Over strong objections by the Minnesota Vikings, who want a new stadium, the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Thursday approved a plan to force the team to extend its Metrodome lease by two years.

The team's lease expires in 2011 and the Commission voted to allow the team to play rent-free and keep post-season receipts. However, if they don't agree, the Commission is threatening to charge the Vikings rent up to $4 million per year.

It is a signal that as the Vikings reach new heights on the gridiron, the tone in the stadium debate is changing, and not for the better.

In fact, every time Brett Favre takes the field for the Purple, more Vikings fans are watching football than American Idol and CSI combined.

The team can't seem to score the touchdown on what they most want -- a new stadium.

"We need to get our arms around this issue before the clock runs out," said Lester Bagley, the Vikings' point man on the stadium.

The unspoken threat: no stadium, no team.

"The concern is that there is no dialogue, no serious dialogue, between our state leaders and the owners and management of the Vikings organization," Bagley said.

Vikings officials described the Metrodome as a 'dysfunctional' stadium. Once a marvel of the 1980s, the Vikings said the Metrodome is now the third oldest, smallest and the lowest revenue-producing stadium in the NFL.

Apparently, the Vikings aren't high on the priority list for a state facing a possible $7 billion deficit.

However, if Minnesotans don't want it, someone else does.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed a bill to allow a privately constructed Los Angeles stadium -- whose drawings include purple seats.

The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission is preparing to unveil plans for an NFL-ready stadium on the current site of the Dome -- with a roof the Vikings don't want -- that could cost as much as $800 million.

"The idea, of course, is to meet everyone's needs, but to keep it in the range of a reasonable cost," said Bill Lester, the Commission's executive director. "For these facilities, the cost has really accelerated."

In fact, a Vikings stadium that would have cost $500 million in 2004 is at least $740 million today.

Although Vikings owner Zygi Wilf once promised to keep the team in Minnesota "forever," team officials said the New Jersey-based owner is "frustrated" and "disappointed."

"In the end, if we can't solve it with this group of owners, if the answer is no, then I am not sure we can support a team in this market," said Bagley. "And that is not a threat. That is just the reality. "

Sources close to the Vikings said Los Angeles stadium developer Ed Roski Jr. has attempted to contact the team but the Vikings have not spoken to him -- yet.

http://wcco.com/sports/vikings.stadium.problems.2.1323607.html

Over strong objections by the Minnesota Vikings, who want a new stadium, the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Thursday approved a plan to force the team to extend its Metrodome lease by two years.

The team's lease expires in 2011 and the Commission voted to allow the team to play rent-free and keep post-season receipts. However, if they don't agree, the Commission is threatening to charge the Vikings rent up to $4 million per year.

It is a signal that as the Vikings reach new heights on the gridiron, the tone in the stadium debate is changing, and not for the better.

In fact, every time Brett Favre takes the field for the Purple, more Vikings fans are watching football than American Idol and CSI combined.

The team can't seem to score the touchdown on what they most want -- a new stadium.

"We need to get our arms around this issue before the clock runs out," said Lester Bagley, the Vikings' point man on the stadium.

The unspoken threat: no stadium, no team.

"The concern is that there is no dialogue, no serious dialogue, between our state leaders and the owners and management of the Vikings organization," Bagley said.

Vikings officials described the Metrodome as a 'dysfunctional' stadium. Once a marvel of the 1980s, the Vikings said the Metrodome is now the third oldest, smallest and the lowest revenue-producing stadium in the NFL.

Apparently, the Vikings aren't high on the priority list for a state facing a possible $7 billion deficit.

However, if Minnesotans don't want it, someone else does.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed a bill to allow a privately constructed Los Angeles stadium -- whose drawings include purple seats.

The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission is preparing to unveil plans for an NFL-ready stadium on the current site of the Dome -- with a roof the Vikings don't want -- that could cost as much as $800 million.

"The idea, of course, is to meet everyone's needs, but to keep it in the range of a reasonable cost," said Bill Lester, the Commission's executive director. "For these facilities, the cost has really accelerated."

In fact, a Vikings stadium that would have cost $500 million in 2004 is at least $740 million today.

Although Vikings owner Zygi Wilf once promised to keep the team in Minnesota "forever," team officials said the New Jersey-based owner is "frustrated" and "disappointed."

"In the end, if we can't solve it with this group of owners, if the answer is no, then I am not sure we can support a team in this market," said Bagley. "And that is not a threat. That is just the reality. "

Sources close to the Vikings said Los Angeles stadium developer Ed Roski Jr. has attempted to contact the team but the Vikings have not spoken to him -- yet.

http://wcco.com/sports/vikings.stadium.problems.2.1323607.html



They better not leave those vikings fans in Minny. That would be so wrong

They better not leave those vikings fans in Minny. That would be so wrong


If the Colts can move from Baltimore and the Browns from Cleveland, anything is possible.

If the Colts can move from Baltimore and the Browns from Cleveland, anything is possible.


What about the Eagles moving from Philly?-lol

They better not leave those vikings fans in Minny. That would be so wrong
They have a strong fan base in Minnesota. They'll never have that in LA. LA never really supported the Rams or the Raiders even when they were winning.

Since the Vikings are among my least favorite teams (I'm a Packers fan!) I would like to see them relocate. If that does happen and Minnesota gets an expansion team I hope the NFL is stuck with the bill for a new stadium like they were after the Browns moved to Baltimore.

