Brought to you by Mr. Cheer or Die and the Vikes Geek, welcome to the
Views and Personal Photos on the Vikes from the Inaugural Hall of Fame fan.
Brought to you by Mr. Cheer or Die and the Vikes Geek, welcome to theDear Mr. Wilf:
Once you’ve settled in and are comfortable you need to direct your attention on other vital elements of building a successful franchise, namely the front office and the stadium.
Whether or not you will be a new owner that will hold status quo in At Winter Park or completely reorganize the front office, you do need to bring in additonal talented people from a variety of backgrounds to begin work on driving the proposed new stadium home. While the current staff has been wonderful working with the state legislature, the job hasn't been completed. Perhaps new blood and renewed energy is needed?
You, not a family member but Y-O-U, will then need to work tirelessly alongside your staff to build a community consensus for local approval of what will later become our new Vikings stadium. You should set out to design a stadium deemed worthy of a first-class organization, thereby creating a winning environment and revolutionizing the fan’s experience and comfort at a stadium.
I would suggest to visited a number of different stadiums, draw from your own experiences as a NFL fan and ultimately shape every detail of the new venue. This massive undertaking, when finally approved, should open on time and budget to rave reviews, earning nods as the “crown jewel of the NFL." You see, we Midwest types don't like to be kept waiting, nor do we like to spend more than we have to.
The new stadium should feature amenities never before seen in modern stadiums, including huge video boards at both ends of the field which are now emulated at all new stadiums. And much like Raymond James Stadium's Buccaneer Cove and its replica pirate ship, the new Vikings stadium should have a signature. Maybe that would be a Valhalla type shrine to Vikings players past? In any event, the new stadium needs an area that can be pointed to and called our own. (Have your own idea for a stadium signature? Leave a Comment at the end of this entry.)
Once the stadium piece of the puzzle is in place the stage will be set to put a final stamp on the rebirth of the franchise. The team needs a new look. I'd like to see you work closely with NFL Properties to create a dynamic look that would illustrate the attitude and class of the franchise. A complete logo and uniform redesign that will lead to rave reviews. You will see Vikings merchandise sales immediately soar throughout the country, vaulting the Vikings into the top of NFL merchandise sales. I guarantee it. Plus, on the field, the new look will help create the attitude of a winner.
Throughout the construction of the new stadium, Mr. Wilf, you will need to create the sales and marketing strategies and campaigns that will lead to record season ticket club seat, luxury suite and group sales. And I'm sure Corporate sales will be vital in a market with four professional sports teams vying for everyone's dollar, so perhaps a creation of a prestigious corporate Purple Partners?
Whether it is yourself or your brother, other duties that cannot be ignored will include overseeing the organization’s annual budgets and establishing the club’s strategic planning in marketing, community relations, public relations, ticketing and luxury suite relations.
Knowing the personnel at Winter Park as I do, it would be in your best interest to retain the staff currently in place. The Vikings Children's Fund, community involvement, public relations and media relations have not been this positive since the early heady days of the franchise. You would do yourself a disservice by coming in and rolling heads. The crew of Winter Park is first rate from top to bottom. Keep 'em.
And lastly, keep the Bud Grant's, the Bill Brown's, the Joe Senser's, the Alan Page's, etc. highly involved with the team. Help the new fans understand how important these connections to the past teams are and how much they have contributed to the local community. Some of these new fans aren't exactly with it and need help connecting to the past. You know the types Mr. Wilf. They watch "Beavis and Butthead" to learn vocabulary. With these youngin's , it's like waiting on a toaster that's not plugged in. Help them by reintroducing the past this season, the teams 45th in the NFL.
Note: The next entry will be SHOUT OUT! Friday. Got someone or something you'd like to give a personal SHOUT OUT! to? Drop me a line.
Posted by maasx003 at June 22, 2005 08:27 AM | TrackBackBesides naming the stadium Valhalla stadium (I know, unlikely) I love the idea of a Valhalla HOF type attraction. The ancient Vikings also had so much mythology that I think it would be easy to come up with some signature attraction. Like statues of Odin's ravens perched atop the stadium looking down on the action. Or we could cover the stadium in runes. Thor's hammer could also be put somewhere, and of course a replica of a longboat is probably in order. So many possibilities...
And I'm surprised you are calling for a redesign of the uniforms. Surely you wouldn't touch the horns on the helmets ... would you?
