It’s finally here – the Minnesota Vikings will play their first regular season game at their $1 billion new stadium, and of all teams it’s against the Green Bay Packers.
The big question mark over Sunday night’s game was who would get the call at quarterback – Shaun Hill or Sam Bradford – and reports on Saturday that Bradford would get the nod have seemingly been confirmed Sunday morning.
NFL Network “insider” Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Vikes’ acquisition in the wake of Teddy Bridgewater’s injury will get the start, after Hill deputized last week against the Titans.
NFL.com says “this was always going to be the plan,” adding: “The Vikings did not trade a first and conditional mid-round pick for Bradford to watch him sit during the opening of the team’s billion-dollar stadium on Sunday Night Football.”
The 28-year-old former Rookie of the Year has a 25-37-1 record as a starter, but analysts have pointed out that he’s never played on a team as strong as the Vikings.
Roads closing around stadium
If you’re heading to the game, or indeed are just in downtown Minneapolis on Sunday, there are some things you should know about the roads.
Streets near the stadium will close ahead of the game, so plan your trips accordingly. Here’s what will happen:
- From 1 p.m: Chicago Avenue closes from 4th St. to 6th St.
- From 4:30 p.m: 4th St. closes from Park Ave. to I-35W, and Norm McGrew Place closes from 3rd St. to 4th St.
The City of Minneapolis says all streets will reopen an hour after the game ends. The game starts at 7:30 p.m.
You can find details on public transit and parking options for tonight’s game here.
Warning over counterfeit tickets
Anyone looking to snatch a last-minute ticket should be wary of who they’re buying from.
Minneapolis police warned earlier this week that some people will look to take advantage of fans desperate to get into the game and will sell counterfeit tickets at big markups.
Tickets are currently on sale on Stubhub starting at around $200 and going up into the thousands of dollars.
But police say it’s not just street corners, but also resale sites like Stubhub, Vivid Seats, Killer Seats and Master Ticket where counterfeiters can operate.
If you are buying tickets from someone on the street, you should take a seller’s photo or a photo of their license, and ask if they’ll walk to the ticket counter to get your ticket.
