Stadiums – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Ads, Interview & Golf Put KOC in News Prior to Camp

Posted on July 14, 2026July 14, 2026 by David Shama

The Vikings don’t open training camp until July 26 (rookies and quarterbacks) but head coach Kevin O’Connell is making news.

O’Connell will be filming TV commercials this week for Blaze Credit Union as part of his new endorsement partnership with the Minnesota-based, member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative. The ads will be seen around the time the Vikings’ regular season begins in September.

The coach will also make radio commercials and be seen on billboards. A Blaze spokesperson wrote that there is also a “charity component” to the partnership but no community events are scheduled yet.

“We chose to partner with O’Connell, because of his character and reputation,” Dan Stoltz, Blaze CEO and president, said in an announcement statement. “He is a genuine person who knows what it takes to lead both on and off the field. He treats every individual with sincerity and respect which aligns with Blaze to the core.”

Blaze (a Sports Headliners advertiser) is known for working with prominent and high character local sports figures including Brock Faber, Tony Oliva and Lindsay Whalen. Before leaving the Vikings, quarterback Kirk Cousins was a celebrity endorser for Blaze.

O’Connell was a guest last week on the “Dan Patrick Show” seen and heard nationally on TV and radio. He reiterated he’s not ready to commit to a starting quarterback in the competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy. He again stressed the goal of the competition for the job elevating the quality of quarterback performance on his team.

O’Connell is entering his fifth season as the team’s head coach. He pointed out on the show that in the two years his starting quarterback was able to play full seasons the team has won 13 and 14 games respectively in 2022 and 2024.

O’Connell is a high level amateur golfer and is back in town after participating in the American Century Champion Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort golf course in Nevada. He finished No. 81 among 90 entrants in the annual tournament that includes athletes and entertainers and ended Sunday, according to results from Nbcsports.com.

The Wild’s Matt Boldy was ninth in the field. Former Viking Adam Thielen tied for 16^th,, while another former Viking, Patrick Peterson, was 20^th. Minneapolis native and NFL great Larry Fitzgerald Jr. tied for 22^nd. Twins Hall of Famer Joe Mauer tied for 51^st.

Edina-born and former pro tennis player Mardy Fish won the tournament for a third time having previous triumphs in 2020 and 2024. He won $150,000 in the $750,000 tournament.

Worth Noting

Minnesota natives and pitchers Louie Varland and Max Meyer were chosen for the 2026 American and National League All-Star rosters respectively. They are first-time all-stars representing the AL Blue Jays and NL Marlins.

The most memorable year for native Minnesota All-Stars was probably 1985. St. Paul’s Paul Molitor, Jack Morris and Dave Winfield were chosen for the All-Star Game representing the Brewers, Tigers and Yankees respectively. Fittingly, the game was played at the Metrodome with the National League winning 6-1.

Derek Shelton, a coach for the American League in tonight’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, is among the wagering favorites to win American League Manager of the Year. To do so the Twins, 48-49, will have to make the playoffs. No manager in either league has won the award since 2006 without skippering a postseason club.

Other betting favorites for the award include two Central Division rivals, Will Venable from the White Sox and Stephen Vogt (2025 winner) from the Guardians. Dan Wilson, the former All-American catcher for the Golden Gophers, is also a favorite for his work with the Mariners.

Wilson played for John Anderson, the now retired Gopher coach who will receive the prestigious Lefty Gomez Award next January from the American Baseball Coaches Association. The annual award is presented to an individual who has contributed significantly to baseball locally, nationally, and internationally.

Referred to affectionately as “14” by admirers (his unform number), Anderson was known for his success in not only winning games, but also the classy way he impacted the Gopher program including his players. He became Minnesota’s coach in 1981 and retired after the 2024 season as the winningest baseball coach in Big Ten history.

Anderson texted the following regarding the award: “Humbling honor that is an achievement by an army of people that contributed to the program’s success during my leadership of the Gopher baseball program. Nothing is accomplished by one individual. I am grateful for all those special relationships that I shared over the years.”

Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck speaks to the Capital Club on July 21 at Mendakota Country Club. Going into his 10^th season leading the Gophers, the personable Fleck is now the second longest tenured Big Ten coach at his school after Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz (28^th season leading the Hawkeyes). For more information on the breakfast program, contact Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketing.com

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Call Me “Doubtful Dave,” But No LeBron to Minneapolis

Posted on July 10, 2026July 10, 2026 by David Shama

LeBron James playing for the Timberwolves next season?

Chances are slim and none.

And slim just left the building at 600 First Avenue North.

James, the greatest age 40-plus player in NBA history, is looking for a new home after playing his last eight seasons with the Lakers. Reportedly 27 of 30 league teams have contacted James’ agent about his availability after averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 60 games last season.

Rich Paul, James’ agent, revealed a shorter list of possibilities earlier this month that included the Timberwolves. Local fans are hopeful the 41-year-old will fill the team’s glaring need for a power forward and join a four-some of Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert in a lineup that could propel the Wolves into a top five NBA team.

Fuhgeddaboudit.

If I am wrong I will push a basketball with my nose on the sidewalk outside Target Center before the start of next season.

ESPN insider Shams Charania said recently the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers are the top three choices for landing spots. I would throw in the Golden State Warriors for a top four of possibilities.

All of the above, except perhaps the Warriors, make so much more sense than the Wolves. An Akron, Ohio native, James could close the circle of his career by joining the Cavs, the team that drafted him in 2003. He’s never severed his northeast Ohio ties and besides the emotional connection the Cavs have a talented roster.

In Miami, James would experience another homecoming. He played for Heat front office legend Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra. They are still running the show in south Florida and James could form a Herculean front line with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. The Heat, with that threesome, would join the top five gang, too.

Nobody is blowing smoke to speculate James would elevate the 76ers to elite title contenders. A starting lineup of stars would include guards Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey, center Joel Embiid and James. The offensive might of that group probably moves the 76ers ahead of the World Champion New York Knicks as Eastern Conference favorites in 2027.

A title would be much more difficult to attain if James goes to San Francisco and joins the Warriors. Coach Steve Kerr’s team has a big need for James, and he could be part of a dynamic duo with superstar guard Steph Curry, his former Olympic teammate. Then, too, forward Draymond Green is one of James’ best friends. James has a passion for golf and some of the world’s best are in the Bay Area, but Warrior fans are probably whistling on the water about getting the “King.”

Regardless of who James signs a deal with, his compensation will be drastically reduced from past earnings. That’s because of the NBA salary cap, with estimates he can earn between $3.9 million and about $16 million next season. The Wolves could offer only $3.9 million, per a story today by ESPN.com’s Bobby Marks and Brian Windhorst.

Your nose-pushing basketball writer believes in storybook endings and thinks James will choose a return to Ohio where he has a mansion and all kinds of favorite things including Ohio State football.

Timberwolves owner Alex Rodrgiuez — Alex Rodriguez

Sorry, the Wolves connections to James run a wee bit less. Owner Alex Rodriguez has a relationship with Paul and his Klutch Sports Group.

It’s a tantalizing treat, though, to think of James in a Wolves uniform. His ability to run the floor, outlet pass to teammates, power his way to the basket with brute strength, deliver thunderous dunks and float three-point shots into the basket would have brought the house down at the old gym on First Avenue.

It would be the “ShowTime Wolves” with the jaw dropping passes from James and newly acquired point guard Ball. And imagine, too, the acrobatic show of Edwards swooping to the rim or cross over dribbling, the two-way athleticism of McDaniels and the in your face defense of Gobert.

The James impact on team leadership and decision-making would have been less subtle but just as valued. Known as a team that self-inflicts problems, the unselfish James would make the Wolves far more consistent and intelligent in their play.

Alas, at what might have been.

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Vikes Revel in State Hosting ’28 NFL Draft, Consider Combine

Posted on June 14, 2026June 18, 2026 by David Shama

Minnesota has a history over the last 40 years of being the site for many of the biggest sports events in America. Now comes another triumph with Minnesota Sports and Events (the non-profit regional sports commission) hosting the 2028 NFL Draft in partnership with the Vikings.

