VIKINGS FACE TV BLACKOUT FOR OPENER BUT TWINS HELP ON DIAL

     With the Vikings' Sunday home opener against the Lions
"nearly certain" to be blacked out on local TV, the club avoided
a "another media problem" when the Twins gave WCCO-AM permission
to broadcast the game -- rather than the Twins-Brewers, according
to Rachel Blount of the Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE.  While WCCO is
the flagship for both teams, it is required to carry the Twins if
the team is within three games of a playoff spot, which is
possible by the weekend.  The Vikings game would then be
broadcast on KLBB-AM and WLOL-AM.  WCCO spokesperson Andrea Yoch:
"The Twins have been very cooperative about this.  We've got a
conflict every Sunday in September.  It's a matter of working
with the teams and trying to do as much as we can for all of
them."  As of yesterday, 10,200 tickets remained for the Vikings'
game (Minneapolis STAR-TRIBUNE, 8/29).