You raise some valid points, of course (as always), but one of the lessons you learn in macroeconomics is that nothing has intrinsic value. No matter how much value the seller might think his product has, if the customers aren't buying it, it's overpriced. Period. The RIAA can bitch all they want about music downloads killing their CD industry, but the simple fact is CDs are grossly overpriced; the same could be said for DVDs and even books these days. Similarly, when the cheapest ticket I can find to a crappy venue is over $150, and that won't even let my wheelchair-bound father-in-law sit next to me, I'm going to shrug my shoulders, grab a couple of cold brews, and sit back to watch the game on a bar TV or an online feed.

Sooner or later the NFL will have to come to grips with the cold hard facts: While player salaries continue to vastly outpace inflation, wages for the average American worker (even many professionals like physicians) have stagnated or even declined over the past three decades. NFL games are already primarily the playground of the affluent. Eventually there will be more seats than purchasers.

If you can't sell your product, don't blame the customers. Lower your prices.

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Agreed NS.. but look around the league there is only a handful of teams struggling week in and out to fill the stadium.. some have traditionally decent teams and some are the bottom of the barrel in terms of winning.

So league wide, the balance between cost and value perceived hasn't been tipped yet.. people still shell out money to go see a couple games a year..

In Minnesota, the team is usually in competition for making a run at the division.. so the product on the field isn't driving the fans away.

Been to the Metrodome 3 times for games.. it is far an away one of the worst venues to see a game.. from the parking issues, to seating/corridors limitations to the bathroom facilities.. it is sub par.

It is a revolving type issue.. sure the economic impacts lately.. but overall.. attending a game there seems more of a hassle than it is worth.. bottom line I think that drives more of the issues in attendance there than monetary costs.. at least it is for me.

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If the Vikings do move, to say LA, would they remain in the NFC North?

Or would they end up swapping with a team like the Rams?

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I think that is a possibility, moving to LA, but out a couple years.

They would remain in the North until the league would realign the divisions.. however it would remain questionable that they would take the Vikes out of the division.. similar to the rationale that was used to keep the Cowboys in the NFCEast... rivalries would be broken.. I think it would be interesting to see what the NFL would do in that case.

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If they move to LA, the league better change their division as well.

If not, I boycott the NFL altogether.

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http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/2747/have-at-it-favre-and-ticket-sales 

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Ohhh.. the stereotyping. How much do I love thee?

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Thank you so much, Silentio, for placing that link in this thread instead of its own thread! +1

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A lot? Did you read the post or listen to the podcast excerpt? The Vikings have one of the most exciting teams in what is probably the most popular sport in the U.S., with one of the smallest stadiums to fill and yet they consistently require corporate help to keep the games on the air. Pretty sad if you ask me.




No problem.

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'98 taught us how far exciting teams go. It's about the culture in the Twin Cities area.. First off, the majority of the people, if you stop and talk to, will not have a caring bone in their body about any sort of sports.. This place is LOADED with 'wuss' bags (I don't know how else to put it). The few sports nuts that are here, don't necessarily have the funds to buy season tickets/tickets to all the other major sports programs.

It looks like I'm making excuses.. And believe me, I'm not. You hung around St. Paul a while.. You know how it is on a different level. The only team that doesn't have any problem with attendance is the Wild. I don't know if it's because we truly are the 'State of Hockey', or if it is more to do with the fact that the state lost on NHL team.

As a guy who's lived here for many years, it's not as sad as you think. It's not like there isn't anything else to do but go to Vikings games. I love my Vikings, but honestly, it's way more affordable to be a season ticket holder for the Gophers football team. Not to mention, they have a dynasty-like tradition dating back to the '20s. Vikings, Twins, T-Wolves, and even the Wild don't have that.

What's sad is the fact that the real Viking fans are the ones that have to answer to the rest of the NFL when being called out as a piss-poor fan base. We bleed purple as much as you guys bleed green.

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