What's Needed At The Alerus?

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

13 hours ago, petey23 said:

I ended up sitting in this area today. I was standing in the end zone which is my preferred area to watch a game since sitting in the seats at the Alerus is similar to sitting in a cheap Airlines puddle jumper economy section for me. Was standing behind the seating area which was roped off and Michelle, the owner of Darcy's Cafe said she was only using 2 of her allotted tickets and asked if we wanted to sit. These sections were pretty full, not sure about the double row of seats section which was empty when I stopped by.

So were Michelle's tickets purchased specifically for the end zone? 

[petey23]

13 minutes ago, BarnWinterSportsEngelstad said:

So were Michelle's tickets purchased specifically for the end zone? 

From what I gathered she had catered an event for them so yes those were her seats for the game yesterday.

From what I gathered they are going to add a bar rail and these seats will be available maybe? I think for this year they are just being parceled out so I don't know if they are able to be purchased.

[sioux24/7]

I wasn’t able to make the game this weekend so was wondering if they took away the standing on the catwalk at both end zones or just one? Standing up there is the best. The grittiest of the grittiest are up there and really add an element to the atmosphere. Fix this UND, Alerus Center, MVFC!

[gfhockey]

10 minutes ago, sioux24/7 said:

I wasn’t able to make the game this weekend so was wondering if they took away the standing on the catwalk at both end zones or just one? Standing up there is the best. The grittiest of the grittiest are up there and really add an element to the atmosphere. Fix this UND, Alerus Center, MVFC!

I agree with you. The hard cores are up there

[Kab]

The pregame video and introductions weren’t good

timing was so bad, by  the end of the video there should be no lull and go,right into the team coming out’, that didn’t happen so the stadium is silent until they come out 

 

[UND1983]

4 minutes ago, Kab said:

The pregame video and introductions weren’t good

timing was so bad, by  the end of the video there should be no lull and go,right into the team coming out’, that didn’t happen so the stadium is silent until they come out 

 

The never ending quest for a decent pregame intro. This sure as hell wouldn't happen to the hockey team

[UNDBIZ]

1 hour ago, sioux24/7 said:

I wasn’t able to make the game this weekend so was wondering if they took away the standing on the catwalk at both end zones or just one? Standing up there is the best. The grittiest of the grittiest are up there and really add an element to the atmosphere. Fix this UND, Alerus Center, MVFC!

One end zone is blocked off with curtains and empty tables.  The other is blocked with mostly empty chairs.

[geaux_sioux]

12 minutes ago, UND1983 said:

The never ending quest for a decent pregame intro. This sure as hell wouldn't happen to the hockey team

They’ve only had 20 years to figure it out. Give it some time.

[nodak651]

The endzone seating is addressed in the UND/Alerus Center contract.  See bolded portion below.

SECTION 6 – TICKETING/REVENUE
6.1 Home Game ticket revenue.
6.1.1. UND retains ticket revenue. Except as provided under Section 6.1.2,
UND shall retain and keep all revenue from ticket sales for entry into each Home Game.
6.1.2. Assigned tickets in suites. The Parties acknowledge and agree the Arena
has the following as shown in Exhibit 6.1:
(1) Fourteen (14) suites with each suite assigned eighteen (18) seats and in
turn eighteen (18) tickets for entry into each Home Game;
(2) Four (4) bridge deck suites, with each bridge deck suite assigned with up
to fifty (50) seats and in turn up to fifty (50) tickets for entry into each Home Game; and
(3) Sixty (60) club lounge seats and in turn sixty (60) tickets for entry into
each Home Game.

All sales of suites, bridge deck suites, and club lounge seats, the assigned tickets for each
suite (18 in number for each suite), the assigned tickets for each bridge deck suite (50 in number
for each suite) and the assigned tickets for each club lounge seats (60 in number) shall be
conducted solely and exclusively by the Commission and any and all revenue from such sales
shall be retained solely and exclusively by the Commission. The purchase of assigned tickets to
a suite or bridge deck suite for a Playoff Season Home Game shall be pursuant to the rules set by
the Football Governing Association, and in turn tickets, including those for the suites, bridge
deck suites, and club lounge seats, may under such rules, be required to be purchased for a
Playoff Season Home Games separately from a season ticket package.