Posted by: Shane at June 22, 2005 08:24 AMShane: The helmet logo can stay. It's a staple. I'm just looking for a fresh start to coincide with a new stadium, ownership, etc.
Posted by: Brian Maas at June 22, 2005 08:36 AMHow about nice bright yellow shirts with purple lettering with purple stripes on the side and purple pants?
Posted by: Cheesehead Craig at June 22, 2005 09:11 AMCC: Never know when you are serious or not. NOw then, I've seen the fad-induced yellow Vikings jersey's at games. Ugly as a warthog and would indicate that the fans are half as smart.
I just think you want to see another yellowed-jersey team in the North Division!
Posted by: Brian Maas at June 22, 2005 09:18 AMI'd love to see a series of statues outside of Valhalla Stadium, similar to the statue of Michael Jordan outside the United Center, or Robin Yount at Miller Park. Imagine fans walking past a huge replica of the Purple People Eaters on their way to their seats. I think that would be cool. Skol Vikings!!
Curt in Grand Forks
Posted by: Curt Hanson at June 22, 2005 09:43 AMTotally agree Curt. Anyone in the HOF gets a statue. Retired jersey's get a statue. Former owners from Texas do NOT get a statue.
Posted by: Brian Maas at June 22, 2005 10:04 AMRed could have a statue of the magnitude of the Stonehenge monuments in the movie This is Spinal Tap.
Posted by: SBG at June 22, 2005 10:54 AMSBG: When the Vikes win the SB this year, you can bet your bottom dollar that Red will demand a ring and to be present at the ceremony and parade.
Posted by: Brian Maas at June 22, 2005 11:02 AMI told Shane that I thought it would be cool if there was a platform where there were guys dressed up in Viking outfits pounding away on huge drums slowly then building up speed to a percussionary frenzy then the players come running out (not from under an inflatable ship) accompanied by the huge horn sound.
The Vikes would be the only yellow jersey team in the NFL. Plus it would be easier for Daunte to complete passes. Imagine the marketing: T-Shirts with the new Viking phrase "Yea we're yella". From Purple Pride to The Yellow Yellers!
Posted by: Cheesehead Craig at June 22, 2005 11:46 AMCC: Go to your room and stand in the corner the rest of the day. No cheese for supper. And no cutting the cheese to amuse yourself.
Posted by: Brian Maas at June 22, 2005 01:09 PMLots of great ideas. I, too, like the idea of the statues of past Viking great like Curt mentioned, although I'd go a bit further along the line of Shane's opening comments. I'd intermix action/black and blue-type images of Viking Football greats with warrior images of past Vikings/Norwegian mythological characters. These could be spread around the stadiuim and in a open concourse above the endzone.
Daren in Las Cruces, NM
Posted by: Daren Bloomquist at June 22, 2005 08:13 PMBrian. Red can kiss my >>> ...grits.
Posted by: Daren Bloomquist at June 22, 2005 08:20 PMA uniform & logo change? Are you crazy!? "Our uniform colors & logo are classic! That's what makes "our" team the Vikings. I don't want "us" to look like the new Denver Broncos or San Diego Chargers. Both of their "old" uniforms look a lot better. I LOVE "our" logo & uniforms just the way they are! Let's keep the Viking tradition!
Jesse
(in Calif.)
Just say no to a uniform change. I love the uniforms and logo and don't want to see any changes. I agree with Jesse that any uniform change would inevitably be terrible just like the Broncs and Chargers. The Patriots new uni's are better than the old, but the logo is already dated.
What I don't understand is the poll about Tice. He is a terrible head coach and needs to be fired. Personally I'm sure I would like the guy, but I like my friends too and I doubt any of them would be an effective head coach in the NFL. His handling of instant replay is atrocious, and he doesn't seem to understand that one has to adjust as the season rolls on. Each of the first two years he throws the same game plan out each game. The other teams adjust, but Tice just keeps pluggin along. His biggest flaw is that his team seems poorly coached, players out of position, plays slowly called in, looks of utter confusion on the sidelines. If he were released by the Vikings I doubt he could land a coordinator role on any respectable team.
Posted by: VikingDawg at June 22, 2005 11:17 PMJesse/VikingDawg: The best of the current uniforms (the horn for example) would be retained. But a fresher, updated look might be a spark for the team. And I think a fresh start once they move into a new stadium is warranted. Not to mention the extra income for the team.
