Economic development? LA isn’t a fly-over city, it’s a fly-to city! LA does not need the NFL to draw people into downtown. The citizens of Los Angeles don’t see any benefit in buying a stadium for a billionaire. That’s why we don’t have a team.

For the record, AEG is ponying up the costs for the LA stadium. There’s a small amount of taxpayer cash, but not much (the original deal was zero taxpayer cash). The proposal for a stadium in the City of Industry (Orange County) is also based on private dollars building the stadium.

I also agree with others who are saying that if you don’t want the public telling you how to run your stadium, then don’t ask the public to buy you a stadium.

I love this ammendment! Kudos MN!

Wouldn’t the taxpayers want the same free-to-television for concerts, Monster Jam and whatever else they might use the stadium for?

My tax dollars help fund public transit, but they still make me buy ticket each time I ride.”
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Your analogies are patently false. The public transportation system is not BANNING you from riding the buses when they’re not full. Nor is the Minny state legislature saying you get a free ticket. Also, your Monster Jams that you are so fond of watching are not being banned on TV like the NFL does.

Actually, the legislature has every right since they are VOTING on using taxpayer money to build the working place for the owner of a multibillionaire. Even Herr Goodell stomped over to the Minnesota House to demand that they fork over taxpayer money to build the stadium. The legistlature is not demanding that people get free tickets, just not PREVENTED from watching the game at a stadium the people paid for. So, yes, the Minnesota has every right to step in.

Have some common sense instead of the knee jerk and brain-dead extremist far right wing rant against the “evil government”.

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You’re a dumb person

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I’m dumb? and YOU think the League will roll over for that bill? They’ll just say “thanks but no thanks, we have other takers for that team…good luck filling your new palace.”

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During the season the teams do practice in their stadiums; right? Logically, it would seem to be during a given year the team uses the stadium more than the municipality that helps build it.

As a buccaneer fan, I have to agree with this. When a team’s stadium is financed using public funds, the team should be required to purchase the number of tickets that it takes for the game to be televised.

I know that people are going to say that the fans should pony up the money and go watch their team play.

I was a Buccaneers season ticket holder until the 2008 season. I chose not to renew my season tickets when the product on the field did not warrant the price of the ticket and the per game increase that the team was trying to place on me. My season tickets went up approximately 33% from 2007 to 2008. Yes, the team did make the playoffs but there were other issues. Like cooking the books as I call it, siging players to rediculous contracts to meet the salary floor.

Reed Alberqotti of the WSJ stated in an article

“A person familiar with the finances of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers says that last season the team signed two free-agents, running back Noah Herron and defensive end Patrick Chukwurah, for contracts that totalled $25 million. Under the rules of the salary cap, the Buccaneers were charged that full amount for the players. But to actually earn that money, each player had to, among other things, block six punts apiece—an exceedingly difficult prospect. In the end, neither player ended up taking a single snap. Mr. Herron was paid $157,000 and Mr. Chukwurah $71,000, although the team’s salary-cap number reflected the full value of their contracts. Tampa Bay, which ranked among the lowest teams in spending last season, has lost all six of its games. Tampa Bay and NFL officials declined to comment. ”

I know some of you will say that the league minimum is this or that, but you’re not seeing the whole picture. Their contracts were totalling 25 million between the 2 of them which is way above the league minimum, it’s not the league’s fault they didn’t get 6 punt blocks each to earn that rediculous salary.

Now look at the teams record after the 2002 superbowl.

2003 5 – 11
2004 5 – 11
2005 11 – 6 – first round playoff loss
2006 4 -12
2007 9 – 8 – first round playoff loss

All of this with one of the lowest payrolls in football. Not much of a committment to winning if you ask me.

Then the 33% increase after the 2007 season was the last straw for me. I’ve refused to spend 1 dime on the Buccaneers since that season and I’m starting to come around now that it looks like they are committed to winning again.

The sweetheart stadium deal that the Bucs have is just outright disgusting. Would I be willing to vote yes on another tax for a new stadium. I would with stipulations that the Team be required to insure there is never another blackout.

Some of you will say that the Government can’t make a single team change the League’s rules. But you are wrong. The NFL allows team to purchase the unsold tickets for pennies on the dollar and that’s where the no blackout rule can be circumvented. Require the team to purchase the unused tickets (they could give them to charities or do whatever they like with them). That would be a win/win. The fans that can’t afford to go to games but are paying for the stadium in taxes can still watch, the team has some goodwill in the community by giving the tickets to Veterans, or schools or whatever.

There is a way around the blackouts without making the NFL change their policy.

“Get ready for min 10K PSLs. And min 150 dollar cheap seats.”

