Minnesota Vikings season ticket holders recently received an e-mail survey from the team, asking if they would be willing to pay significant sums to secure the best seats in the new downtown stadium.
The Star Tribune reports that selling personal seat licenses is one option the team is contemplating to raise cash. The Vikings’ share of the construction cost is put at $975 million.
The seat license idea has proven popular–and lucrative–in NFL cities with new stadiums. Dallas, San Francisco and both New York teams have used seat fees to pump in millions in new revenue.
Lester Bagley, Vikings Vice President, said the e-mail to season ticket holders was part of the research the team is doing to prepare for marketing amenities at the new site. He said the Vikings have not yet decided if the seat licenses will be sold, and, if they are, how they would be priced.
Bagley said the team has not gotten much feedback from fans, but one season ticket holder told the paper that she thought the additional fees would “gouge” longtime team supporters.
