Vikings – Page 206 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Next Stadium Could Be for MLS Soccer

Posted on July 2, 2014July 2, 2014 by David Shama

The future of pro soccer in Minnesota might be more a question of who will own the franchise and where the team will play, rather than whether this area will be granted membership in North America’s best league.

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber has said MLS will expand by four teams within six years and Minneapolis is on a short list of potential new franchises. Minnesota United owner Bill McGuire wouldn’t confirm to Sports Headliners he will pursue an MLS franchise but it’s believed he is open to doing so—and leaving the North American Soccer League where the United play. A Minneapolis MLS team, if owned by McGuire, would likely play in a new soccer-specific stadium in Hennepin County.

The Wilf family, owners of the Vikings, have made it known they are interested in owning a Minneapolis MLS franchise. The Vikings have exclusive five-year rights to pursue an MLS team in their new downtown multipurpose stadium once it opens in 2016.

A source told Sports Headliners McGuire has interest in potential stadium sites near Mall of America and downtown. At either location an open air stadium seating about 20,000 would most closely approximate the facility model favored by the MLS, where playing in a domed facility isn’t the norm. The new Vikings domed stadium will have a capacity of about 65,000 for football but seats could be covered to create a more intimate setting for soccer. A partially transparent roof and facades will allow natural light into the Vikings stadium and create an outdoor viewing feel for spectators.

At first consideration it might seem doubtful there would be much public support for a soccer-specific stadium. But perhaps Mall of America interests would join McGuire in financing a stadium near the mega shopping center in Bloomington. A privately financed stadium at that location would provide a major outdoor venue that could be used for soccer, concerts and other attractions.

Before the MOA was built, Met Stadium in Bloomington hosted the Minnesota Kicks, a popular NASL team that drew large crowds because of the party environment fueled by tailgating. Combining the marketing power of the MOA with the lure of a new stadium and revived tailgating could create a lot of awareness about a new soccer product in Bloomington.

At least two sites near the Farmers Market downtown are being talked about for a soccer stadium. Proponents of the Farmers Market area fought to have the Vikings stadium there, arguing the location could be a financial stimulus to the neighborhood and even boost the city’s north side economy. It’s also said that a soccer stadium in that area—near Target Field and Target Center—further enhances the city’s entertainment district. The greater area is a transit hub that includes light rail and train service.

Hennepin County, the public partner in financing Target Field, might be a supporter of a Farmers Market soccer stadium. The county, unlike the city, is in a better financial position to help back a stadium and both public entities would profit from taxes and increased business activities.

Could the Twins also be a partner with McGuire in the team and facility? McGuire was in Kansas City, Kansas last December with a group that included Twins president Dave St. Peter. The purpose was to look at the local MLS’s stadium—Sporting Park, a facility that seats 18,467 for soccer and 25,000 for concerts. The outdoor stadium opened in 2011 and cost $200 million.

A soccer-specific stadium either at Mall of America or downtown would be expected to create event revenues beyond those generated by an MLS team. Whether the stadium is a public-private partnership, or privately owned, a 20,000 seat open air facility fills a void in the Twin Cities market and might interest various investors including the Twins who have staged concerts at Target Field.

Proponents of playing in the Vikings stadium will insist that with $150 million invested by the city and $348 million from the state, the only place that makes sense for a local MLS franchise is the new multipurpose venue being constructed on the old Metrodome site. The Vikings are paying the balance of the cost for the near $1 billion stadium and they will argue the facility was built to house as many events as possible, including soccer, and provide the best return on investment for all concerned.

The Wilfs or McGuire would likely pay $100 million or more as an expansion fee. The fee for the New York FC team that begins play in 2015 was $100 million. “Major League Soccer franchise fees have increased twenty fold from the league’s ten charter clubs in 1996 to introduction of the twentieth franchise in 2013,” according to a June 11 story last year by Christopher Savino for Businessofsoccer.com.

But paying around $100 million could be a bargain and a smart business move. While expansion fees have increased, so has the value of franchises. Chris Smith, reporting for Forbes.com in a story November 20, 2013, wrote that cities are lining up for expansion teams and that should not be a surprise. “In 2011, average MLS attendance hit 17,872 to surpass both the NBA and NHL, and it has since increased to 18,611 fans per game. More impressively, the average franchise is now worth $103 million, up more than 175% over the last five years.”

Those numbers have to catch the attention of McGuire and the Wilfs. If trends continue, the value of the Minneapolis team will escalate—perhaps dramatically—and even prompt interest in eventually selling the franchise for a big profit.

After decades of promise, soccer in America seems to finally be fulfilling the popularity forecast for the sport decades ago. The World Cup that started last month and continues until July 13 has been a reminder to Americans that the sport most popular in so many countries stirs interest in North America, too.