You should know that banning blackouts will not increase or decrease ticket prices (although it may be used as an excuse to increase ticket prices). They should have banned blackouts as well as requested fixed ticket prices.

“Your politicians are going to cost you your team.”

The politicians wouldn’t be the ones to move the team out of Minnesota. The league and the ownership are both capable of funding this stadium.

“Coming from an economist Bills fan.”

So your interests are the economy, and the Bills? No wonder your comments are always so gloomy.

Accordingly, even if the Vikings wanted to sign on to this absurdity, they could not. This dumb idea will be D.O.A.

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Uhhh, this is already the case. If the Vikes have MNF, for example, it airs on ABC.

Minny you want Ziggy to foot 100% of the Bill. Get ready for min 10K PSLs. And min 150 dollar cheap seats.

The smart play here would have been instead of going at the blackout rule would have been to say ok we will give 400M in taxpayer money to your new state of the art stadium but ticket prices will be fixed at a certain dollar for an agreed on time period.

Your politicians are going to cost you your team. Coming from an economist Bills fan.

Be better way to do this would be ok Vikings we will kick in 400M tax payers money to the stadium. But anything outside of normal home games we want more of the revenue split. IE let’s say the normal split for home games is 80/20 to Vikings. Well for concerts and a Super Bowl it goes to a 50/50 split of in stadium revenue until the tax payer investment is paid off.

Politicians kill me. I wish they would use a little common sense instead of pushing their agenda.

on the other hand; this is a TV rights deal, the NFL has the rights to……

My take is there really is not a winner or a loser on either side.

Minn do you want a team or not
NFL do you want to stay or not–thats the question

I do not support government involvement with private enterprise. I do not support a government holding a business (ie Minn Vikings) hostage.

I own a business, I get no help from the government to pay rent or PAYROLL–but I’m small.

I also understand the ecomomic impact these games have on our local economy

I also helped build our stadium here in Carolina by purchasing PSLs to the Panthers.

This is a very fine line between ecomomic development and future tax revenue and a sustainable business model.

I wish my small fish in the pond company had as much to offer a city as an NFL franchise does.

Good luck Minny

Say goodbye to your football team and all the millions of dollars that having an NFL bring into your local economy Minny.

There is a reason the blackout rule exists. Now if you want to talk about the long term impacts in your local economy losing a team long term over the taxes supporting the stadium go ahead.

I think you will find out that the short term tax support of 400 Million is offset in the long run by the stimulus a NFL team has on the local economy.

If you lose this team it will severely hamper your local economy and if you do not see that you are naive.

Try to be a little more objective. I said that it was a great idea in theory. But in theory, communism would work. All of the things your “leaders” have done is show that they are not serious about getting this deal done and are hoping to call the league’s bluff. But what if the league isn’t bluffing?
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Pretty sure history has shown that moving to LA has been “SUPER”successful, as about as successful as being a wide receiver and going to the Seattle Seahawks.

Yes it is a great idea in theory, but anyone that understands politics and football also understand that this will be one of the first things out when they go to committee too. I’ll be honest and agree with you about our “leaders”, I haven’t been too impressed with them, but the last time I checked it passed the house and will soon pass the senate.

Then they have a lot of work to do to get it done, but I do think it will and your theory about LA will be moot!

Who knows, maybe the NFL will laugh at that clause and then dare Minnesota to take them to court? On the other hand, if you’re serious about keeping the Vikings in Minnesota, now might not be the best idea to go puff out your chest and make a point. Considering the cards the NFL has, this is kind of like a jogger playing chicken with Grave Digger.

I am sure to get lots of thumbs down, but the fine State of Minnesota can not make laws that contridicts the contractural agreement between the teams and their television partners. They can sue and challenge the antitrust nature of the Contract but they cant void the contract. Maybe the idea of ending blackouts has come, but its not up to some part time State Senators to make that decision.

All of you fans should put your emotion aside and realize this is just another way of saying “dear Ziggy take your ball and go to LA–we dont want your income tax dollars in Minnesota.”

Can you say Minnesota Lakers? How about NorthStar?

Why? If you are too cheap to go to the games, you don’t deserve to watch them on TV. That in and of itself doesn’t make you stupid. What makes you stupid is that you think you can keep the Vikes, while the MN legislature is making sure that doesn’t happen.

They want to tax jerseys, tickets and condoms sold nearby. Good luck – come root for the Lions as we still have a little room left on our bandwagon.

“Ah, yeah, yah gottah have dah undercoating.”

Wouldn’t the taxpayers want the same free-to-television for concerts, Monster Jam and whatever else they might use the stadium for?

My tax dollars help fund public transit, but they still make me buy ticket each time I ride.