Minnesota's season-ticket base for football has decreased 18% since last year, as the public season-ticket base has "decreased from 27,885 in 2015 to 22,792 as of Monday," according to Andy Greder of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. One year after a TCF Bank Stadium-record crowd of 54,147 attended the home opener, UM also "expects a crowd of about 44,000" tonight for the season opener against Oregon State. UM football coach Tracy Claeys "points to the 'scholarship seating' program, which tacks on a donation to the price of season tickets." He said, "I’ve visited with a lot of people, and the main reason the tickets are down is because of the increase in the donation." New AD Mark Coyle "stopped the planned increase" for the '17 season just two months into the job. UM also is "preparing for outside forces to influence Thursday’s attendance," including the Vikings' final preseason game at U.S. Bank Stadium, a Twins game at Target Field, the first night of high school football and the Minnesota State Fair (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 8/31).
TAKING SHAPE: In Minneapolis, Jason Gonzalez noted UM yesterday unveiled the "most detailed look yet" at the school's new $166M athletes village. Athletic department videos showcase the Land O’Lakes Center for Excellence, the Basketball Development Center and the Football Performance Center and Indoor Practice Facility. The construction is "beginning to take shape with the footings, foundation and steel structure rising up from the ground." Coyle said that fundraising for the new facilities has "surpassed what was raised for TCF Bank Stadium ($86M), but no exact dollar number has been announced in recent months" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 8/31).