Downtown Minneapolis crowds have waited outside Brit’s Pub to watch the World Cup, and Minnesota kids are playing soccer in large numbers. With more ethnic groups who love the sport moving into the state, the interest in Minnesota soccer will grow. It’s that kind of following here and in other parts of the country that is pushing the MLS into a richer and more promising future.

With a potential 24-team league by 2020, it doesn’t make sense for the MLS to pass on Minneapolis-St. Paul, the 15th largest TV market. The question is who will own the franchise and where will the team play.

Worth Noting

Jeff Jones and those close to the Washburn all-state running back aren’t giving up on him enrolling at the University of Minnesota later this summer. His latest ACT score wasn’t high enough to meet NCAA eligibility requirements.

“They are bound and determined to get him on campus,” Washburn coach Giovan Jenkins told Sports Headliners. “They don’t want him to go to junior college.”

Jones is taking two online summer classes and will know the results by July 10. There is a possibility his grades from those classes will improve his high school GPA enough—combined with his ACT score—to meet NCAA requirements.

There are potential ways for Jones to attend Minnesota this year even if he isn’t eligible to play in games for the Gophers. Among those avenues is for Jones to be admitted by the University without a scholarship but train and practice with the team during the 2014 season.

Jashon Cornell, the Cretin-Derham Hall defensive end who announced this morning he will play for Ohio State, is likely to excel as a pass rusher for the Buckeyes. Cornell, who will be a high school senior next season, likely would have started for the Gophers in 2015.

Condolences to the family and friends of Paul Najarian who lost his struggle with ALS on June 23. Paul, 52, is survived by his wife Julie and three children. He is the son of Dr. John Najarian and wife Mignette. A football loving family, Paul played at California, where his dad also played for the Golden Bears. Brother Peter played for the Gophers. Paul was the longtime and original owner of Popeye’s Chicken on Lake Street. A visitation, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., and celebration of his life, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., will be held tomorrow at Mendakota Country Club.

The Wild has sold the building where the NHL team offices, according to a Sports Headliners source. A real estate developer has purchased 317 on Rice Park but the Wild will continue to office in the building and the Minnesota Swarm will, too.

Daktronics will provide a major technology upgrade to Xcel Energy Center including a new custom HD LED center-hung video board nearly six times larger than the current one, stretching from blue line to blue line.

Additional upgrades will include replacement of outdoor marquees and ribbon displays that encircle the interior arena fascia. The new elements will be installed over the summer, with the official unveiling planned for the Wild’s first home preseason game on September 27 against the Jets.

The Wild were able to sign free agent Thomas Vanek and fill a goal scoring need because he was a pro sports exception—a player willing to make less money than he earned with his old deal. Vanek reportedly will earn $6.5 million after playing last season for $7.1 million.

The June 30 issue of Sports Illustrated includes a six-page story on Darren Sharper, the former Vikings safety, who faces multiple rape charges. “Cumulatively, the accusations are overwhelming, but individually they may be difficult to prove,” the magazine speculated.

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AP Impresses Zimmer with Pass Catching

Posted on June 19, 2014June 19, 2014 by David Shama

It’s not fall but there is football news including from Vikings coach Mike Zimmer and also the Minnesota Football Coaches Association.

The Vikings ended their mini-camps today and Zimmer answered questions from the media including whether All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson is making good on his goal of improving as a pass receiver.

“Yeah, I think I’ve seen him drop one ball the whole time and that was probably yesterday, I think,” Zimmer said. “He catches the ball good. Obviously when he’s got the ball…he’s extremely dangerous.”

The new Vikings coach had seen tape of Peterson and realized how fast and powerful the dynamic running back is. But in the offseason practices Zimmer was surprised by Peterson’s pass catching and his ability to cut. “Some of the cuts he made are like, wow. Like some of the great backs that you’ve been around.”

Zimmer said he’s not announcing a date as to when he will choose a starting quarterback from the competition between Teddy Bridgewater, Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder. “I probably have a date in my mind, but I’m not going to tell anybody,” he said.

The team now has five weeks off before opening training camp on July 24 in Mankato. What are Zimmer’s plans?

“I’m going back down to my ranch in Kentucky for a little while, (also) probably stop in Dallas,” he answered. “Go see my parents down in Naples.”

The Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game dates back to the 1940s but this year’s June 28 game will be branded differently. The MFCA Tackle Cancer All-Star Football Game is the latest effort by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association to assist the Randy Shaver Cancer Research & Community Fund.

In January of 2012 leaders of the MFCA were having a meeting and Minnetonka High School football coach Dave Nelson spoke up about cancer, a health problem that is epidemic in America. He is a prostate cancer survivor.

At the meeting Nelson asked what others thought about helping KARE TV’s Randy Shaver who had started his cancer fund after battling his way through Hodgkin’s Disease. Nelson’s idea was to reach out to Minnesota high school football programs and encourage them to designate a home game to “Tackle Cancer” and raise monies for Shaver’s fund.

