David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings Hold Cards Now on Stadium

Posted on October 24, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

What a mess! Back in the 1990s a Vikings executive told me Governor Arne Carlson informed franchise leaders to be patient until the Twins need for a new stadium could be resolved.

Guess what? Three governors later and the Vikings are still waiting. During the last 15 years, new stadiums for the Twins and Gophers football were approved while the Vikings unsuccessfully courted host communities to help them.

Get the idea the Vikings upper management and ownership is frustrated. Bet your autographed Adrian Peterson jersey on that!

Now if you don’t care whether the Vikings stay in Minnesota and you oppose public funding for a new stadium, then God bless you and the Constitution. You have plenty of company, but understand the majority of state political leaders are likely to disagree with you. If they don’t today, sometime soon they will.

The Vikings will remain in Minnesota.

Franchise owners and the NFL office in New York have leverage like never before with the Minnesota stadium issue. The whole mess is reaching critical mass. Not only have the Vikings been knocking on the doors of governors and host communities for more than a decade, but their lease in the Metrodome expires at season’s end and Los Angeles is flirting with the franchise.

It’s a new Minnesota stadium or bust mentality that the Vikings and NFL are presenting. That view threatens a cultural entity even more important to some Minnesotans than our 10,000 lakes.

No wonder Governor Mark Dayton is scrambling to call a special legislative session before Thanksgiving. He wants no repeat of 60 years ago when Los Angeles became the new home of the Minneapolis Lakers.

Dayton might be able to convince enough legislators to approve a new stadium in the coming weeks, but even if he has to kick the can a little further down the road that’s not likely to send the moving vans to Winter Park before New Year’s Day.

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Chargers Stadium Lease Fluid Like Vikings

Posted on October 24, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Despite glitzy conversation, Los Angeles has yet to approve and begin building a new stadium. It’s doubtful the NFL will send any franchise to L.A. until that bit of housekeeping has been finished.

Just because the lease at the dome expires doesn’t mean it’s California “Here We Come.” The San Diego Chargers have a deal with the city that allows an opt out in its stadium agreement each year. Other franchises, including the St. Louis Rams, have been linked to a possible Los Angeles move, too.

In just the next few months does the NFL want to give up on a Vikings franchise that for years has been announcing consecutive sellouts in its stadium and frequently posts some of the highest TV ratings in a local market among the league’s 32 cities?

Abandoning a fan base that’s been so supportive is bad PR for the league. It’s the kind of potential action that might even draw scrutiny among political leaders in Washington.

None of this is to suggest the Vikings’ request for a new facility can be ignored for long. But no one should choke on his or her Thanksgiving dinner if a stadium bill isn’t in place by then.

And another thought: why have stadium political leaders consistently limited the state’s funding contribution to $300 million? Seems like bad strategy because the team is supposed to be a state-wide asset and the $300 million cap puts a lot of pressure on a local funding partner like Ramsey County as part of the proposed stadium cost of $1.1 billion (Vikings to pay over $400 million).

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Worth Noting

Posted on October 24, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

The Vikings announced their 140^th consecutive sellout yesterday, but a street ticket hawker said before the game that sales were slow and offered an upper level $115 ticket for less than $80.

Here are Sports Headliners’ weekly rankings of Big Ten Football teams: Michigan State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Iowa, Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana and Minnesota.

Peter Najarian, the former Gophers linebacker from Minneapolis Central High School and now a national financial authority, could one day see his name speculated upon for the University of Minnesota athletic director job.

Vikings offensive guard Steve Hutchinson will host an early Halloween party for young patients and their families tomorrow at the new University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.

The October 24 issue of Sports Illustrated reports the Green Bay Packers are expected to offer individual shares of stock for $200 each to fund Lambeau Field renovations.

Former Timberwolves owner Marv Wolfenson is living in San Diego. Wolfenson was the franchise’s initial co-owner along with Harvey Ratner who is deceased.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien emailed that Tyler Vaughan from Braham High School has committed to Minnesota State Moorhead.

Former Twin Nick Punto, now with St. Louis, is hitting .375 in eight at bats against Texas in the World Series. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the versatile infielder (a manager Ron Gardenhire favorite) back with the Twins next season.

The Cardinals’ Allen Craig, who according to Fox Sports is the first player to have two games with pinch hit go-ahead RBI singles in the same World Series, once played for Alexandria in the Northwoods League.

KSTP TV sports anchor Joe Schmit turns 54 next month, while WCCO TV’s Mark Rosen will be 60 in November.

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