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Some Big Football Fans Up in Minneapolis
By Chris Mottram | December 19, 2007
The Vikings are one win from locking up their first playoff appearance since 2004. This Sunday night, they have the opportunity to do just that on national television. The whole country will be watching. Their entire season is
potentially riding on beating the
Redskins. So naturally, this is the
toughest ticket in town. Or not:
The Vikings reported they had about 1,400 tickets left for
Sunday’s game as of Tuesday afternoon. Those tickets need to
be sold 72 hours before kickoff to avoid a television blackout. Given the team’s five-game winning streak and the willingness of the corporate community to help the Vikings avoid blackouts this season, the situation should not be a concern.
The Redskins have sold out every single home game since 1966 (NFL record, no big deal), so you can understand why it’s difficult for us to imagine tickets still being available. The “corporate community” might have to buy up a block of tickets just so the game isn’t blacked out? That’s almost as pathetic as the fact that the Vikings are — as of right now — a playoff team.
Topics: Superfans, NFL, Redskins |
8 Responses to “Some Big Football Fans Up in Minneapolis”
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December 19th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Minneapolis Regional Population: 382,618
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Population: 5,286,227
I’m going to guess that Washington’s economy is a little better too. Throwing out Green Bay, the exception that proves the rule (seriously what else are they going on Sunday’s, roll some cheese down the hill?) this is what’s happening in the smaller cities.
Sure the NFL is stronger than ever. But you guys in larger cities have more people with disposable income and more corporations with deeper pockets. It’s one thing for a family from Bethesda to shell out money to go to a game but try being a family of 4 from Buffalo making only $25,000 a year. Despite having the cheapest tickets, spending $250 to go to a game isn’t something that you can do too often.
December 19th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Excellent point, 289. And to Minneapolis’ credit, we have sold more Purple Jesus tees than any other, but that may be due to fantasy owners rather than Vikings fans.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:34 am
289 - Its not that simple. You have 3 professional teams in the state but also draw from several surrounding states. You have to remember that while DC might have 5MM people, we also have a lot more options and we have several major markets within a few hours that have their own sports teams. Minnesota prides its self on their home field advantage and they should be sold out. No excuses.
December 20th, 2007 at 3:20 am
Yeah, I’ve sold a bunch too. Though not nearly as many as the Marshawn Lynch styles.
I didn’t believe it until I moved back to Upstate NY. I’ve tailgated everywhere, big and small, wealthy and poor, and I’ve never seen as dedicated fans as the Bills have. You can say I carry a bit of a bias but it’s what I truly believe.
They have the second longest playoff drought and an uncertain future. (Though I’m positive they will never move, Jim Kelly will not allow it.) Yet, after opening the season 1-3, my friends rented a motorhome and drove to the Monday night game on Saturday morning. And they weren’t the first ones there.
The Bills get knocked on for not always selling out but people don’t realize that they have the 5th biggest stadium despite playing in the second smallest market. Throw in an already struggling economy that is hemorrhaging jobs like crazy and it’s nearly impossible to sell out game after game. Especially when fans have to decide between spending their money on the Bills or on the Sabres who have been the one of the hottest tickets in any sport the last couple of years. For most people it’s not even a one or the other, it’s a half or none at all.
Yes, the NFL is kicking ass and not even bothering with taking names but what makes the NFL so special to me is that towns like Buffalo and Green Bay can have a team and compete with the cities that want to charge you $100,000 just for the opportunity to spend another $5000 a year on a season ticket. The towns where the NFL isn’t just a status symbol but an way of life. And I’m afraid that as it grows more and more powerful (and money hungry) it’s going to lose that which makes it so great.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:09 am
$25,000 a year? Ew, poor people are gross.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Adrian Peterson will send a plague of locusts to Northern Virginia in 5…4…3…2…
December 20th, 2007 at 11:50 am
Poor people smell also.
I think the Viking fans are a bunch of fags.
Viking horns and purple. That combination alone screams gay.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I lived in St Paul for a couple of years. The Minneapolis-St Paul economy has nothing to do with it. The majority of people up there hate the metrodome, it’s an INDOOR stadium.