Take moving threats seriously from NFL

Well, the moving threats didn't take long.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton

Following a meeting with Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton Tuesday, a top NFL executive told a group of reporters at the State Capitol that the Minnesota Vikings may have to move if the stadium issue isn't resolved.

Eric Grubman, vice president of the NFL's business operations, said the NFL is worried about a stalemate. A stalemate, he said, would lead to an expired lease, no plan for a new stadium, and eventually "an alternative plan in another city."


“That’s a stalemate, and the alternative wouldn’t include Minnesota,” he said. “That’s the way we look at it, [it’s] a crisis.”

It's not surprising Grubman wanted to deflect questions about the Vikings possibly moving to Los Angeles, the largest market without a professional football team. But he did add that if he were a Minnesotan, "any alternative other than Minnesota would be equally as bad."


Grant it, it's an arrogant thing to say and not the best way to sell a new stadium. I was also annoyed when he said the NFL would be open to chipping in as long as it reduced the Vikings overall contribution of $407 million while leaving a public tax burden of $650 million for taxpayers. However, Grubman makes a valid point about viable alternatives to Minnesota.

We've already lost two sports teams that have gone on to win national championships. We have also been exposed for the way we take care of our sports facilities and bridges.

Eric Grubman, vice president of the NFL's business operations

As I said Monday, it's put up or shut up time in Minnesota. It's time for leaders to decide if they truly want the Vikings to stay here or if they want them to go. Officials in Los Angeles haven't been shy about the desire to attract a team - any team - and the NFL has taken notice.

Dayton, a Democrat, is meeting with NFL and other government leaders this week to put together a stadium bill that will keep the Vikings in Minnesota. Since my last blog post, Dayton has called for a special session to to take place Nov. 21-23. He hopes to have a stadium bill signed by Thanksgiving and has acknowledged the possibility the team could move to another city.


The problem is it lacks support in the Legislature right now. At least that's the case in the Republican Senate, according to their spokesman Monday. Also complicating matters is Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch of Buffalo, who has insisted there be a voter referendum if local sales taxes are used to fund a new stadium. She added she was still in favor of a referendum after Ramsey County's charter commission voted last week against putting a referendum on the ballot.

Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and House Speaker Kurt Zellers

But perhaps the biggest kicker - something that has not been pointed out by anyone in the media - is that Koch and House Speaker Kurt Zellers have voted no on numerous stadium proposals dating back to 2006. They have also declined to pursue funding ideas for the state such as a racino.

Meanwhile, the Vikings were "encouraged" by the progress, according to a Minnesota Public Radio broadcast segment Tuesday. But judging from the tone of the report, the Vikings are putting more pressure on Dayton and the Legislature to come up with a viable plan to keep the team in Minnesota and aren't putting in much work to get involved.

The only input they have offered is that their preferred site is in Arden Hills. Yet there are a few sites in Minneapolis that could be in the mix and Dayton hasn't ruled out - further complicating things.

Hence, you can see why this is going to be a long and contentious debate. My only hope is that the Vikings - whether they're winning or losing - remain in Minnesota.

For better or worse, they give this state an identity and put us on the map. Without them, we would be the small state former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty referred to us as when he bowed out of the Republican nomination for President of the United States in August.