(Are they using Brett to "guilt" the voters, er, fans into approving a new stadium for the team should it go to the ballot? No wonder I'm still waiting for him to get knocked out and placed on injured reserve ... and a permanent retirement! It's too bad the Pack wasn't able to do it.)

If there is no support for getting a new stadium done now with perhaps the most popular player in the NFL and a 9-1 record it does not look good.

It's a sure bet that LA will be getting one of the existing teams in a few years, because the NFL really wants LA to have a team and they are not going to expand the league to accomplish that. What makes it even more certain is that a new stadium is getting a green light in LA. So someone's team will be moving. Sports Illustrated has had an article on the subject.

The Vikings are one of many teams that are rumored to be possibilities for making the move. But it will probably take time to narrow it down.

Several NFL teams have moved in the past:

Cardinals from Chicago to St. Louis to Arizona
Browns from Cleveland to Baltimore (replaced by "new" Browns)
Raiders from Oakland to LA and then back to Oakland
Colts from Baltimore to Indpls.
Oilers from Houston to Tennessee, renamed Titans
Rams from LA to St. Louis (I think they were originally in Cleveland)

The NBA and MLB have had even more moves than that in their histories.

If the Colts can move from Baltimore and the Browns from Cleveland, anything is possible.

Let the 'Browns' move again! Schwarzenegger can have our team!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Los-Angeles-announces-intentions-to-poach-the-Ja?urn=nfl,212070

The title is "Los Angeles announces intentions to poach the Jaguars or Bills".

I guess the Vikings are running behind at least two teams in the "Los Angeles sweepstakes"!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Los-Angeles-announces-intentions-to-poach-the-Ja?urn=nfl,212070

The title is "Los Angeles announces intentions to poach the Jaguars or Bills".

I guess the Vikings are running behind at least two teams in the "Los Angeles sweepstakes"!

The L.A. Jaguars seem more appropriate, though they may be in the AFC South.

I've been calling this for eons.

The L.A. Jaguars seem more appropriate, though they may be in the AFC South.
Rams to the AFC South, Jaguars to the NFC West.

The NFL has been looking for an excuse to get the St. Louis Rams out of the NFC West for eons and this would finally give them one. St. Louis is significantly closer to Indy or Nashville than Jacksonville is, while Houston is more or less equidistant from St. Louis OR Jacksonville.

Truthfully, if I had my druthers: Raiders back to LA, Bills to Toronto, and the Jaguars to San Antonio.

I think Jags have the best chance of ending up in L.A. The Jags could be moved to the AFC West and the Chiefs could be moved to the AFC South.

I think Jags have the best chance of ending up in L.A. The Jags could be moved to the AFC West and the Chiefs could be moved to the AFC South.

No.. I don't want to see that.... I like having the Chiefs, Raiders and Broncos all in one division to beat on... :D

I know it's not going to last long as to the Chargers putting a beatdown on those three other teams even though really it's two others because the Broncos look like they could have it all together soon..

I just heard that the Buffalo Bills are not moving to Los Angeles! Ralph Wilson has reassured Sen. Charles Schumer (D-New York state) he does not want to relocate the team to the City of Angels!

Of course, what can we conclude about them moving them to Toronto? They've played at least one game in the Great White North each year the last two years.

The easiest answer is still to move the Jaguars and then swap them out with the Rams. The Rams might have had a decent rivalry with, say, the 49ers back in the days when the Rams were in LA, but that rivalry has waned heavily since '95. And while the Jaguars do have mild rivalries with Indy/Tennessee/Houston none are so strong that they'd prevent a move.

I talked with a coworker who's a Bills fan, and he says that they are staying in Buffalo at least until Ralph Wilson dies, then it's anyone's guess.

Rams to the AFC South, Jaguars to the NFC West.

The NFL has been looking for an excuse to get the St. Louis Rams out of the NFC West for eons and this would finally give them one. St. Louis is significantly closer to Indy or Nashville than Jacksonville is, while Houston is more or less equidistant from St. Louis OR Jacksonville.

Truthfully, if I had my druthers: Raiders back to LA, Bills to Toronto, and the Jaguars to San Antonio.

I think the Bucs should relocate to the AFC South since they originally were in the AFC in 1976.

While scanning Forbes' list of franchise valuations, one has to get pretty deep to find the Vikings. Vikings owner Zygmunt Wilf's biggest asset is the termination of his lease at the Metrodome, which expires after the 2011 season. If Wilf does not have an agreement for a new stadium in Minnesota he will probably move the franchise to Los Angeles, where two separate groups want to build new stadiums. Meanwhile, Wilf has been doing everything possible to increase revenue at the 28 year-old Metrodome, such as selling the naming rights to the field to Mall of America and converting the top floor of an administrative building next to the Metrodome into the Gridiron Club, a 3,800 square-foot high-class sports bar for which members will pay $2,500 a season in addition to the price they pay for Vikings tickets.

Forbes.com

Meanwhile, Wilf has been doing everything possible to increase revenue at the 28 year-old Metrodome, such as selling the naming rights to the field to Mall of America ...

Forbes.com

So would it be called Mall of America Stadium? How about something more corporate like Northwest Airlines, 3M, or USBank if you're so desperate for a corporate name to the stadium? (Or are they wary in light of the "boat party" the Vikings had in October 2005 on Lake Minnetonka? :lol: )