Twins – Page 113 – 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.

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Pitino Moves Lift Gopher Outlook

Posted on May 17, 2018May 17, 2018 by David Shama

It’s been an interesting couple of months since Richard Pitino’s Golden Gophers finished their disappointing 15-17 season. Minnesota’s head basketball coach has replaced two assistant coaches (Ben Johnson and Kimani Young who took other jobs) and added three players.

In five seasons leading the Gophers Pitino has produced one NCAA Tournament team and only one year been above .500 in Big Ten games. Last season was among the most disappointing in program history—starting out with conference title dreams and collapsing in January with the suspension of center Reggie Lynch and the shoulder injury to Amir Coffey.

Pitino is on the hot seat with fans, and perhaps the University of Minnesota administration, but next season looks intriguing. The versatile Coffey returns, ready to help at forward or guard. The junior from Hopkins High School should be among the Big Ten’s better players, and joins senior forward Jordan Murphy in that category. A third starter returns in senior guard Dupree McBrayer, plus Minnesota has promising talent in sophomore guard Isaiah Washington and redshirt sophomore forward Eric Curry.

Pitino’s in-state recruiting reputation got a boost with the incoming freshmen class of three Minnesotans—Gabe Kalscheur (DeLaSalle), Jarvis Omersa (Orono), and Daniel Oturu (Cretin-Derham Hall). It was painful for Gopher fans watching former Maple Grove all-stater Brad Davison star for the Badgers last season as one of the better freshmen point guards in the country. Word is Davison is already revered in Madison, not only as a player but for his character and leadership.

Pitino’s freshmen will add depth next fall, and promise for more help in future seasons. Oturu’s recent shoulder surgery is a setback for his offseason development and could mean his early minutes in nonconference games are more limited than they otherwise would be. Oturu could be the team’s center of the future and is a multi-skilled player.

Omersa, a forward, is gifted athletically and also played football as a prep. Kalscheur, a guard, was a superb prep shooter. Pitino, who has reportedly made scholarship offers to several in-state high school players for future years, realizes there is a lot of high quality local talent.

Three transfers from other colleges have also boosted offseason spirits. The latest to announce for Minnesota is Wisconsin-Milwaukee transfer guard Brock Stull who will have one season of eligibility with the Gophers. He was recruited to Milwaukee by new Gopher assistant Rob Jeter when Jeter was head coach there. The 6-4 Stull led the Panthers last season in assists with 3.1 per game, was second in scoring at 13.4 points and third in rebound average, 4.8.

Jeter’s experience includes 11 seasons as head coach at UW-Milwaukee where he developed Midwest recruiting connections. Last season he was an assistant coach at UNLV where the 2017-2018 recruiting class was ranked as high as No. 12 in the nation. That group included a McDonald’s high school All-American and national junior college player of the year.

Jeter joined the staff in April and then last week Pitino announced Kyle Lindsted will also be an assistant coach. Lindsted was an assistant the last three seasons for a strong Wichita State program. “We are very excited about the addition of Kyle to our basketball program,” Pitino said in a statement. “He’s a great recruiter and will bring a lot to our team. He’s got contacts all over the world and a wealth of knowledge about the game.”

Stull is a welcome addition to the roster because the Gophers need talent and depth in the backcourt. Fingers are crossed in Dinkytown that the NCAA will rule that Pitt transfer Marcus Carr will be granted immediate eligibility for next fall. As a freshman he started all but five games for Pitt, averaging 10 points per game and leading in assists with 129, a 4.0 average. Because Pitt coach Kevin Stallings was fired after last season, Carr might be able to play right away at Minnesota if the NCAA makes a ruling allowing such players immediate eligibility. Otherwise he will have to redshirt one season.

A third transfer, guard Payton Willis from Vanderbilt, must sit out next season before becoming eligible to play during the 2019-2020 season. After starting 16 of 66 games over two seasons at Vandy, he will have two years of eligibility with the Gophers and strengthens the guard roster for the future.

There have been a lot of changes in a short time for Pitino’s program. Give him credit for being proactive and creating optimism about the future.

Worth Noting

This week’s ESPN baseball power rankings have the Angels at No. 4 behind the Yankees, Red Sox and Astros. The Twins, who split four games with the Angeles last Thursday-Sunday, are No. 19.

The Cardinals, who the Twins split a two-game series with Tuesday and Wednesday, are ranked No. 6. The Twins swept the Cardinals in St. Louis on May 7 and 8.

The Brewers, who come to Minneapolis for a three-game series starting Friday, are No. 12.

After yesterday’s game Joe Mauer has 2,025 career hits with the Twins. That ranks No. 6 on the all-time Twins/Senators franchise list, trailing Sam Rice (2,887), Kirby Puckett (2,304), Joe Judge (2,291), Clyde Milan (2,100) and Rod Carew (2,085).

Former Twin pitcher Jack Morris turned 63 yesterday. Morris has been working on his induction speech for this summer when he goes into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Allotted time for speeches is eight minutes, although most everyone exceeds the total.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer will host a youth football camp for children in grades 1-8 at the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center on Saturday and Sunday. There is a waitlist to participate in the camp that provides not only football instruction but tips on healthy living.

The annual Minnesota Vikings Golf Tournament is June 6 at the Meadows at Mystic Lake. The Taste of the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium will be June 12.

Gophers baseball coach John Anderson has some pro prospects on his team but points out “less than one percent” of college players make the big leagues.

Anderson’s first-place Gophers can win the Big Ten title by sweeping their three-game series at Rutgers that begins today.

Sad to see the passing of my friend Dennis McGrath, the public relations great who was always so encouraging to others. Dennis had many interests including boxing, a sport he followed with passion. Condolences to family and friends.

Condolences also to family and friends of Joe Shrake, the former Winona Cotter pitcher and DeLaSalle baseball coach who passed away several days ago.

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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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