The Vikings "have gotten the attention of the rest of
the NFL" by signing a two-year contract with KFAN Radio AM
to provide cybercasts of games on the team's Web site,
www.Vikings.com, according to Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis
STAR TRIBUNE, who writes the team is the first in the NFL to
have separate radio and Internet broadcasts. Vikings Exec
VP Mike Kelly: "This is very cutting edge for the league,
and they are watching it closely. I would say they have
been reserved but supportive." Vikings VP/Sales & Marketing
Terri Huml said that the deal with KFAN will be a revenue-
sharing agreement and two sides will split profits. Huml
also said that the deal "could mean an improvement" of 10-
15% to the team's bottom line, as last year, the Vikings
showed an operating profit of only $3-5M, placing them 30th
of 31 teams. Kelly is planning interactive features during
the games: "We are hoping to have e-mails, Q&As with
broadcasters and a number of different things. We are
trying to make it really completely different from the radio
broadcast." Zulgad adds that commercials during games will
be "limited," because many advertisers will have video
banners on the team's Web page. Zulgad writes that the deal
"would appear to be bad news" for WCCO Radio AM, which is
entering the final season of its contract as the Viking's
flagship station (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/14).
