vikings/nfl
Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
Posts about Football on TV
Vikings eliminate threat of TV blackouts
Posted by: Chris Miller Updated: August 16, 2012 - 1:44 PM
Chances the Vikings will have home game blacked out on television this season evaporated today when the team announced that it will reduce its blackout threshold to 90 percent of capacity.
That means it will have to sell around 6,000 fewer seats at home games to avoid a blackout.
The team took advantage of a new NFL policy that allows teams flexibility to select a percentage between 85 and 100 percent of capacity. There are slight financial penalties for lowering the percentage.
Capacity at Mall of America Field at the Metrodome is 64,111, although in the past the official sellout number has been 62,000.
Previously, Tampa Bay, Miami and Oakland have announced they would lower their thresholds to 85 percent of capacity.
On the Vikings web site, vice president of sales and marketing Steve LaCroix said: “It’s important for the Vikings to take advantage of a new policy that benefits our fans and helps us achieve our goal of having our games televised throughout Minnesota. Our focus remains on selling every seat in Mall of America Field, and we will continue to work hard to achieve that. This flexibility, however, puts us in a better position to have our home games are locally televised.”
The NFL requires teams to sell out games 72 hours before kickoff to avoid blackouts. The Vikings had challenges over the past couple of seasons, including needing deadline extensions, but have officially sold out every game since 1998, with the last blackout in Dec., 1997.
The team will lose revenue on seats sold past 90 percent of capacity. Home teams keep two-thirds of the revenue on ticket sales, with visiting teams taking one-third. After 90 percent, the Vikings must split that revenue 50-50.
Vikings get started against 49ers
Posted by: Chris Miller Updated: August 10, 2012 - 5:28 PMA video preview of tonight's game betweein the Vikings and 49ers, featuring Dan Wiederer's interview with CineSport anchor Tara Petrolino, can be seen here.
Kickoff is at 8 p.m.
Here's Mark Craig's game preview:
VIKINGS AT 49ERS
8 p.m. at San Francisco's Candlestick Park • TV: Ch. 23 • Radio: 100.3-FM and 100.3-AM
ABOUT THE VIKINGS
After holding his own against reigning NFL sack king Jared Allen over 11 practices, rookie left tackle Matt Kalil will be tested in live game action for the first time in what should be a long Vikings career. Assuming the 49ers play their starters, Kalil, the fourth overall pick, should get at least one series against one of the league's fastest and most physical defenses. Justin Smith, a stout and quick 3-4 end, and rush linebacker Aldon Smith combined for 21 1/2 sacks a year ago. ... Also keep an eye on right guard, where the starting job is Brandon Fusco's to lose; nose tackle, where Letroy Guion has to prove he's not too undersized to make the switch from under tackle; middle linebacker, where Jasper Brinkley will see his first game action since hip surgery wiped out his entire 2011 season; kicker, where rookie Blair Walsh begins dealing with the pressure of replacing veteran Ryan Longwell; and, of course, quarterback, where Christian Ponder is coming off a season in which he went 2-8 as a starter and threw as many interceptions (13) as touchdowns. Watching the depth, especially at receiver and defensive back, will be interesting as well. Rookies to watch include Jarius Wright, who had an unremarkable camp at receiver, and Harrison Smith, who has a nasty side that he'll get to unleash on another team as he tries to become a starter.
ABOUT THE 49ERS
It won't take the Vikings long to see how their refurbished roster compares to the best the NFC has to offer. The 49ers are coming off a conference-best 13-3 record that earned rookie coach Jim Harbaugh the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year award. The NFC's best defense -- one that allowed only three rushing TDs a year ago -- includes the best and most physical inside linebacker in the league in Patrick Willis. Offensively, the 49ers committed a franchise record-low 10 turnovers as quarterback Alex Smith had a stunning breakout season after bumbling through his first six NFL seasons. His five interceptions were a record low for the franchise and contributed to an NFL-leading plus-28 turnover differential. Running back Frank Gore, 29, keeps chugging along after rushing for 1,211 yards in his seventh season. And, oh yeah, there's the SuperFreak. After a year out of the league, Randy Moss is attempting a comeback in San Francisco. He's in a dead heat for the No. 2 receiver job with Mario Manningham and Ted Ginn Jr. Moss, 35, has a lot to prove. He flopped in 2010, catching just 28 passes with the Patriots, Vikings and Titans.
First Vikings preseason game is in 118 days
Posted by: Chris Miller Updated: April 13, 2012 - 11:30 AMThe Vikings' preseason opponents were announced earlier this month, and the times and dates for the games were firmed up today.
The Vikings will play at San Francisco on Friday, Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. (Central time).
Back-to-back home games follow against Buffalo (7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17) and San Diego (7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 24).
The preseason ends with a Thursday night game at Houston on Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. Central time.
The regular season schedule's dates and times will be announced on Tuesday night. The team will have home and away games with Green Bay, Detroit and Chicago. It will have road games at Seattle, St. Louis, Washington, Houston, Indianapolis and home games with Tampa Bay, Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee and Jacksonville.
Vikings avoid blackout
Posted by: Mark Craig Updated: December 1, 2011 - 10:47 AMThe Vikings announced this morning that Sunday's game against Denver will be televised locally (noon, Ch. 9) because enough tickets have been sold to avoid a blackout.
This will be the team's 142nd consecutive sellout at the Metrodome.
Vikings-Denver game moved to noon
Posted by: Dan Wiederer Updated: November 21, 2011 - 12:33 PMThe NFL announced its flex schedule for the games of Dec. 4, and the Vikings game against Denver has been moved to noon and will be televised by Fox (Ch. 9).
The game originally was a 3:05 start on CBS (Ch. 4).
The Detroit-New Orleans game will move to the NBC Sunday Night Game, replacing the Patriots-Colts matchup, which goes back to a noon start on CBS. Baltimore-Cleveland will move from a noon start to become the CBS 3:05 p.m. game.
The Viking announced that 5,800 tickets remain for the Denver game.
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recent posts
- Update: Winfield and Ponder on Vikings' injury report
- Behind Enemy Lines: After slow start, Aaron Rodgers carved Vikings up last week
- New cast may be key to keeping Winfield on the field Saturday
- Peterson, Walsh named NFC players of the month
- Michael Jenkins justifying his title as "The Professor"
- Sanford's investment, rapid growth typifies Vikings' resurgence
- Frazier on Harvin not being around team: 'It's purely up to him'
- Vikings experimenting with slot options in case Antoine Winfield can't play
- Ponder limited with bruised right elbow
- The words in Christian Ponder's pre-game speeches don't matter
- Ex-Viking Larry Bowie dies
- Walsh wins his third NFC special teams Player of the Week award
- Jared Allen: No 5-year plan, 'I'm here to win now'
- Practice indoors or outside? Vikings opt to straddle the fence
- Vikings defense still has plenty to worry about after Green Bay's explosion
- 'Instant Classic': Erin Henderson couldn't get enough watching Sunday's win back
- Playoffs nothing new to Charlie Johnson
- Pro Bowler Felton hopes he's found long-term home with Vikings
Post By Category
- Update: Winfield and Ponder on Vikings' injury report
- Behind Enemy Lines: After slow start, Aaron Rodgers carved Vikings up last week
- Michael Jenkins justifying his title as "The Professor"
- New cast may be key to keeping Winfield on the field Saturday
- Sanford's investment, rapid growth typifies Vikings' resurgence
- Peterson, Walsh named NFC players of the month
- Vikings receiver Percy Harvin says he's having surgery
- Frazier on Harvin not being around team: 'It's purely up to him'
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