Increased NFL Subsidies Leads To Sense Of Urgency In Resolving Vikings' Stadium

Urgency is "growing among NFL owners and league officials to resolve the Vikings' stadium stalemate in Minnesota," according to a front-page piece by Brian Murphy of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. Owners voted yesterday to "increase league subsidies to teams for stadium projects," and those loans "could provide the Vikings up to $200 million" towards a new venue. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said, "I don't sense (urgency) just from the ownership group; I sense it from the leaders in Minnesota, also. Everyone wants to find a solution." NFL Exec VP/Business Ventures Eric Grubman said the Vikings "are at the front of the line to receive a league-subsidized loan for their proposal." Grubman: "I think the pump is primed to take their application, but it's going to really start with a deal being put to them from state and local authorities that makes sense." He added that the Vikings "would have to sell enough club seats and personal seat licenses in the new stadium to back a $150 million loan." Otherwise, he said that the team "would be held liable for the money." The new program also "provides a $50 million grant for qualifying clubs." Jaguars Owner Wayne Weaver said, "The time is growing short." Weaver added that Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf "has been extraordinarily patient trying to make sure they're doing their share to get this done. ... Now, the government's got to step up and the fans have got to step up. They've just got to find a way to get it done" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/15). In Minneapolis, Mike Kaszuba notes the owners' vote is "welcome news for the team although the project's overall financing remains uncertain." Vikings VP/Public Affairs & Stadium Development Lester Bagley said, "We're not guaranteed to get all $200 million." According to NFL documents released yesterday, the loan amount would "depend on the total cost of a new stadium and the team owner's personal contribution" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/15).

LINING UP: In San Diego, Matthew Hall notes the owners' decision "could provide $200 million for the Chargers to build a new venue." Chargers Special Counsel Mark Fabiani called the announcement "great news for the team and our fans." Fabiani: "The final amount will depend on a variety of factors, set forth in the resolution passed by the owners today, and we will be crunching numbers in the coming days." He said the resolution "makes clear that each project will be evaluated individually, on its merits, so it is up to us to put forth an attractive project to the NFL -- and to get our place in line as soon as we can." With the Chargers, 49ers, Vikings and competing developers in L.A. proposing new stadiums, Goodell said that construction money "will be distributed based on projects' private investments." Following the league's announcement, 49ers President & CEO Jed York wrote on Twitter: "#NFL's next-gen stadium financing program approved today, confident that the #49ers will be the first recipient" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/15).

IMPACT ON RELOCATION? The UNION-TRIBUNE's Hall writes that it “remains to be seen” how the loan program impacts plans to return the NFL to L.A. and it is “possible those stadium proposals may not benefit from the league's largesse.” The new resolution requires that a stadium project receiving NFL assistance "must not involve any relocation of or change in an affected club’s 'home territory.” The question that raises is “whether the Chargers' home territory includes” L.A. NFL officials have said that L.A. is a secondary TV market for the Chargers and technically is considered the city's "local team" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 12/15).

EXPLAINING THE NEW DEAL: Goodell discussed the new stadium funding plan and noted it is “much improved over the prior G3 program, including additional money that will be available based on the private contribution to these projects." Goodell: "As you know, they become more complex and more expensive in these markets and we had to adjust our policy to participate in these projects and support these projects, both at the club level and the league level. We're the only league, I'm aware of, that contributes league money as well as local money to these projects. Again, I think that's why we have great facilities for our fans” (NFL Network, 12/14).