Might Target Stadium be next?

I'm still rather undecided about the possibilities for a new Vikings stadium. Honestly, I don't like the idea of my taxes going up; which of course they will regardless of where it's built (unless of course, the Vikes come up with a county partnership like the Twins did).

Lately, there has been more and more chatter about the possibility of building a new Vikings stadium just west of Target Field. If you know where Mary's Place is, just off of 7th Street, that's where the Vikings are looking to set up camp. I don't like the idea of making Mary Jo Copeland relocate. I so appreciate the work she does for the community; and making her move to make way for a new sports palace, in my mind, is wrong.

Then, there would be the issue of naming rights for the new place. Should it be Target Stadium? You'd have Target Field, Target Center and Target Stadium. In all likelihood, that will not happen.

Here's what I think will play out: as much as I don't like it, the Vikings end up with the Mary's Place property. Target Corp. will back out of the Target Center naming rights deal, which is set to expire in June. Target Corp. having its name on a shiny, new, 72,000-seat stadium is more appealing than a renewing on a 21-year-old basketball arena.

If in fact, the Vikings do end up with that property, the new naming rights deal with Target will occur almost overnight. It's much easier for the Vikings to sell season tickets, suites, advertising and so forth to "Target Stadium" than it is to "New Minneapolis Stadium, future home of the Minnesota Vikings, title sponsor pending."

Think about what Farmers Insurance did. They inked a naming-rights deal with the yet-to-be-built, yet-to-be-groundbroken stadium in LA. LA doesn't even have a team yet, but they have a name for the new stadium. It's really a marketing thing.

Rumors are also circulating that the Vikings are soon to announce their plan to the state Legislature. We shall see what happens over the next few months.

Could Target Field be lonely?

I'm sorry it's been so long since I wrote.

I have been writing a lot of articles at allvoices.com ( http://www.allvoices.com/users/Lrasmussen )

I read an interesting article today about the Seattle Mariners and how their attendance is incredibly low this year for the first time since they opened their new ballpark in 1999.

Of course, they're in last place in the AL West. Seems that low attendance would follow suit.

With the Twins dismal performance as of late, and now that we are at the midway point of the season, could Target Field become a lonely place the second half of it's first season?

And then, throw in the Vikings and the apparent return of Brett Favre, that might pose even more trouble at the gates at Target Field. If the Twins aren't doing well, and September's colder air moves in, there might be a lot of empty seats at the ballpark those last few weeks.

I'm not sure the "honeymoon" period for Target Field is quite over, though. People might still be flocking to the ballpark, for the sake of seeing the ballpark. But, not too long from now, the ballpark will become less and less of a draw, and the bottom line will be putting a competitive team on the field.

It seems many newer ballparks in Major League Baseball eventually get to the half-full point. Ballparks in Detroit, Milwaukee, Texas and other cities have lots of empty seats to look at these days. Ballparks that were once big draws for fans, but now, not so much.

I'd hate to see that happen to Target Field; but the harsh reality is, it probably will and possibly sooner than later.

Target Field - what a sight Part II

click on "Target Field - what a sight Part II" you will be led to the Flickr site where I posted the rest of my pictures-----

I went today to go see the Red Sox and the Twins. My first real game at Target Field.
Today had a bit of everything: sunshine, a Twins home run, a rain delay, and unfortunately a Twins loss.

It was one thing to be there for the open house; it was entirely another to be there for a game. Via my experience, I thought I might tell you about some more highlights and not-so-highlights of my trip today.

The concourses can get congested. I was down on the 100 level concourse and it moved along, but dodging in and out of people was as much of my experience today as it was at the Dome. However, even though there is gridlock in the concourse, it is wider (about twice as wide as the Dome), so you don't feel like you're stuck. It is probably one of those things that will slowly work itself out.

Exacerbating the situation were slow lines at concession stands. I got my food early, and before the end of the inning. But later on in the game, I went up to the concession stand for a Pepsi. The line was so long, I almost said "forget it". BUT, I looked over to the right, and there was a concession stand over by Gate 14 and the entrance to Hrbek's, just a few steps away that hardly had anyone at all.

