U.S. Bank hosted its first regular-season Vikings game on Sunday, and team Exec VP & CMO Steve LaCroix and Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment President & CEO Jeff Knapple, who led the sales for the building, talked about some of the facility's unique features before attendees at the ’16 AXS Sports Facilities & Franchises Conference took a tour. Clearly one of the most compelling features about the building is the 23 “turf suites,” or field-level suites. The patios of the suites are on the turf of the field, level with the elevation of the playing surface, and it is a suite experience that “literally spills out on to the field,” said LaCroix. The suites’ catering is baked into the prices, which start at $200,000. “The turf suites are a very interesting experience,” LaCroix said. “You do have a lot of blocked views because you are behind the bench. You get better views from turf suites in the corners. But you get a lot of sights and sounds, and literally hear the action on the field and sidelines.” There are eight suites in the end zone, “TD suites,” and those are slightly elevated.
UNIQUENESS HELPED SUITES SELL: LaCroix said all of the suites sold quickly, possibly helped by the fact that they are a novelty in the market. But, all along, the team was clear that they did not offer the optimal viewing experience. “We tried to be transparent as possible in the sales process,” he said. “We told them, ‘Your view isn’t going to be great, but you are going to be right on the field and seeing the players.’ We haven’t had any issues from fans who said this wasn’t what we expected. You’re right there, but you have to look over 6' 8" offensive linemen.” Knapple agreed with the approach, saying, “The key here is to be transparent. We let people know what this product delivers and what it doesn’t deliver.” He also sees field-level suites as increasing in popularity and here to stay. “Fans want access, they want that touch and feel and smell, regardless of if it’s a blocked view or not,” Knapple said. “It’s not my favorite view, but you are seeing it more and more. It’s not just a trend, it’s a fact. It’s happening and it will continue to happen.”
