The Minnesota Vikings, sitting at 14 wins, have one game left this season, and it’s a big one. As you’ve probably heard, they’re heading to Detroit to face the Lions. The stakes couldn’t be higher, as whoever comes out on top will be crowned NFC North champions. The winner will also claim the No. 1 NFC seed in the playoffs.
Not playing at home is definitely a big disadvantage, especially in a game with this level of importance. But the Minnesota Vikings’ owners are doing everything they can to make sure Vikings fans show up in Detroit to support.
Minnesota Vikings owners buy nearly 2000 tickets in Detroit
The Wilf family, who are owners of the Minnesota Vikings, just did something pretty unexpected and honestly, really awesome. They personally stepped in and dropped $2 million to buy 1,900 tickets, which they’re reselling to Vikings fans at a much lower price.
“In the days leading up to Sunday night’s showdown against the Detroit Lions, the Vikings took the unusual measure of buying around 1,900 tickets for the road game on the secondary market, at about $1,000 apiece, for a total approaching $2 million. The team then turned around and sent an email to season ticket holders, offering the opportunity to buy the tickets at a much lower price point, and in some cases for as little as $200 per ticket.“
Albert Breer – SportsIllustrated
According to Breer, the Vikings are offering the tickets to season ticket holders for as low as, in some cases, $200 each. He also noted that the Detroit Lions raised concerns and contacted the NFL about it, but the league determined that the Vikings weren’t breaking any rules.
“The rival Lions flagged it, with the team’s ticket office noticing the unusual activity, then finding out about the email. The email said, “As a valued season ticket member, we want to offer you the opportunity to purchase lower-level seats for Sunday night’s game.” The tickets were available on a first-come-first-serve basis, and the team added in the email that they were “intended to be used by Vikings fans and not positioned for resale.
The Lions contacted the league office about it and were told, per sources, that the Vikings didn’t break any rules in the process of pulling this off.”
Albert Breer – SportsIllustrated
This is what top-notch ownership looks like: owners who care about their fans and do everything possible to give the team an advantage. Breer also pointed out that these tickets are positioned right behind the Vikings’ sideline, which should hopefully make sideline communication a bit smoother.
This might just be the biggest regular-season game in Minnesota Vikings history; the Wilfs are doing everything they can to secure the team another home playoff game. Only time will tell if their efforts pay off.
If the Vikings pull off a win, the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will go straight through U.S. Bank Stadium. As the top seed, securing home-field advantage, the Vikings would ensure more football at the Bank, something the Wilfs would undoubtedly enjoy.
