Vikings president Mark Wilf told Sports Headliners his franchise remains committed to spending money on player personnel despite the franchise’s ongoing attempts to gain approval for a new stadium.
“We want a championship team,” Wilf said.
Vikings owners, led by Mark and his brother Zygi Wilf, have demonstrated a willingness to spend money on high profile players since they became franchise owners in 2005. Expensive deals that brought defensive end Jared Allen and quarterback Brett Favre here gave the Wilfs credibility with fans and media, showing ownership was serious about winning.
The Vikings were 12-4 and within a play or two of the Super Bowl during the 2009 season. Last season team performance deteriorated and the record was 6-10. Parts of the roster have to be both retained and upgraded. Among the payroll tasks will be re-signing Adrian Peterson—perhaps the NFL’s best running back— to a new contract that should place him among the league’s highest paid players.
Vikings owners have spent money in areas beyond personnel. They have funded upgrades at Winter Park and during the NFL labor dispute Vikings ownership kept front office workers employed, rather than laying them off.
“These are great owners,” a prominent Minneapolis businessman said.