As far as Tice, the fact that Zygi is going to sit on ANY contract talks with Tice until after the coming season speaks volumes.
Posted by: Brian Maas at June 23, 2005 07:58 AMZygi's a traditionalist. He will not be, nor should he be, interested in changing our classic uniforms into something "fresher." Once you've established a classic look you cannot freshen it without it soon becoming stale. "Fresh" means trendy and hip. Trendy and hip are ephemeral. The Vikings have a storied history, are based in ancient lore, and have no need to throw themselves into the sysiphusian quest for trendiness.
To be successful and marketable, the Vikings need only to focus on what they ARE, not on what they wish they were (unlike the forgetable previous incarnations of the Bucs and Patriots). Let our new stadium and on-the-field performance do the marketing for us.
Posted by: ss at June 23, 2005 03:40 PMSS: Yes, Zygi is purist. But I wrangle that he will not be engrossed in a uniform variation. You are forgetting that is an embryonic owner and his “traditional values” will soon give way to making the almighty dollar. One way to achieve that will be a uniform renovation, whether wholly or vaguely.
That in turn generates a cash flow that makes Zygi successful and thereby makes the team profitable. Zygi’s favorite team up to now, the Giants, have gone through slight variations over the years. Most recently in the 2004 season where they made modifications to all three jerseys, as well as new road pants. Those changes were very well received. Those changes brought in extra team revenue. That’s one of the methods in which the Giants will be entirely financing, on their own, a $750-million, open-air stadium in the Meadowlands that will open in 2009. Again, on their OWN.
In my years of working shoulder-to-shoulder with a former Vikings marketing director, I can assure you that Zygi (the business man) not Zygi (the traditionalist) will be looking into an electrifying uniform change that will most certainly leave remnants of the past remaining.
A new stadium cannot do the marketing for us unless the cash is available to actually BUILD the stadium in the first place.
You can change up the unis without going all Broncos ugly- the Colts have done so in recent years (horizontal sock stripes, those bars on the shoulders... stuff like that). They look pretty old school and compared to Denver, Atlanta, Buffalo, et al that is almost “fresh.” I would say that without changing things up too much maybe a darker purple and something different on the sleeves? Black shoes are pretty old school too.
Posted by: Neil at June 27, 2005 11:18 AMF.U.Billy! A classic uniform! "MAYBE" AFTER a SuperBowl WIN ... "MAYBE". A new look does not create a winning attitude; team spirit does that, winning does that.
Re.: "They watch 'Beavis and Butthead' to learn vocabulary.": Talk about the Pot calling the Kettle black!
Posted by: Mark Shcherban at July 1, 2005 03:09 PMThis whole thing about the Vikings having redesigned uniforms id F-ing LUDICROUS. What a shameful embarassment. First the Broncos then the Falcons finally the dolphins. The Dolphins had one of the all-time classic uni's and some dumb-F suggested Navy Blue to throw in with Aqua and Orange. What an Asssssss!
So here now, we too stand at the gates of Stupid Choicedom. Super. Whos the Ass, I want to know?
All i can say is that the final outcome better be DAMN close to the existing one and not some stupid Bronco/Falcons ugly-ass SWOOSH crap rip-off-copy-cat piece-of Cow-dung.
Im at a loss here folks. What an insult.
Mike Proud fan since Jan 13, 174(and im an avid CLASSIC NFL 1961to 1973 fan-so im well aware of things like the classic 27-10 victory in dallas,et al FAN)
How long YOU been with us??????????????????????
Bleed Purple......without SWOOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!
This whole thing about the Vikings having redesigned uniforms id F-ing LUDICROUS. What a shameful embarassment. First the Broncos then the Falcons finally the dolphins. The Dolphins had one of the all-time classic uni's and some dumb-F suggested Navy Blue to throw in with Aqua and Orange. What an Asssssss!
So here now, we too stand at the gates of Stupid Choicedom. Super. Whos the Ass, I want to know?
All i can say is that the final outcome better be DAMN close to the existing one and not some stupid Bronco/Falcons ugly-ass SWOOSH crap rip-off-copy-cat piece-of Cow-dung.
Im at a loss here folks. What an insult.
Mike Proud fan since Jan 13, 1974(and im an avid CLASSIC NFL 1961to 1973 fan-so im well aware of things like the classic 27-10 victory in dallas,et al FAN)
How long YOU been with us??????????????????????
Bleed Purple......without SWOOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!