urbanMSP

Business question: Does anyone know where I can find a full account of upgrades to TCF Bank Stadium to prepare for the two NFL seasons? I just did some looking and could only find that they're going to install heating coils under the turf. I'm a Gopher football season ticket holder and I'm wondering if they're going to splurge to install chairback seats throughout. I'm in the bleachers now, which isn't the worst, but I do want to move over to the chairbacks sometime before my forties. Buuuut, if they're going to rip everything out in a couple years anyway, that would be kinda nice.

Heating coils, and temp seats in the open end are the only for sure improvements I have heard. There have been rumblings of chairbacks, which I hope do not happen, especially in the student section. Our season tickets are in the bench seats, and it is nice to be able to squeeze some more friends into our group. I would assume they will have beer taps installed, heating elements in the concourses. Cant think of what else they would need.

I don't think putting in chair backs is going to happen. At least in any large scale way. Considering Green Bay is pretty much all bench seats. I figure that unless the NFL has rules that X percent be seats with chair backs. Most of the seats will stay as they are now.

I don't think they will put in more chairs in the lower level until if and when they add the third level on the west side. That would make sense but I not sure if TCF Bank Stadium needs to have a capacity above 65,000. I am a season ticket holder as well and I would love to just have the place filled.

They're tearing up the field this week:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 85041.html

Has anybody seen renderings as to what the temporary seating will look like? And also what will the endzones be painted? Or can they change that quickly for the Gophers and Vikings? I did try Googling but couldn't find anything, so you guys are my crutch.

End zones should properly look like this:

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/ ... learly.jpg

Why is that? I love that TCF Bank Stadium's field has a maroon and gold block M at the center and our name and colors in the end-zones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Chicago_Bears_season
It helps that the Bears and Illini share blue and orange, but it looks like the endzone stayed "college" during that year.

The Bears were allowed to keep the surface intact, but in our case the NFL wants heat coils under the turf. So the Vikings are forced to tear up the field. And since they have to order about 140,000 square feet of new turf, I’m guessing they’ll spring for the additional 5,400 square feet required to have interchangeable endzone and midfield logo pieces.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Chicago_Bears_season
It helps that the Bears and Illini share blue and orange, but it looks like the endzone stayed "college" during that year.

Wow. Someone went to *way* too much trouble to create that page (and presumably hundreds of others).

The Bears were allowed to keep the surface intact, but in our case the NFL wants heat coils under the turf. So the Vikings are forced to tear up the field. And since they have to order about 140,000 square feet of new turf, I’m guessing they’ll spring for the additional 5,400 square feet required to have interchangeable endzone and midfield logo pieces.

Didn't the Vikings decide not to install heated coils and go with heated blanket for pre-game instead? They're ripping up the field so it's blank and they'll paint on logos. (this was all from a discussion on GopherHole a few months back, so not sure if still true..) I can say from my marching band days in the dome that field turn paint doesn't clean off well. Would have been better for the U from a marketing perspective to have the field as is stay if no coils are installed, another example of them not really playing hardball when negotiating.

This says they're going with heated coils "to meet NFL mandates":

http://www.kfan.com/onair/gopher-blog-3 ... -12251766/

I can't say for sure what they'll do about the end zones and the midfield logo. It just seems like interchangeable pieces - like the Giants and Jets use at MetLife Stadium - would be their preferred option.

They're playing at the U's stadium, the least they could do is give the U some free advertising by leaving the Minnesota end zones. Besides, since the school is "Minnesota" and the NFL teams is the "Minnesota Vikings" it's not like it's really an issue. Honestly it irks me that they would spend (waste) real money - regardless of whose it is - to show a Vikings logo instead of the U's for the 30 or so games they will play there. Hopefully this won't be what happens.

They are tearing it up right now to install the coils. That much has been confirmed. What the field will look like, I haven't a clue. Wish it would remain the U field, but what can you do when the Vikes are paying for heating coils AND a new field before they move in and again when they leave.

Are they donating the old turf?

I am sure the heating coils will be installed. It was part of the agreement with the NFL. The field will be up to NFL standards, meaning proper NFL/team logos on the field and around the stadium. For all intensive purposes when the Vikings play a game at the Bank it will be a NFL stadium. Without reading the TCF bank naming contract that was signed years ago I would have to guess that when NFL broadcast announcers are talking about a home game the name TCF stadium will get tossed around often.

One nice thing about a season or two at the bank is all the press the U would get from people who would normally not even see how great a stadium the Gophers have.

Are they donating the old turf?

I think they either use it to replace older practice facility turf, or they sell it to small colleges or high schools or something of that nature. That is just a guess.

Besides, since the school is "Minnesota" and the NFL teams is the "Minnesota Vikings" it's not like it's really an issue. .

But the Vikings and the Gophers spell Minnesota in different fonts, so clearly they will have to swap it out on Sunday morning before the Vikes play.

I don't think it's that hard to change/paint parts of the turf. Pro and college football also have different hash marks. My guess also is that few Vikings home games will be scheduled immediately after Gophers.