Welcoming Our Wolverines (W.O.W) Fridays w EDIT

Submitted by chrs5mr on

Didn't see this posted and this would be good for people coming in from out of town.

New for 2013 is Welcoming Our Wolverines (W.O.W.) Fridays.  There will be a member of Guest Services located in front of Gate 10 on Fridays before home games.  The biggest attraction is for a $10 fee, you can tour Michigan Stadium and Crisler Center.

http://www.mgoblue.com/facilities/stadium-changes.html (bottom of the page)

EDIT: difference from the tours offered through the Alumni Association is they are much more detailed.  You also get to walk the tunnel, actually get on the field, visit the locker room, visit the Jack Roth Stadium Club, see the Heisman Trophy and try on a helmet/pads.  The $10 Fri tour only says you will have an opportunity to take pics inside the stadium.  http://alumni.umich.edu/connect/event/big-house-tours

MGoBoard
Football
Michigan Stadium
2013 Michigan Football
Welcoming Our Wolverines
Fridays
W.O.W Fridays

gopoohgo

August 12th, 2013 at 1:10 PM ^

Um...why should it be free?

I would understand the argument if the AD received public money from the State of Michigan, but since it is a self-sufficient program, why would they open this up for free when they can get people like me $10 a pop to tour the stadium? (insert Dave Brandon increasing revenue rabble rabble here)

I WOULD be a proponent of letting kids under 10 on the tour for free to build the fan/student base for the future....

Joined: 09/12/2011

MGoPoints: 10661

Bando Calrissian

August 12th, 2013 at 1:48 PM ^

Agree 100%. The dollar signs being put on everything related to Michigan Stadium is off-putting. How much money will Athletics truly make off of these events at $10/person? What's worth more, the goodwill gained from more people coming in for free, or a low-scale payday from a paid-entry event once a week?

But I guess that's how this Athletic Department operates. Everything Michigan has a price, gigantic departmental surplus be damned. The Brand, The Brand, The Brand.

Joined: 07/02/2008

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gopoohgo

August 12th, 2013 at 2:32 PM ^

1) Weren't the stadium tours free on the day of the Spring game, only?  A quick google search reveals links from 2009 where you can book a tour through the Alumni Association for $35 bucks a pop...

These tours, 5 times a day, will need an employee as a guide, as well as I'm sure at least a few security folk so nutjobs don't run off with stuff from the locker room, field, etc.  They need to cover costs

2) Nonprofit does not mean you can't generate positive revenue to churn back into your facilities.  The Medical Center is a nonprofit, and positive operating revenue is partly given as a bonus to all UMH employees besides the residents (who have their own contract) and capital improvements (new Mott, Cardiovascular building, etc. etc.).

3) Back in my day, tuition, room and board for a semester was $6K.  Now it's $16K.  Times change, costs go up.  Yeah, Brandon seems to be nickel and diming things.  At the same time, the AD is now significantly positive in it's cashflow, and that has translated into totally revamping the morbid confines of Crisler, and improved football practice facility, academic facilities for the athletes, etc. etc.

Joined: 09/12/2011

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gopoohgo

August 12th, 2013 at 3:15 PM ^

Now you're just being silly.

There IS a high-end market for stuff from libraries; thus, most of the historical/rare books in the UM collection are under lock and key at the Hatcher Library.  And from one can see with the Manzel/Ohio tatgate scandals, there IS a market for sports memorabilia that you don't see for most books.  Anyone want to guess how much you can get for Taylor's practice jersey?  Or an authentic Michigan football helmet?

http://www.lib.umich.edu/special-collections-library

I also didn't realize that my diplomas from Michigan entitled me to stadium tours.  Hell, back in my day, there WEREN'T stadium tours, and thus my willingness to pay $10 for the privalege.  My wife and a friend of hers from residency, neither of whom are big football fans, are willing to pay $10 each as well because this is something that has not been available to us.

 

Joined: 09/12/2011

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Bando Calrissian

August 12th, 2013 at 9:38 PM ^

In fact, it's absolutely amazing that Michigan's libraries are all open to the public, no questions asked. Pretty much every other academic library I've been to requires going somewhere for a visitor's pass, swiping an ID, sometimes even paying for privileges just to walk in the door if you're not a student. Michigan has no turnstiles, no card scanners, no staffer sitting next to the door staring you down.

It's a great thing.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 68120

Stashamo

August 12th, 2013 at 2:54 PM ^

...with my 4 kids on Oct 18th.  The boys and I will be at the game on Saturday, but this will give the girls some exposure.  Any trip back to Mich is never a cheap trip, I just plan on spending extra here/there.  Maybe I'll get one less t-shirt this trip.

Joined: 03/09/2013

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grumbler

August 12th, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^

Should be called "W.O.W.W." or "Welcoming our Wolverines' Wallets."

Ten dollars, rather then free, is simply a sum to discourage people who have taken the tour fom just taking it over and over again, and thus necessitating some other way of limiting demand - like first-come-first-served quotas and the like.  And $10 may not be enough.

Joined: 08/17/2011

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samdrussBLUE

August 13th, 2013 at 11:50 PM ^

You also used to be able to just walk into the stadium, and bring coolers to the games and see the team play on real grass. Things change, and $10 seems plenty fair to me.

Joined: 01/21/2012

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