I have heard others say that if the main concourse is too busy, you might find better luck on the 300 level concourse.

Food is good here, but expensive, so be prepared. My Dinger Dog (almost a foot-long hot dog), cheese curds (better than the State Fair) and Souvenir Pepsi came to about $14.

While I am on the subject of concessions, a quick note: not all concession stands are the same at Target Field. Example: I went to the Hennepin Grille concession stand behind our section to get a Big Dog (the replacement for the Dome Dog). I was informed that the Hennepin Grille did not sell the Big Dog, and that it could be found at a stand down by Section 105.

Which I probably would have figured out, if I had consulted the Concession Guide that I picked up today. It is a pocket-schedule-sized guide to all the concessions offered at Target Field (information can also be found at http://www.tasteoftwinsterritory.com). But, if I had gone to 105, I probably would have missed out on those cheese curds.

The sound system at Target Field is miles ahead of the Metrodome. However, where we were sitting in Section 110, I felt like I was front-row, main-floor at a Guns N' Roses concert. It seemed to me that the sound system was a bit, too loud back there. The back rows in the lower level sit underneath the Legends Club overhang. So, there are speakers aplenty; and also flat screen TV's.

Walking around on the Plaza, I felt like I was at the State Fair. The people roaming around, the smell of great food, sunshine - it had the feel and ambiance of the Great Minnesota Get-Together. There is lots of room, and if you're going for the first time, you can walk around with the greatest of ease to check out our new ballpark. Gates open 1.5 hours before weekday games, and 2 hours before weekend games.

And yes, we had a rain-delay today. Not much of a delay, 15 minutes at best, there is plenty to do and see at Target Field while waiting out the rain. There are several restaurants within Target Field that are open to all ticket holders. Hrbek's, over by Gate 14 (third base); the Town Ball Tavern on the left field side (inside the administration building) and also the Twins Pub - which if memory serves right, is on the Legends Club level, but is open to everyone.

You can also head over to the Majestic Clubhouse Store to find a souvenir. Beware: prices are hefty but there is a good selection of items.

And, while you're there, don't forget to take a look at the wind veil. It truly is a great piece of work and on a day like today, can capture your attention.

As for the Metrodome? I honestly can't believe we played there for 28 years.

No More Dome Dogs ??!!??

Continuing my writings on the PR of the Minnesota Twins as they move closer towards baseball at Target Field (it won't be long now), here's an interesting one I heard today, Hormel won't be the hot dog supplier at Target Field.

According to an article in today's StarTribune (http://www.startribune.com/local/85210112.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUr) Hormel is ending a corporate sponsorship with the Twins that has existed since 2001.

Personally, I had thought that Hormel might get the naming rights for the Twins' new ballpark. Hormel Field does have a nice ring to it. And, it is a local company.

If you've been to a Twins game, you see every once in a while promotional items from Hormel, stadium signage, and lest we forget the infamous "Hormel Row of Fame" in-stadium promotion where every fan in one lucky row, in a section picked at random wins a "Hormel hot dog treat," as the song goes.

With Hormel's departure, the Dome Dog will also depart from concession stands at the Dome. I have mixed feelings about that. First, the Dome Dog isn't one of those pre-cooked hot dogs that are placed in tin wrap and stuck in a warmer for three hours, making the bun soggy and the hot dog mediocre. Dome Dogs are placed on a fresh sesame seed bun (I believe the Our Family brand). Not only that, you also get a bag of chips.

While Hormel may not be the greatest hot dog on the market, I will miss the Dome Dog. Ever since its inception a few years ago, Dome Dogs are my meal of choice at the Dome, regardless of the event.

Apparently, according to the article, the parting was an "amicable" one. But, we are now left to wonder who will supply our hot dogs at the open-air Target Field in just a few short weeks. I have also read that the new concessionaire for Target Field, Delaware North SportService, specializes in hot dogs in the stadiums and arenas they service; so, maybe they'll come up with something better than the Dome Dog.

Maybe a hot dog and, cheese curds?

Too many sports teams?

