Though I have had Gopher season tickets since I was an infant, I have
worked (actually had worked, I just quit last weekend) for the company
that does ushering at all Gopher, Twins, Civic Center, High School
State Tournament, etc. etc. events.  The way tickets are counted is
this: For Gophers:  they take the number of season tickets and add
on the walk-up and single game sales and get a number.  That's why
last year there could be many empty seats and there would still be a
sellout announced.  Many companies bought season tickets and didn't
use the seats, and many "students" bought student seats, and turned
out not to be students, therefore they couldn't get into the building
without proper ID, so their seats were empty too.  At Mariucci (both
the old and new ones) there are no turnstiles, so the count can't be
taken from there.  However, all the tickets are counted by the ushers
and a ticket count is turned in.  For the Twins, the same procedure
is used.  They use the number of season tickets plus single game and
walk-up numbers.  All the tickets are counted and the turnstile numbers
taken, but they are only used to turn into the ticket office.  I
myself have prepared the ticket counts at events and they can be up to
1 - 2,000 persons off.  An interesting note, for high school tournaments,
the tickets are done in the same matter, but we don't usually count the
tickets...they're weighed.  So, basically, that's the Twin Cities
way of doing a ticket count!  All the tickets are counted, but those
numbers aren't used.
 
Just thought I'd add my two cents worth,
 
Katie Arth
Go Gophers!
*Joe Dziedzic will be missed*
 
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