Ron Stolski, executive director of the MFCA, recalled it didn’t take long for the idea to click with association leaders. Nelson agreed to chair the MFCA’s “Tackle Cancer” Committee. “He’s just like a Bulldog when he gets on something,” Stolski told Sports Headliners. “He’s been on this for…two years.”

During the 2012 football season, the first year of the initiative, $120,000 was raised for the fund. Last year high school football programs generated $190,000, plus the Gophers promoted a “Tackle Cancer” game and so did MIAC schools. This year the Vikings will designate their September 28 home game against the Falcons to the cause.

Stolski said schools can take a simple or sophisticated approach to the “Tackle Cancer” project like placing donation buckets at the stadium or using more elaborate means. The initiative will be going on again this fall at Minnesota high schools but before that happens the all-star game, a week from Saturday at Saint John’s in Collegeville, will serve as the kickoff to the 2014 campaign.

Stolski is excited because the game’s purpose has always been to recognize outstanding graduating high school seniors and now the event will also help in the fight against cancer. “It (the game) helps to carry on a long tradition of recognizing in one final effort the best of our best,” Stolski said of the 88 players representing 83 schools who are grouped into North and South rosters.

There certainly is a tradition to the All-Star game and this year’s event has players whose fathers and grandfathers participated. Michael Strand, a fullback from Barnesville High School who will play for the North, will be joined at this year’s game by his grandfather, Dick Strand, an Honorary Coach. Dick Strand, from Southland High in Adams, also coached in the 1984 all-star game. Bryan Strand, Dick’s son and Michael’s dad, coached in the game last year representing Barnesville.

Carter Thiel, a strong safety from Wheaton/Herman-Norcross playing for the North, has All-Star family connections, too. Tony Thiel Jr., Carter’s dad, played in the 1980 game as a strong safety from Battle Lake. Tony Thiel Sr., Carter’s grandfather and also from Battle Lake, coached in the 1978 game and was an Honorary Coach in 1991.

Worth Noting

The Gophers’ coaches and their most passionate believers won’t agree but don’t expect lofty predictions from most national media about Minnesota’s upcoming football season. Uncertainties at key positions like quarterback and a demanding schedule that includes games with Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Wisconsin has magazines like Athlon Sports and Lindy’s Sports taking a cautious approach about the Gophers.

Minnesota’s record last season was 4-4 in the Big Ten Conference and 8-5 overall including a bowl game loss to Syracuse. Athlon predicts the Gophers’ 2014 record will be 3-5 in league games, 6-6 overall. Minnesota, according to the magazine, will tie for fourth place in the seven-team Big Ten West Division.

The Athlon write-up includes this quote from an anonymous rival Big Ten assistant coach: “They have a good offensive line and good running backs, but can they get the ball consistently downfield in the passing game?”

Lindy’s Big Ten publication ranks the Gophers eighth in the 14-team conference, ahead of Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers and Purdue. That places Minnesota fourth in the West Division. The magazine says the Gophers (who have gone from three to six to eight wins the last three years) continue to improve but “they’re still miles away in the depth department.”

Lindy’s has Minnesota offensive lineman Zac Epping and tight end Maxx Williams on its All-Big Ten second team offense. Defensive end Theiren Cockran is on the second team defense. David Cobb is a third team choice at running back and so too is punter Peter Mortell.

The NCAA has released average home attendances for the top 25 men’s basketball programs and nine Big Ten schools were included but not the Gophers who averaged 11,255 fans last season. Minnesota ranked No. 23 in 2013 with an average of 12,580. The Gophers led all of college basketball in attendance in 1975 and ranked third in 1972, second in 1973. Last season the Big Ten led the nation in average attendance for the 38th consecutive year.

Former Gophers football player Mark Sheffert, who writes for Twin Cities Business, has an intriguing headline on his June column: “Quitting to Win.” Sheffert writes that smart business leadership sometimes prompts the decision to “throw in the towel.”

Bill McGuire was approached in the past about Timberwolves ownership but told Sports Headliners this week it’s “not appropriate” for him to be involved with the local NBA franchise because of his ownership of Minnesota United, the North American Soccer League team.

The 2014 NHL Entry Draft will be Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The first round on June 27 will begin at 6 p.m. (CDT) and televised by NBC Sports Network. Rounds 2-7 will be on June 28 starting at 9 a.m. (CDT) and televised by the NHL Network. The Wild own eight picks in the draft including the 18th overall selection.

For all the talk about the Twins being improved over last season, Minnesota goes into tonight’s game at Target Field against the White Sox having lost five straight and with two more losses than a year ago. The Twins are 32-38 and 6.5 games out of first place compared with a year ago when Minnesota was 32-36 and 6 games behind.

