DETROIT — With Sunday’s game at Ford Field being arguably the biggest matchup of the regular season, the Minnesota Vikings took a unique approach to ensure some of their loyal fans had an easier opportunity to attend.
Ahead of their divisional showdown with the Detroit Lions, the Vikings purchased roughly 1,900 tickets on the secondary market at approximately $1,000 apiece, spending about $2 million. The organization then sent an email to season ticket holders, offering the tickets for as little as $200 each.
The Vikings also informed fans the tickets were intended for their personal use and not for resale.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Lions noticed the unusual purchasing activity, flagged it, and later became aware of the Vikings’ email. An excerpt of the correspondence stated, “As a valued season ticket member, we want to offer you the opportunity to purchase lower-level seats for Sunday night’s game.”
The Lions reportedly contacted the league office about the Vikings’ strategic move but were informed no rules were violated.
The tickets the Vikings purchased are concentrated behind the visitors’ bench at Ford Field.
According to Breer’s report, the Vikings’ primary intention was “first and foremost to give players’ and staffers’ families a better experience at one of the biggest regular-season games in team history.”
One situation that caught the Lions’ attention involved a ticket holder who sold their seat on the secondary market for $724. The buyer then resold the ticket to Advantage Tickets, a company the Vikings worked with, for $1,200. The Vikings subsequently sold the ticket to a season ticket holder for $300. That season ticket holder then resold it on the secondary market for $690. The buyer, who could have been a broker, has since listed the ticket for resale again.
Sunday’s game between the Lions and Vikings will be a winner-take-all matchup, with the victor claiming the NFC North crown, the conference’s No. 1 seed and the home-field advantage that comes with it. The loser will drop to the No. 5 seed, making history as a 14-3 team opening the playoffs in the wild-card round.
While the game ultimately will determine each team’s fate, the Vikings’ maneuver is an unique gesture, given Ford Field seats roughly 65,000 and 1,900 fans from Minnesota may not have that much of an impact.
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