6.1.3. Additional suite tickets. In the event a holder of a suite or bridge deck
suite seeks more than the assigned number of tickets to such suite (as described in Section 6.1.2
above), the suite holder shall pay for such additional tickets needed for each suite with all
revenue from the sale of these additional suite tickets being retained by UND.

6.1.4. Endzone concourse area. As early as the Fall 2021 football season, UND
plans to manifest a new ticketed area within the Arena. The new ticketed area of which the
ticketed seating area goes between the two bridge deck suites outlined within Section 6.1.2. on
each endzone along the safety railings, as shown within Exhibit 6.1, will be established along the
handrails within both endzone concourse areas within the main concourse of the Arena. This
endzone concourse area shall not encroach upon the ticketed areas of Section 6.1.2(b). UND
shall solely be responsible for the sale of all tickets within the endzone concourse areas and all
revenue therefrom shall be collected and retained by UND. The Parties acknowledge and agree
the proposed endzone concourse seating area described in this Section 6.1.4 remains and shall be
subject to approval by the Commission prior to its installation, which approval shall be
conditioned upon (a) UND paying any and all costs and expenses for the installation and any re-
fitting of or modifications of the Alerus Center to permit the installation of such seating, (b)
UND, at its sole cost and expense, providing to the Commission an unqualified opinion from an
engineer and/or architect licensed in North Dakota that there are no safety and structural capacity
issues with such seating plan,(c) the Commission having obtained all permits or approvals
required under any federal, state or local building, fire, safety or structural codes, rules and/or
regulations, with the costs and expense thereof being paid by UND and (d) the Commission and
UND having reached an agreement on the payment of additional costs of labor, if any, for such
seating area (including any gross wages, employer paid employee benefits and the employer paid
portion of employment taxes). The Commission will place appropriate staff to ensure only those
properly ticketed fans are entering this endzone concourse seating area. The Parties acknowledge
and agree that except for the additional costs of labor that may be subject to agreement under

6.1.4(d), all costs associated with this endzone concourse area are included in the rental costs
outlined in Section 5.1.1.

[northernraider]

Just seems a bad move to make the catwalk a seating area. The limited amount of additional revenue it will bring is small compared to reduced the gameday experience for the general public. 

[UNDBIZ]

10 minutes ago, northernraider said:

Just seems a bad move to make the catwalk a seating area. The limited amount of additional revenue it will bring is small compared to reduced the gameday experience for the general public. 

And with the platoon of extra security monitoring who gets to sit there, are they even making money?

[Oxbow6]

4 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

And with the platoon of extra security monitoring who gets to sit there, are they even making money?

I'm sure some of the chest pounding ushers that worked the Ralph last season gladly volunteered their time to be a pain in the ass at the Alerus too.

[SkoHawks]

I think they should have focused on selling out the seats we have before creating new ones. This will just make people trade their current season tickets in for the catwalk tickets if given that option.

[Mama Sue]

52 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

I'm sure some of the chest pounding ushers that worked the Ralph last season gladly volunteered their time to be a pain in the ass at the Alerus too.

Well not at the Alerus but at another stadium I almost got thrown out…. We must allow for people who get passionate about football.

[Siouxperfan7]

I think we can all agree that the endzone catwalk seating is popular.  The Alerus Center is capitalizing off of that and selling them as premium seats.  If you typically stand on the catwalk and are disappointed that you can stand their anymore, by the seats in the catwalk or upgrade to better seats if your current seats aren't good enough.  A business capitalizing on demand to make more money?  Why the surprise?  Welcome to America.  It's the way things work. 

[SIOUXFAN97]

1 hour ago, Siouxperfan7 said:

I think we can all agree that the endzone catwalk seating is popular.  The Alerus Center is capitalizing off of that and selling them as premium seats.  If you typically stand on the catwalk and are disappointed that you can stand their anymore, by the seats in the catwalk or upgrade to better seats if your current seats aren't good enough.  A business capitalizing on demand to make more money?  Why the surprise?  Welcome to America.  It's the way things work. 

but are they making more money or pissing off guys that have gotten to the game early for years to get their "spot on the catwalk" to help the team...they might not come back for a long time (especailly if the team fumbles 5 times against a high school team).....

[dmksioux]

5 hours ago, Kab said:

The pregame video and introductions weren’t good

timing was so bad, by  the end of the video there should be no lull and go,right into the team coming out’, that didn’t happen so the stadium is silent until they come out 

 

And don't get me started on the National Anthem.  Not sure that it's the Alerus Center's fault but the singer starting before the color guard had the the flags displayed was pretty disgraceful.  

