Los Angeles Vikings?

[superman7515]

Vikings approached on moving team to Los Angeles: official (http://theusdaily.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=1275630&type=home)


NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two Los Angeles groups have inquired about moving the Minnesota Vikings National Football League team to California, a Vikings official said.

[TheValleyRaider]

I have to be honest, I've never understood the NFL's fixation with moving a team to LA. They had difficulty supporting a team when one was there (two, actually), and the place is crawling with fans of pretty much every other team, who watch games anyway

It's not as if ratings are weak in that part of the country. If anything, they'd suffer if the LA Vikings couldn't sell out and were forced to black out (highly unlikely, but within the realm of possibility)

[Big Al]

They had difficulty supporting a team when one was there (two, actually))

To be fair, they were two sub-par organizations that played in crap stadiums even by 1980s standards. Not sure you can put it all on the LA populace.

[TheValleyRaider]

To be fair, they were two sub-par organizations that played in crap stadiums even by 1980s standards. Not sure you can put it all on the LA populace.

A fair point, but unless they can guarantee some kind of success, I'm not sure how the LA Vikings would fare any better

In principle, putting a franchise the nation's 2nd largest TV market makes sense, except I have a hard time believing the NFL doesn't already dominate local ratings on Sundays (and other game days). Do they really gain anything by a presence there? It's just the obsession with putting a team there that I don't quite understand the necessity for, though this happens to me often where the NFL is concerned....

[AppAlum96]

I pray that the Vikings move there, so they'll stop threatening to take the Chargers away from us. :(

[Gil Dobie]

The Vikings have selected the site, now it's up to the politicians to come up with money to complete the deal. I'm a diehard Packers fan, but this looks like a great deal for the Vikings and their fans. I have no problem paying taxes for this, as I live in this county. Funny how the Governor and Mayor of St Paul are cool to this idea, and of course the governor of Minneapolis will be losing the team. The new site will have ample tailgating and permanent business built onsite. If the state doesn't partially fund this one, the Vikings are headed to LA.

Vikings Stadium Site (http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/121580574.html)

Vikings meet with LA (http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22475988/29602639)

[superman7515]

It's a terrible idea for taxpayers to help with financing stadiums. They have minimal economic impact and they never pay for themselves before needing to be upgraded. Look at the Meadowlands. New Jersey borrowed $302 million for the stadium, infrastructure, and site work at taxpayer expense. It was supposed to be paid off in 25 years. Now almost 40 years later, the authority that runs the Meadowlands and took over the debt owes $830 million on the original $302 million and is about to default because it never did anything to make money, even with two NFL teams playing there.

[Gil Dobie]

It's a terrible idea for taxpayers to help with financing stadiums. They have minimal economic impact and they never pay for themselves before needing to be upgraded. Look at the Meadowlands. New Jersey borrowed $302 million for the stadium, infrastructure, and site work at taxpayer expense. It was supposed to be paid off in 25 years. Now almost 40 years later, the authority that runs the Meadowlands and took over the debt owes $830 million on the original $302 million and is about to default because it never did anything to make money, even with two NFL teams playing there.

I am generally against it too, but I don't mind a half-cent sales tax for a stadium in the burbs, and the Vikings are putting up over $400 million, NFL $50, Ramsey County $300 with the sales tax, and they need, $300 that the Governor said would be the cap on state funds. Fargo used a temporary sales tax to build the Fargodome, and it's paid off with all the non-NDSU events that Fargo would never otherwise have been able to attract.

[Grizzaholic]

I thought California had lots of money problems...

[Gil Dobie]

I thought California had lots of money problems...

The government does have problems, but there's lots of corporate money

[Grizzaholic]

I thought California had lots of money problems...

And I would bet dollars to donuts that the people will be paying out the *** for a stadium.

[Big Al]

I think it's time we can put the LA Vikings rumorcade to bed. Personally, my bet is on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Why Florida has 3 pro teams is beyond me.

[darell1976]

I think it's time we can put the LA Vikings rumorcade to bed. Personally, my bet is on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Why Florida has 3 pro teams is beyond me.

There is only one real pro team in Florida.......MIAMI!!!!!