament was Frances Klas, who was born mentally retarded in 1951. Her dad and mom, Bob and Sandy Klas, learned about organizations available to assist children like Frances, and they wanted to help raise awareness and funds for them. To accomplish those goals, Bob started the tournament with Tapemark company partner Tom Cody.

Bob Klas Jr., who is CEO of the nonprofit Pro-Am, said after the 2018 tournament more than $8 million will have been raised through the years to assist agencies serving Minnesotans with developmental disabilities. That total will include revenues from bingo operations in West St. Paul.

Bob Jr. said the tournament that attracts many of Minnesota’s best professional golfers has through its funding and publicity made many lives better for people with disabilities. “I find it fulfilling to know the time, energy and effort allowed us to support the agencies in a very tangible way,” he said.

With his executive position at the West St. Paul based Tapemark company, and work on behalf of the Pro-Am, Bob Jr. has been busy over the years. The last couple of years he began to question whether he had the energy to continue his leadership of the golf tournament. He had his 65th birthday earlier this year, and his dad is 91 and unable to help much with the tournament now. “The odds of me getting younger are less than 50-50,” Bob Jr. joked.

Conversations started awhile ago to transition the tournament over to the Minnesota PGA. “There is never a perfect time to walk away, but this seems right,” Bob Jr. said. “It feels good to know it will be taken over by an organization that wants to do a first class golf tournament.”

Plans are for the Minnesota PGA to keep the tournament at Southview Country Club in West St. Paul. As the only tournament that section pros participate in, it is important to the PGA to see the tournament continue. The PGA will direct revenues to causes important to that organization including junior golf and college scholarships, Bob Jr. said.

Among the successful pros who have won the tournament multiple times are Don Berry and George Shortridge. Then there is a fellow named Tom Lehman who was starting his pro career in 1990 when he won the Tapemark. He went on to become the only golfer ever claiming title to the British Open, Scottish Open and Tapemark championships.

This year’s men’s tournament will be June 8-10, with the women’s event June 10.

Worth Noting

Bill Fitch, the former Gopher coach who went on to win an NBA title with the Celtics, is retired and living in the Houston area. He follows the NBA closely and was asked about the Timberwolves. “I’d let them know they’re better than what they’ve shown,” he said to Sports Headliners.

The Wolves were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs and there is speculation team unity might be an issue. Fitch said if he were coaching a group with chemistry problems there would be an offseason team party at his house, a planned wake-up call. The message: if the players aren’t on the same page in training camp, they will wear out the court from all the running ordered by the coach. “You can’t win without it (unity),” Fitch said.

How do the Timberwolves improve their personnel? Add another big player to push center Karl-Anthony Towns in practice and help him in games, Fitch suggested. “You never have enough strong big men,” he said.

Former Timberwolf Mike Miller, the South Dakota native, is an assistant coach on the Memphis Tigers staff. Ex-Wolf player and coach Sam Mitchell might also join new head coach Penny Hardaway with the Tigers.

It’s been whispered for months Oklahoma State will be the Gophers opponent in a December men’s basketball game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Media reports Tuesday confirmed that information. The Tulsaworld.com also reported Minnesota will play a game with OSU during the 2019-20 season at Tulsa’s BOK Center.

Although no date has been given, it’s believed the Gophers-Cowboys game at U.S. Bank Stadium will be on Saturday, December 1. A second game involving Division I teams is expected to be played on the same date.

The St. Thomas and Wisconsin-River Falls men’s basketball teams will play a Division III game at the stadium Friday, November 30.

The Tommies’ incoming freshmen next season will include Sam Vascellaro, a 6-4 forward who is the son of WCCO TV’s Frank Vascellaro and Amelia Santaniello.

The Gopher women’s basketball team’s incoming group of five scholarship players includes no one from the state of Minnesota. Look for that to change for sure in future years under new head coach Lindsay Whalen who will have strong relationships with state prep coaches. Whalen recently added Utah native and point guard Mercedes Staples to the incoming class.

The Twins are on a five-game winning streak, their longest of the season, and all the wins have come on the road. Their 10-game, 11-day road trip continues tonight in Anaheim against the Angels with Jose Berrios, 3-3 with a 3.98 ERA, starting for Minnesota. See if Berrios relies a lot on his fastball and avoids too many breaking pitches.

The Cardinals, who the Twins swept earlier this week, drafted Paul Molitor as a high school player at Cretin-Derham Hall but he chose to attend the University of Minnesota before eventually joining the Brewers organization.

Molitor and Derek Falvey, the Twins chief baseball officer, speak to the Twin Cities Dunkers group on May 23.

The Dunkers recently awarded more than $120,000 to Minneapolis and St. Paul high school athletic programs, according to the Dunkers website. Over eight years close to $600,000 has been given to help supplement athletic budgets.

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