The Vikings’ Jared Allen is the only player from a Minnesota team who made Sports Illustrated’s earnings list of top 50 athletes. The list was released last week and had Allen at No. 44 with earnings of over $16 million including salary and endorsements. Minneapolis native Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is at No. 35, with $17,350,000 in earnings. Former Timberwolf Kevin Garnett is No. 8 at $31 million and Tiger Woods leads the list at almost $128 million. More at https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/2008/index.html
Larry Fitzgerald Sr., who covers the local sports scene on radio, TV and in print, is attending the NBA finals in both Boston and Los Angeles. Fitzgerald said via e-mail he expects to be the only Minneapolis-St. Paul journalist at the finals. Newspaper budgets are impacting out of town coverage such as the finals.
TCF Bank Stadium opens next year with a seating capacity of 50,000, meaning it will be the third smallest in the Big Ten Conference. Gophers coach Tim Brewster said, “I think we’re going to create great demand and convince the U soon to expand the stadium.”
Brewster said the decision to initially have the 50,000 capacity is “strategically well thought out” but the football program will grow in popularity. The stadium infrastructure is designed to expand capacity to about 80,000.
A source close to the Gopher football team predicts a 5-7 final record this fall.
Six-year NFL Vikings wide receiver Bobby Wade said on Friday at Winter Park that the team will expect a “lot more” from Sidney Rice this fall than last. Rice, 21 , will be playing in his second NFL season and has the potential to far exceed his rookie numbers of 31 receptions, 396 yards and four touchdowns.
A knowledgeable hockey source said new Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold will be involved with the franchise and “wants to win a Stanley Cup.”
Major League Soccer was honored recently as the 2008 Professional Sports League of the Year by the SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily. The award was based on MLS’s outstanding year in 2007 that included a new team in Toronto, two stadiums, two television partners, three future expansion franchises and showcasing of superstar David Beckham.