I read the Twin Cities Business Journal on a regular basis, and this morning, I read an article that caught my attention; apparently, the Twin Cities has too many professional sports teams.

The study was conducted by Portfolio.com, and they tested 82 markets to determine the financial capacity of cities in both the United States and Canada to support professional sports. The professional sports they studied are teams in baseball, football, basketball, football and soccer.

Here in the Twin Cities, we have a Major League Baseball (MLB) team, the Twins. We have a team in the National Football League (NFL), the Vikings. A team in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Timberwolves, and finally, a team in the National Hockey League (NHL), the Wild.

This is the second time the Twin Cities has had four teams, in four major leagues. This region had four teams from 1989-1993. The Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves and our old NHL team, the North Stars. Of course, the North Stars moved to Dallas at the end of the 1993 season.

So, we've done this before, and we've done well - in my estimation. The reason the North Stars left had nothing to do with attendance (having been in the Stanley Cup Playoffs a couple years earlier). The move had a little to do with the arena (the Met Center was getting old, and with the Timberwolves' new Target Center having opened a year earlier, made it hard for the Bloomington arena to stay competitive). The move had a great deal to do with Stars' owner Norm Green and personal issues he was dealing with, including his marriage.

I read somewhere that Norm's wife (I believe it was in Jay Weiner's 2000 book Stadium Games) gave Norm an ultimatum: either sell the team, or move to Dallas. And to the disappointment of many Minnesotans, Green chose the latter.

The Twin Cities got an NHL franchise back on June 22, 1997, to begin play in 2000, and we've been a four-team market ever since. The Twins stuck it out and waited 11 years to get a new ballpark to keep them competitive. The Wild sell out every game at the Xcel Energy Center. The Timberwolves are happy, just uncompetitive on the court.

This is just my opinion, but instead of complaining about having too many teams, wouldn't that be considered a good business model? A market this size, supporting four teams? The Twin Cities isn't the size of Los Angeles, and yet, we have an NFL team, Los Angeles doesn't. Saint Louis is a good-sized market, as is Kansas City; and neither has an NBA team. Kansas City had all four teams back in the 70s, but lost their NBA team to Sacramento in 1985; and their three-year-old NHL team to Denver in 1975.

I don't quite understand why soccer was thrown into the mix. Yes, we do have a pro soccer team here, the Minnesota Thunder, but they are in a minor-league type situation. They are not a member franchise of MLS (Major League Soccer), which sometimes uses NFL stadiums for their games; although, many teams are building smaller, soccer-specific stadiums.

With the stadium issue of the Minnesota Vikings once again waiting to rear its head in the 2010 Minnesota State Legislative session, and the NFL deciding to cut its revenue-sharing program for smaller-market teams (i.e. the Vikings), it will be interesting to see how much longer the Twin Cities will remain a market with four (five if you throw in the Thunder) pro teams. But, so far, I think we're doing well.

To read the article from the Twin Cities Business Journal, click here:
http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2009/12/14/story9.html

Thanks for reading, and have a great Christmas season.

Finally, back on campus

Well, unfortunately, I wasn't at the Gophers-Air Force game on Sept. 12 to welcome on-campus football back to the University of Minnesota. But, I can proudly say, I watched the entire game on the Big Ten Network; and for me, it was fun seeing a Gopher home game in a setting other than the Metrodome.

The commentators raved all night long about how the stadium "was done right." Still, others have commented to me that TCF Bank Stadium, "looks just like the old one." Well, maybe not EXACTLY like the old one.

Memorial Stadium was the last on-campus stadium at the U of M, vacated in 1981 for the sterile Metrodome a couple miles away. And, there were plenty of things missing in that stadium that are present in TCF Bank Stadium. Memorial Stadium, aka "the brickhouse" had all bench seating. TCF Stadium has about half bench seating, half chair-back seating. However, the University has taken an interesting approach to the bleacher seating. For a little over $40 a year, season ticket holders in the bleacher areas of the stadium can have a stadium seat installed professionally.

This site: http://www.twinsballpark2010.com in a post entitled "A Football Place - Nuts and Bolts" has some good pictures of what the installed stadium seats look like.

