Q&A with Steve LaCroix, Vikings VP

Q How much different is marketing this team with Brett Favre than without Brett Favre?

A We were still division champs and building on that coming into things ... but it's a unique situation with someone playing an entire career with an archrival in a border state. ... It brings a unique quality. Fan buzz is at a level we haven't seen in quite some time, and him coming in gave us a little boost in a lot of areas of our business.

Q October 5, Monday night vs. the Packers. Where does this game rank in terms of marketing, ticket demand and hype?

A This is my ninth season. We expect it to be the most-viewed Vikings regular-season game, if not NFL regular-season game, in history.

Q The Twins will play their final regular-season game at the Dome in a week. Are there opportunities to brand the Dome differently now that you will be the sole primary tenants?

A We're working hard on how we make this truly look and feel like the Vikings home stadium. It's a temporary solution as we hopefully transition into a new stadium in the near future. ... It starts with gate opportunities. [The Vikings on Friday announced gate sign partnerships with Caribou Coffee and the Minnesota Army National Guard]. ... We have more flexibility as a sole tenant. It doesn't change the width of concourses or amenities other stadiums have. But it will make it feel like more of a Vikings facility than a neutral facility.

Q What about naming rights for the Dome? Is that on the table, and if so where might that process be?

A We're certainly pursuing that. Field naming rights. Other gates. Other branding opportunities within the seating bowl.

Q Some special ticket offers were sent to fans Thursday via e-mail, which indicates that even with a strong team, Favre and Adrian Peterson, selling out every game will be a challenge. Is that fair to say, and if so, why do you think these challenges exist right now?

A There are still challenging economic times. That's a reality, and we haven't turned the corner. With teams in an older stadium, you're competing to a certain extent with the TV viewer and trying to get them into the stadium on game day. And to have Green Bay early on presents some things on the back end that we want to make sure we aren't scrambling late in the year.

Q I have a theory that HD and other improvements/conveniences of watching at home are hurting pro sports attendance, particularly in the NFL. What are your thoughts on that?

A It's one of several factors. There's nothing like being at a sporting venue live. The crowd energy and emotion in the building. That hasn't changed. But some fans prefer not to venture out and be more home viewing fans. We still need them and respect them, but we also need 62,000 fans at the end of the day in the building so the games are on TV. ... High definition, red zone channels, fantasy football -- those have helped the NFL fan base grow, but it has fans wanting to know what's going on with more than just the home team. We've addressed that with some in-stadium stats and league scores that are more fantasy-related so fans in-stadium can keep up with what's going on around the league.