[UNDBIZ]

22 minutes ago, dmksioux said:

And don't get me started on the National Anthem.  Not sure that it's the Alerus Center's fault but the singer starting before the color guard had the the flags displayed was pretty disgraceful.  

The spotlight operators were lost as well.

[LeaveNoDoubt]

The blocked off catwalk seating was bad. They literally had ushers there just to tell people they can sit there. I asked multiple people what the deal was and nobody could tell me, all they said was you gotta ask somebody else. If tickets are available to buy let us UND fans buy them first. If they are filled with stupid piss yellow shirts in two weeks that would be terrible. Who does one talk to about those tickets? UND ticket office or Alerus? 

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

7 hours ago, Kab said:

The pregame video and introductions weren’t good

timing was so bad, by  the end of the video there should be no lull and go,right into the team coming out’, that didn’t happen so the stadium is silent until they come out 

 

 

2 hours ago, dmksioux said:

And don't get me started on the National Anthem.  Not sure that it's the Alerus Center's fault but the singer starting before the color guard had the the flags displayed was pretty disgraceful.  

 

2 hours ago, UNDBIZ said:

The spotlight operators were lost as well.

I'd add the tailgating didn't have the zing it normally has. Also, my spot is next to the alumni tent and I noticed they seemed to have a small crowd, they have a large marked off area to the south of the tent that was not used.

The FB team didn't seam to be overly enthusiastic? Maybe looking ahead a little. 
This bye week gives everyone extra time for preparation.

Next week game day should be an explosion.
Alerus hasn't hosted the; 
sheep herders,
silage packers,
dairy milkers,
wheat stalkers,
calf pullers,
chicken chokers,
field rock pickers,
corn huskers,
swine shovelers,
pickup drivers,
bean counters,
fence fixers, 
stock trailer loaders,
sun flower worshipers,
township board rotators,
hay bale rollers,
dirt road navigators,
since the earlier days of the Alerus.
One of those games held 13,500 fans. 

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

11 minutes ago, LeaveNoDoubt said:

The blocked off catwalk seating was bad. They literally had ushers there just to tell people they can sit there. I asked multiple people what the deal was and nobody could tell me, all they said was you gotta ask somebody else. If tickets are available to buy let us UND fans buy them first. If they are filled with stupid piss yellow shirts in two weeks that would be terrible. Who does one talk to about those tickets? UND ticket office or Alerus? 

Could it be that this new program of catwalk seating was established just to stop the yellow shirts.
Would not be a healthy place for a rumble.

[Kab]

7 minutes ago, BarnWinterSportsEngelstad said:

Could it be that this new program of catwalk seating was established just to stop the yellow shirts.
Would not be a healthy place for a rumble.

I see a lot of bison fans don’t want to go,to,grand forks and leave any money there. I hope they take that advise.  Game will be sold out anyway 

they are saving their money for when  they need to to travel to their fbs bowl games 

[Cratter]

The catwalk was the one area that kept the "casual fan" coming to the game. 

The "should we go watch the game at the bar now that tailgating is over" crowd.

The casual fan who just likes to hang out with his buddies and have a beer for something to do.

The kind of fan UND needs the most.

Those fans will continue to slowly disappear. 

And when UND/Alerus realizes their mistakes. 

They are the hardest fans to get back.

[geaux_sioux]

29 minutes ago, Cratter said:

The catwalk was the one area that kept the "casual fan" coming to the game. 

The "should we go watch the game at the bar now that tailgating is over" crowd.

The casual fan who just likes to hang out with his buddies and have a beer for something to do.

The kind of fan UND needs the most.

Those fans will continue to slowly disappear. 

And when UND/Alerus realizes their mistakes. 

They are the hardest fans to get back.

I’m not sure about all this

[SIOUXFAN97]

11 hours ago, geaux_sioux said:

I’m not sure about all this

i agree with cratter....just like there are a lot of "fans" that would never go back to REA if it weren't for the cluster(*()*- in the upstairs bars....there are a lot of fans that look forward to hanging on that rail looking down at the alerus turf (btw one of the most unique vantage points around)...you take that away not only are they pissed but when they have sit in those hard crappy seats....good luck