And of course, TCF Stadium has a much larger, hi-def video scoreboard, private suites, artificial turf (that really does look like grass) - all amenities that were absent at Memorial Stadium.

Amidst the excitement of being back on campus, and high praise from TV commentators, the opening was not without a few glitches. Many reports said that entry into the stadium was slow - with security measures and all. A big complaint was the concession operations. Apparently, the concession stands at the stadium don't have cash registers. They use a barcode system for each concession item, then add the total on your basic Texas Instrument calculator.

Hmm...almost $300 million to build the place, and no cash registers. Alcohol is also absent from the stadium. You might remember there was a big discussion about alcohol sales at the stadium, whether it should be available in the high-priced seats only, or to everyone. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty basically put it all into perspective, "it's available to everybody, or nobody." So, they went with nobody.

Parking can also be a nightmare over at the U. Matter of fact, TCF Stadium was built over four very sizable parking lots. Many were told to park in ramps on the west side of the river and take a shuttle to the stadium. You can take the Hiawatha Light Rail to the Metrodome station, and take a Metro Transit bus to the stadium as well.

We will just have to wait and see how the U handles these small little glitches. Hey, every stadium and arena in the country has at least a couple on opening night. And, the university is already dealing with noise complaints from neighbors around the stadium, saying the public address system is too loud.

Perhaps, maybe college football stadiums do concessions and gate entry procedures differently. The Metrodome, the home for the Gophers for the last 27 years, hires union employees to take tickets, sell hot dogs and show people where their seats are. Most if not all of the people working at TCF Stadium, are student volunteers.

It seems that there are some opportunities for the U to ramp up the PR, and do what they can to solve the small glitches as much as they can.

In any event, Gopher football is back on campus, the excitement is back, the Gophers have probably won several fans back, and gained new ones. And, we're undefeated in our new home.

Ski-U-Mah.

PR challenges of a new mode of transit

Taking a cue from a recent article in the StarTribune about the new Northstar Commuter Rail (http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/56664627.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU) I thought I would make some comments regarding what the editorial was talking about.

To summarize the article, the writer felt that Metro Transit has a challenge ahead of them in the PR department regarding the new Northstar Commuter rail that will start officially on November 16. The challenge is how to educate people on using the rail line, a mode of transportation that is new to the Twin Cities area.

Putting it simply, light rail and commuter rail can be differentiated by capacity and frequency. This is the issue that Metro Transit will have to deal with, come November 16. Light rail offers high frequency, but lower capacity (each car, like a city bus could probably hold 90 people safely, sitting and standing). When the Hiawatha line opened in 2004, Metro Transit did a great deal to educate customers on the use of light rail, which in 2004 was also new to the Twin Cities area.

The authority released pamphlets on "how to ride" the rail: from describing that fares were paid before boarding the train instead of fareboxes that you see on buses, to the frequency of the light rail, that at times, even surpassed bus frequency.

Here's the issue with the commuter rail that Metro Transit will need to work with. Commuter rail is about capacity, not frequency. Commuter rail is designed to transport a large number of people at an optimal time during the day - rush hour. Metro Transit will need to inform people that it is very unlike the light rail, in that, there won't be a train waiting every 7 1/2 minutes.

The article in the Tribune talked about Twins games at the new Target Field. The Northstar Commuter Rail will stop at an "intermodal" (several modes of transit, light rail, buses, commuter rail and the Cedar Bike Trail will converge here) station on the north side of the ballpark. Fans will need to understand that, the Northstar will not operate with the frequency the light rail does; so considering the Northstar as an option to a Twins game, might not be the option of choice, especially during the midday games, when the Northstar will only run one trip.

Also, remember this is the first run of the Northstar rail line. If the ridership surpasses the projections (the Hiawatha light rail has already surpassed ridership projections for the year 2030, after being open for only five years), the schedule may be adjusted to allow for more. Metro Transit had to specifically negotiate the schedule with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad - because the Northstar line will operate on tracks owned by BNSF.

