Photos by Charles Hallman
This reporter normally people watches at sporting events, and attending my first Minnesota Vikings game in this century Sunday, I caught more than two eyefuls: Nordic flag waving, horn wearing and other pagan-like rituals.
One man wore an “I Bleed Purple” shirt, and a very obviously pregnant woman fed her unborn child by guzzling beer as she walked to her seat.
Meanwhile, a row of knuckleheads stood pretty much the entire game and blocked my field vision — all except three wore Adrian Peterson jerseys, but mostly all were decked head to toe in purple. The only thing missing was a human or animal sacrifice — but I can’t be 100 percent certain that didn’t take place, especially after the home team’s third
straight defeat of the 2013 season.
Before the game, I spent about an hour walking in the dome’s concourse in search of Black fans. When I did encounter a few, they were asked this simple question:
Is it too costly for Blacks to attend a Minnesota Vikings game?
“It’s too much — paying your light bill or … going to go to a Vikings game? Which one you’re going to do?” said Maalik Harut, Minneapolis, who spent “about $200 bucks” Sunday on his two sons and a family friend.
According to the latest Team Marketing Report (TMR) figures, it costs on average $460 to attend a NFL game — a $16 increase from last season. TMR also devised a Fan Cost Index (FCI) — the cost of four tickets, four alcoholic or soft drinks, four hot dogs, two game programs, two adult hats and parking.
The NFL FCI has increased nearly a hundred dollars since 2007 from $367 to $460. Following is a FCI comparison of the four major leagues:
• NFL — $459.65 (Minnesota – $446.26)
• NHL — $354.82 (Minnesota – $353.51)
• NBA — $315.66 (Minnesota – $261.18)
• MLB — $207.80 (Minnesota – $221.36)
“The total cost of my trip is going to be around a thousand dollars. Lodging, airfare, parking, food, tickets for the game,” reported Sylvester Blue of Dallas, Texas.
“We spent about $300 each because I try to buy good tickets. The tickets came to about $85 apiece, and about $200-$250 [on food and other items],” estimated Lonnie Crane of Minneapolis on Sunday’s game for himself and his visiting friend Ron Diggs from Philadelphia. Both men said that combined at least a thousand dollars was spent on Sunday’s event.
“I got [three] kids, so I probably spend $400-$500,” added J.T. Jones, who was part of a traveling group from Atlanta, Ga.
James Montague, Sr. of Oakdale said he spent roughly $400 at Sunday’s game, “Your normal pop, tickets and parking … for my family of four,” which included his two sons’ first-ever Vikings game.
Considering the cost, it appears that it’s cheaper to stay home and watch the Vikings on television. If not anything else, at least it’s less obstructed.
“There are a lot of Blacks who [have been] Vikings fans since [the team] started” Harut said. “My mom and a lot of my family members all like the Vikings but some of them can’t afford to come to the games, so we have to watch it on TV.
“If you can get the tickets at a discount, that’s when you will see a lot of minorities here. It’s not cheap to come here.”
For more impressions of Sunday’s Vikings game, go to “Another View” on the MSR website.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
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