You Can Shovel TCF Bank Stadium For $10 An Hour
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Old man winter threw a big wrench in not only state playoffs, but also Saturday's Gopher game at TCF Bank Stadium. While the playing surface is heated, seating areas are not, so all that snow has to be removed one row at a time.
To get the job done, the University of Minnesota has turned to an army of shovelers looking to make a few fast bucks. It's paying them $10 an hour and they're looking for workers to fill the shifts through Friday.
It's cold and back-breaking work clearing rows and walkways bleacher by bleacher -- and sending an avalanche of snow down the chute. It's bad enough shoveling a sidewalk -- imagine clearing the snow off the seating areas for 52,000 football fans.
"We probably got 3 inches of snow in the stadium, but the issue we're having is it drifted in. Might have 2 inches on one end and 10 inches on the other end," said associate athletic director Scott Ellison.
Clearing all those seats takes 100 people working four-hour shifts. They're paid $10 an hour to scrape and scoop their way to Saturday's Gopher kickoff. It's anything but easy.
"The chair backs throw a wrench in the plan. A lot of ice snow came, melted and froze again. The ice is the hardest part, not nice easy snow," said shoveler Mattie Buswell.
Late season football has a rich tradition in Minnesota, but times have changed. Now, the field itself is heated by 120 degree water, pumped through tubes running under the turf.
"Come on in and have some fun shoveling. Get some good exercise. Make a little extra holiday money," Ellison said.
Meanwhile, in Osseo, the prep teams began practicing on cold turf for Thursday's first semi-final game. The field is snow-free, but Wednesday night, an army of volunteer shovelers will clear the bleachers. Their only pay: the pride of making this year's prep playoffs all the more memorable.
Paid shovelers at TCF Bank Stadium need to bring two forms of identification, including a Social security card, but shovels are being provided.
Volunteer shovelers are needed Wednesday at Osseo's Football field beginning at 6:30 p.m.