Aaron Wiederhoeft from Prior Lake High School, who won the Jake Anderson Award for Minnesota’s best senior boys lacrosse goaltender, will play lacrosse at Lindenwood, a Division II school in Missouri. He plans to major in international business. What about a future in pro lacrosse, a sport that has modest salaries for players?

“Oh, well, maybe by the time I get there it will (pay better),” he said.

Comments Welcome

‘Underdog’ Role Not New to QB Ponder

Posted on June 16, 2014June 16, 2014 by David Shama

During interviews at Winter Park I learned quarterback Christian Ponder sees nothing new in his “underdog” status, and former Vikings defensive lineman Bob Lurtsema is so excited about his old team he made a wager.

As the Vikings go through spring practices at their Eden Prairie facility there is a quarterback competition between Ponder and Matt Cassel, both veterans, and rookie Teddy Bridgewater. If this was a popularity contest with the winner determined by fans voting, Ponder would be left in the dust.

Ponder, now in his fourth NFL year, was scorned by Vikings fans last season when his disappointing play cost him the starting QB job. In three seasons since the Vikings used the No. 12 pick in the first round to draft him, he has thrown 38 touchdown passes and 34 interceptions.

That’s enough to test a man’s faith and the religious Texas native was asked if the intense booing and criticism hurts his feelings. “Not really. I’d be lying to say it’s not hard to hear people boo when you’re on the field and stuff,” Ponder told Sports Headliners. “I feel like I’ve been through ups and downs my whole life. Whether it’s my career or anything—from high school to college to now—I’ve always felt like I’ve had the underdog role. I am used to it, and…being strong in my faith helps me out through all of this.”

As a Texas high school player, Ponder was only the 50th ranked college prospect in the state by Rivals.com, according to Wikipedia.org. At Florida State he struggled before emerging as a Heisman Trophy candidate his senior season in 2010. There were doubters, though, who questioned whether Ponder was worth the No. 12 pick in the draft and the skeptics have needed more room at their table during the last couple of years.

But Ponder is optimistic about his future. He likes working with offensive coordinator Norv Turner and quarterbacks coach Scott Turner, both new additions to the Vikings staff. Ponder said those coaches and a new offensive system he likes, along with three years of NFL experience, have him feeling more confident than he’s ever been about being a pro quarterback. He’s not giving up on his dreams despite past results and the wailing of critics.

“I want to be the best at my position and do as well as I can. I love this game. It’s a dream of mine since I was a little kid. I want to be a starter and play and win a Super Bowl. I think that’s everyone’s dream and goal.”

Ponder has a partner in faith, his wife Samantha who is an ESPN college football reporter and graduate of Liberty University, a Christian school in Lynchburg, Virginia. Samantha’s father was a football coach and she is a student of the game. With her knowledge, she is supportive of her husband.

“She has been so positive,” Ponder said. “She always has the right things to say, and she’s also a motivator. She makes me stay on top of my game. She’s a great wife.”

If Ponder is negligent about his conditioning, he will hear about it from Samantha. “If I’ve been sitting on my butt for a couple of days she makes sure I am getting out there and working out and getting stuff done,” he said.

Samantha, 28, and Christian, 26, were married in 2012. Since then career schedules have occupied much of their time but they did vacation in Italy last winter, spending time in Florence and Rome. “It was awesome,” Ponder said. “My mom’s side of the family is Italian so I’ve always wanted to go over there. We had fun. It was cool.”

The Vikings finish practices soon and then Ponder will have about a month off until training camp starts in Mankato. That means a short break for Ponder and Samantha. “Once the season starts we only see each other a couple of days a week, so we’ll enjoy ourselves,” he said.

Lurtsema was a reserve defensive lineman on three Vikings Super Bowl teams in the 1970s. He is impressed with new head coach Mike Zimmer and Norv Turner. “You know I bleed purple (but) I am legitimately the most excited I’ve been (about) both these coaches that we have right now, Turner and Zimmer,” Lurtsema told Sports Headliners.

Zimmer’s emphasis on accountability from players reminds Lurtsema of his former head coach. “Zimmer’s got a little bit of Bud Grant in him. Bud looked at you and never said a word (when a player did something wrong). …If you didn’t pick it up a notch, he’d let you go.

“He cut ballplayers that were better than myself. I know that. Everybody knows that. I was coachable and I worked. Those other players they were doing their own little dance. They’d bring it every other play.”

Lurtsema is not just talking optimism about the Vikings who had a 5-10-1 record last season. Las Vegas offered wagering this spring that the Vikings will win only six games in 2014. He has bet that his old team will win more, although he won’t say how much money he gambled.

Why does Lurtsema think he made a solid bet? Because he has said for years the success of a team is “60 to 65 percent” determined by the coaching.

Underdogs like Ponder and the Vikings like that kind of talk.

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