Why don’t we just move all the NFL teams to NY, California, Texas and Florida? Duh? Minnesota is a large viable market. The State should kick in, but maybe the NFL should help out and make Ole and Lars feel a little bit better about themselves and the money they are spending on da stadium. I understand there was alot of money from the league that help build all the new stadiums. LA has been a flop before….we know what a new stadium would do in Minnesota. At least they could promise to schedule the next available super bowl for the new stadium. Git r done!!!!!!!!!!

I moved out of MN to Chicago and I could never be a bears fan. If the vikes go to LA, then I guess I’m still a fan of the LA Vikings (name change pending). I’ll never move back to MN for personal reasons, so if MN gets a vikings team back I probaby won’t root for them.

That being said, they should rennovate the metrodome and put a retractable roof above it. That way we can start to use the outdoors to our advantage, and the Metro area can use the facility for all the different events it already hosts.

I know a lot of people probably aren’t thrilled about a rennovated metrodome to go to games from a fans perspective, but let me tell you this: Soldier Field is twice as old at least and they rennovated that stadium and it is very very nice. The seating is great, I had nosebleed for the Vikings-Bears in ‘07 and it was like I was sitting right above the field, best seats I’ve ever had at a football game, including better than front row endzone at the dome. If they re-do the seats and put up a retractable roof, the dome could still bring some thunder.

I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada and I want to warn the many doubters of Minnesota that if you wait too long to make a move on this you will lose more than just your football team.

Winnipeg in the early 90’s was full of people who said our NHL team was not important enough to throw tax dollars at and that threats of relocating the Jets was the owner trying to hold the local governments up for ransom to build him a new arena to replace a building built in the 1950’s and renovated many times since. Those who were not hockey fans said “Not with my tax dollars!!!”.

In 1995 the owner found a group to sell the team to as he could not get anything done and after many last second attempts, the Jets played their final season in Winnipeg in 1996, relocating in of all places Phoenix AZ. Winnipeg had now lost the one thing that it was known for the most and there was a large void in the community. Sure, we got an IHL team from Minnesota but as successful as the Moose have been here it just isn’t the same.

The irony is the city finally built a new arena which was driven by a new Mayor who was one of the city councilors who stonewalled the Jets getting a new arena. It was like closing the barn doors after the horses had already left. Many in Winnipeg thought the Jets would never leave, and if they did it wasn’t going to matter as they were just highly paid athletes and it won’t matter if they left.

I’ve been to many Vikings games and the atmosphere is amazing…the hotels are full, bars and restaurants are jam packed. On my most recent trip for the Packer game I commented to my friend that I couldn’t believe the number of people walking around Mall of America in jerseys. The Vikings game brought all those people there on a Monday afternoon and the line up in the Vikings store was so long I walked out. Without the Vikings those tourist dollars are gone. True there would be some shoppers from out of town but not the volume we witnessed.

All the tax and revenue that is generated on weekends of Vikings home games can not be ignored. If the Vikings leave that money directly attributed to home games does not get replaced and you will lose an important part of Minnesota’s identity. Yes, Minnesota has lost sports franchises before but I don’t think the Lakers and the North Stars were on the same level as the Vikings when it comes to things identify with Minnesota.

Learn from Winnipeg’s lesson. Get this done before LA robs you of another team.

It will probably kill my father outright of a stroke. I would consider commiting Hara Kiri as well.

 . . . occurred when I was an employee with the Timberwolves and they almost moved to New Orleans. Went over to the capital and sat in on committee meetings where they were supposed to discuss the merits of keeping the team. The subject never came up. It was all dealing with who did or didn’t vote for someone when their pet project came up. It was all bickering over things that were completed unrelated to merits of keeping the Wolves in town or not. It was a complete waste of time. The vote turned on whether someone could get another pol to vote for him/her—they already knew the benefits of having pro basketball in town, but it appeared some would vote against if they didn’t get something in return.

I know that’s how the system works (and it certainly turned me off to it), but it was completely frustrating. Therefore, I think we have to take the case to the media. Put on events that draw attention to it. Get on the front pages, on the TV on all over the internet. I think then you hit the pols where they live. They know the benefits of having the team in town, but they need to think that everyone feels that way—then they will be compelled to vote for it, so they get the most votes for re-election in return. IMO.

The Vikings have just two years left on their Metrodome lease. Minnesota Govenor Tim Pawlenty has remained steadfast that publicly financing a stadium isn’t a priority, but, with Pawlenty not going after another term as governor and the success of the Vikings making it very apparent that fans of Minnesota love their NFL team, there are some in the business and political community that believe the Vikings won’t be the team eventually relocated. However, until a stadium deal is done here, the Vikings will remain one of the top choices to be relocated

Born and raised in Miami growing up in the late 60s- mid 80s I became a Viking fan. Tarkenton made me a fan, I got a Viking tattoo in 1978. I had to hear it when they lost to Miami in the SB. I have been through the ups and downs and aaalllll the bad calls over the years, The Les Steckle year, the Mike Lynn wipe out that I still believe he was bribed to trade our SB team away since he left the next year. 16 years of rooting against #4 and now having to cheer for him. I have never been to Minny and would still be a fan no matter where the Vikings played. But I would think the city and state would support keeping them. I did like the open stadium better than the dome even though I have to put on a sweater if it dips to 60. I live in Tennessee now and I have seen the Vikes play the Dolphins, the Bucs every year when they were in our div. I went to Cincy the day before Christmas and in Nashville the day after Christmas. I would love to see them play at home surrounded by other Purple jerseys instead of just a few. I will help out my fellow Vike fans, I will email to all legislative offices in the state.
Good luck!! DIE STEELERS DIE!!!

I think everyone needs to email their congressmen and tell them we need to get a deal done or we will vote in more competent people.