Metro Transit could only operate at certain times, because the BNSF tracks are still very active. The transit authority did its best to operate to coincide with times that people regularly start work: 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8 and 8:45 am. Conversely, they did the same with the return trip times, running at 3:30, 4, 4:30, 5 and 5:30 pm.

Informing customers that the Northstar line will be used for what it was designed for, commuters, will be a big task for Metro Transit. It needs to be done. I'd hate to live in Big Lake (where the line will start) take a train down to a Twins game that goes extra innings, and lets out at 10:30, and there's no Northstar train to take me back.

Metro Transit did a great job informing this area about light rail. How to use it, the changes it proposed for other drivers (especially downtown), how often it ran, etc. I can only think that they will do just as good a job when the Northstar Commuter rail opens in November.

Rare, yes. Impossible, not really.

Sorry it's been so long since I wrote. Of course, I haven't had too much to write about, at least that I could think of. Until yesterday that is.

Hopefully, everyone made it home OK after the surprise tornado that hit Minneapolis yesterday. The National Weather Service has now confirmed that it was in fact, a tornado. It was all over the news yesterday, and even WCCO having a piece about the myth of, "tornados don't hit urban areas."

They certainly do. Yesterday's storm in Minneapolis may not have been as catastrophic as it could have been, but other downtowns in metro areas across the country have been much less fortunate, and just in the last few years. 1999, a massive F5 tornado tears through downtown Oklahoma City. In 1997, a tornado touched down near downtown Miami.

A tornado ripped through Fort Worth, TX in 2000. Just last year, a tornado tore through downtown Atlanta in March. If that wasn't unusual enough, a tornado had NEVER touched down in downtown Atlanta prior to last year's storm, which happened amidst the SEC college basketball tournament. And, stranger still, several years ago, a "microburst" hit downtown Salt Lake City. A funnel cloud that disappeared as quickly as it came down, but not before doing some small damage to the area, including the Delta Center (now the Energy Solutions Arena).

Yesterday's storm ripped through a neighborhood not too far from my office. Matter of fact, a good portion of the damage was just on the other side of 35W from us. At about 2pm, on what was just a normal day, our power went out. It had been raining steadily all day, but nothing prepared us (or anyone for that matter) for what was to come. We heard reports that a tornado was somewhere in the area.

As we moved downstairs, then the sirens decided to sound. Add to that, a belated birthday party, in a darkened basement with just a few candles and a flashlight. Everyone, including myself, on cell phones trying to get the latest from family members. It truly was a day to remember.

Incidentally, I remember the last tornado that touched down in that area, in 1981. I was all of 3 years old, but I remember that day vividly. We lived in a four-plex on Garfield Avenue South in Minneapolis. I vaguely remember hearing the EBS sound on TV, our power went out, and we went downstairs. The tornado hopped over our four-plex, but did some damage about four blocks from us. This was the same storm that took the roof off of Har Mar Mall in Roseville.

Funny, we spent all of August 18 talking about Brett Favre. How quickly the news can change. Oddly enough, the last time a big sports story happened in the Twin Cities, another incident took it's place shortly after. Kevin Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics on Monday, July 30, 2007. Two days later, the 35W bridge collapsed.

Farewell, Rick Kupchella

You probably read it in the paper. As of June 7, Rick Kupchella of KARE 11 will move on to bigger and better things. Here's the sticky point: according to the 10PM newscast on 11 last night, they stated that Mr. Kupchella was going to pursue forming his own company. Apparently it will be called LE Network. That, according to this mornings Pioneer Press.

What they weren't so palpable about on last night's newscast, is, as Paul Harvey used to say, "the rest of the story." According to the Pioneer Press article, the big issue was contract negotiations. Of course, it would not have been to Mike Pomeranz' or Julie Nelson's (the 10pm anchors) best interest to lay out the truth on air - Mr. Kupchella was at a contract stalemate with management.

"The two sides could not come to terms on a new contract...including finances that would not make it 'worthwhile' for him to renew," said Amy Gustafson in the Pioneer Press article. And, Kupchella also noted that two full-time jobs would be impossible - and the "new independent thing" would be a full-time job.