Vikings executive Lester Bagley, who works with MNSE, described bringing the draft here for the first time as a “huge honor.” In a recent interview with Sports Headliners, he talked in depth about the draft and other possible NFL events that hold his interest and that of MNSE which represents Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Bloomington.

The annual draft, including the first round, draws huge TV audiences with numbers at times reportedly over 13 million. At the various host cities, attendance records keep being set with Pittsburgh this spring going over 800,000.

“When they come to Minnesota, we’re not gonna break the record,” Bagley said. “It’s going to be more of a unique, Minnesota iconic event. So, TBD on a lot of that.

“What does it look like (for instance) …using the Mississippi River front (and the) Nicollet Mall? It’s clear that it will be on…the commons (area) on the doorstep of US Bank Stadium (as the draft event anchor).”

Minneapolis has been the site of two Super Bowls and Bagley noted that the draft is “not as corporate” as the biggest annual event in American sports. Spread over three days, the draft offers a variety of free activities for fans including the throng that stands in front of the stage when the 32 NFL teams make their player selections.

There will be immersive NFL exhibits, games, and entertainment. Live entertainment and community events will be part of how Minnesota localizes the draft experience.

Getting the nod from NFL headquarters to play host doesn’t come from making a few phone calls. Bagley said the Vikings and MNSE worked for more than five years to make it on the schedule as a future draft city.

The group showed NFL leaders its vision and plan. They attended each draft and stayed in front of league leaders with lobbying efforts. “We wore them down. Commissioner (Roger) Goodell told me that directly,” Bagley said.

The draft will economically benefit not just Minneapolis, but other parts of the metro including Bloomington and Saint. Paul. About 30 percent of fans will come from out of town, making an impact on lodging and other parts of travel.

After Detroit hosted the 2024 draft, the economic impact was reportedly over
$200 million. A similar economic benefit is projected for here, with a cost that could be about $20 million.

The NFL Scouting Combine has been staged in Indianapolis every year since 1987. Bagley said “a little energy” has been spent locally on whether Minnesota might be a host someday.

“The NFL hasn’t yet decided (on future combine sites),” Bagley said. “I think they’re torn because I think a lot of the insiders and the GMs—they’re pretty comfortable in Indianapolis. So, they have not made the move to take it on the road yet. But we’re interested.

“The challenge for the combine is how do you make that a fan event? How do you get 30, 40, 50,000 people that come in and watch players do exercises? Other than the quarterbacks and the high-profile players.”

While the combine was originally a closed door event, the NFL has already begun engaging a bit with fans, allowing them to view players and see NFL memorabilia. The Vikings will monitor developments as they’re doing with the evolution of flag football.

The NFL is a major investor and promoter of flag football at various levels and ages across the country including Minnesota where the Vikings are an active partner. Flag football championships could one day be staged in NFL stadiums and that includes US Bank Stadium.

The stadium opened in 2016, and reviewers praised the facility that is owned by the state of Minnesota. “It’s still the No. 1 stadium in the NFL, according to a lot of the media that poll it from outside of the market,” Bagley said. “But also, so do a lot of the players and the coaches, and they talk to our players and coaches and say what an amazing facility you guys have here.”

Tax revenues from pull tabs gambling funded the state portion of building the public-privately financed facility. Bagley, who played a lead role in the realization of the stadium, said that money stream needs to be turned back on to help with maintenance and repair of the venue. Construction costs from bonds for the stadium were paid off 23 years early, saving millions in interest.

Former Twins Executive to Lead Winter Carnival

Patrick Klinger, the former Twins Executive Vice President of Marketing, is the new President & CEO of the Saint Paul Festival & Heritage Foundation. That organization runs the Saint Paul Winter Carnival and other community celebrations in the city.

Patrick Klinger, head of Saint Paul Winter Carnival — Patrick Klinger

The Winona native and Saint Paul resident is most recently the owner of Agile Marketing Partners consulting firm that advised companies, sports organizations, and nonprofits on sponsorship strategy, brand development, community engagement, and partnership marketing.

Prior to starting Agile, he spent 14 seasons with the Twins and led award-winning marketing and fan engagement initiatives earning regional and national recognition. An engaging and talented professional, he is a recipient of seven regional Emmy Awards and a Silver Effie Award.

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