Target Field to host Tommie-Johnnie football game
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - It’s official. The Minnesota Twins and University of St. Thomas have announced the annual Tommie-Johnnie rivalry football game between St. Thomas and St. John’s University will be played at Target Field on Sept. 23, 2017. Kickoff for the first-ever football game at the Twins ballpark is scheduled for 1 p.m. The game will be a St. Thomas home game.
How to get tickets
Tickets for the game will go on sale to the general public beginning Dec. 13, 2016, with a special presale opportunity on Dec. 6, 2016 for St. Thomas, St.John’s and Minnesota Twins stakeholders. General seating tickets to the event will range from $15-35 for the 1:00 p.m. game (Gates open at 11:00 a.m.). Approximately 2,000 student section tickets for each university will be held and made available during the summer of 2017 at a cost of $10 per student.
Tickets for the September 23, 2017 football game will only be available through the Minnesota Twins ticket office. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting twinsbaseball.com/football, calling 612-33-TWINS or 800-33-TWINS, or visiting the Target Field ticket office or Twins Pro Shop locations in Apple Valley, Minnetonka and Roseville.
Tommie-Johnnie history
The Tommie-Johnnie rivalry dates back to 1901. Since then, the schools have met 86 times and continually set NCAA Division III record attendance marks, including 6 of the top 14 all-time Division III attendance records. The 2015 game, won by St. Thomas, drew an NCAA Division III-record crowd of 17,327.
Since 1901, only 6 of the 86 games have been played off-campus, including the 1901 and 1908 games at Lexington Park in St. Paul, Hamline University in 1909, St. Cloud Tech High School in 1945 and the Metrodome in 1996 and 1997.
What they’re saying
“Target Field is a spectacular venue,” said University of St. Thomas athletic director Steve Fritz. “The opportunity to hold our 2017 game against Saint John’s there will add another fun chapter to what's one of the country's best college football rivalries."
“The Twins organization is honored and excited to be hosting one of Minnesota’s great sports traditions – the St. Thomas-St. John’s football game – at Target Field,” Twins president Dave St. Peter said. “As the first-ever football game at Target Field, the historic Tommie-Johnnie rivalry should help create a special experience for the players, coaches and most importantly – the fans. We cannot wait for kickoff.”
“Target Field is a spectacular venue,” said University of St. Thomas athletic director Steve Fritz. “The opportunity to hold our 2017 game against Saint John’s there will add another fun chapter to what's one of the country's best college football rivalries
“We're excited for many reasons,” said St. Thomas Head Football Coach Glenn Caruso. “What a great opportunity to play the nation's biggest Division III rivalry game in a venue such as Target Field. It not only allows us to highlight both proud institutions and our tremendous history, but it also lets us bring the game to a much larger game-day audience.”
“We are excited to see this great rivalry brought to one of the greatest athletic facilities anywhere,” St. John’s University Athletic Director Bob Alpers said. “What a treat this will be for the student-athletes, coaches and fans.”
“The St. John’s-St. Thomas rivalry is one of the best in all of college football,” added Saint John’s head coach Gary Fasching. “Our players, coaches and fans are excited that Target Field will be the site of the next chapter in this storied rivalry.”