Kupchella has been in this market for over 20 years, according to the Twin Cities newspapers. Unfortunately, he's another Twin Cities newsroom standard - right along with anchors such as KSTP's Joe Schmit or former KARE 11 anchor Paul Magers - who no longer will be bringing us the news on a nightly basis.

To read a "farewell letter" from Kupchella - click on http://www.startribune.com/remoteisland . Best of luck to you Rick, we'll miss you.

Thanks for reading.

What's Happening to Block E?

I know, this is a more local post, but it really irks me that GameWorks is leaving the Block E development in Downtown Minneapolis.
To give a little background, several years ago, a development was built across the street from Target Center, that included a hotel. It was designed to revitalize the entertainment district in downtown.
One of its anchors, Borders Books, already closed a couple years ago. And, it appears that GameWorks, another anchor, is going to follow suit.
In a letter to the editor published in the Minneapolis StarTribune today, the writer suggested they tear down Block E, move the Schubert Theatre there, relocate a bar, and plant trees where the Theatre stands now. In essence, his message was, put everything back the way it was in 1998.
What bothers me, is that Target Field opens in less than a year. There are no restaurants in close proximity to the stadium. Block E seems that it would have been a perfect pre- or post-game spot. Target Field, walk across 394 on Target Plaza, walk past Target Center, and there you are. Hard Rock Cafe and all.
It is unfortunate. Hopefully things will start to look up again for the Block E development. I would assume, that the Graves601 Hotel that is a part of that development will be the preferred hotel for opposing teams when they come to town.
What else would there be for the players to do in their free-time, if the arcade is shut down? God forbid you go over to CityCenter. There's nothing to do there either. I think the owners of GameWorks should have waited it out, to see if the ballpark would have created any new customers.
And, if all goes well, and the Twins score the 2014 MLB All Star Game, who knows what Block E could have provided for all the folks that come to town for that as well.
I guess we will never know.

Thanks for reading.

Extra, Extra! Read all about it - somewhere else

It is a tough time for many industries; but the one that seems to be hardest hit is newspapers. Especially in the last month or two, it's really getting tough. First the Rocky Mountain News closes, then the Seattle Post-Intelligencer ceases print operations, and becomes online-exclusive.

Other newspapers, such as the San Francisco Chronicle are also in danger of ceasing operation; and the Minneapolis Star Tribune declared bankruptcy last month. Is this a result of the sagging economy, or a shift in the way people get their news? Might I suggest it's a little of both; but probably more of the latter, as opposed to the former.

When the Saint Paul Pioneer Press re-designed its paper last year, I saw so many posts on their website about "[There's] a print edition?" or people saying "I just read it online" messages like that were aplenty after the paper re-designed. People even went so far to say that they would cancel their subscriptions because of the re-design.

I have caught myself wondering whether or not the two Twin Cities papers would actually merge. The Pioneer Press is increasingly combining several sections into one. The front page, Local and Business are combined more often than not. The Star Tribune combines its front page and Local section on Mondays.

Fladung told me in an interview for an article I wrote for the June 2008 issue of PRSA Quarterly, the chapter newslettter of the Minnesota PRSA (Public Relations Society of America), "[The papers] could merge tomorrow...can the Twin Cities be a one-paper market?"
I'm not entirely certain we could be a one-paper market. Fladung also told me about news "agnostics," people who demand that their paper come from one source, and one source only.

The Twin Cities has lots of people like that. There are people who wouldn't be caught dead reading the Pioneer Press; and vice versa with the Star Tribune. And, after over 140 years, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer became an online-exclusive newspaper earlier this month. To some degree, with all the young, tech-savvy people in Seattle, I'm surprised the Post-Intelligencer didn't take that step sooner. Not to be guilty of insider trading, but reports say the Ann Arbor News in Ann Arbor, MI will follow the Post-Intelligencer's route in July, after 174 years of print publication. Even college newspapers are being hit. The Minnesota Daily, a newspaper published by students at the University of Minnesota, ceased the Friday print edition in December, 2008.

Get your print editions of newspapers now, they might not exist in a couple years. At least, we can still get a print copy of The Onion. But for how long?