Tom Wistrcill, who directs the Gophers marketing, told Sports Headliners his goal is to sell out TCF Bank Stadium prior to the first game of the 2009 season. The Gophers move into their new on-campus stadium in two years. The facility will have approximately 51,000 seats and about 37,000 season tickets could be sold to the general public by 2009, according to Wistrcill, associate athletics director for external affairs. Student season tickets could total 10,000 to 12,000 and the remaining seats will be in suites and club seating areas.
“Absolutely, that’s a goal of ours to sell out the new stadium,” Wistrcill said. “We’re going to have a fantastic product. We’re going to have the premier stadium we think in college sports. We think it’s a reachable goal. …”
Public season ticket sales could total 27,000 this year, Wistrcill said. That would include a projected total of 4,000 new season tickets. Student sales of 10,000 to 12,000 are expected, similar to last year.
Advertising for season tickets will start in late July and continue into August. Wistrcill said an advertising campaign for basketball season tickets is expected to begin in September.
It’s unusual for a major college athletic program to have new coaches at the same time in the high profile sports of football and men’s basketball. The arrival of Tim Brewster and Tubby Smith has provided the Gophers with the almost unique opportunity to “re-launch a brand,” according to Wistrcill. He said the situation is a “tremendous opportunity” for the Gophers to create excitement and interest in the marketplace.
Wistrcill expects the Gophers will come close to selling out Williams Arena for all games prior to the season. He’s projecting new public season ticket sales of up to 2,500 and a total public sale of 11,500. A student sale of 2,500 would bring the total to 14,000 in the 14,625 seat capacity arena.
The arena includes approximately 2,500 seats with partially obstructed views. Looking around a beam to see part of the action on the court is less than ideal but Wistrcill thinks increased interest in Smith will drive ticket sales.
“Like any product, it’s supply and demand,” Wistrcill said. “It wasn’t any problem getting people in those seats back in the late 90’s when the basketball team was at the top of its game. We don’t think it’s going to be a problem getting people into those seats when Tubby gets the ship turned around the way we think he can. And it (Williams Arena) is, we believe, the crown jewel of facilities in the Minneapolis area. We hope to make it the toughest ticket in town again and that means everybody is going to be in every one of those seats cheering on the Gophers.”