Opinion ID: 1649985
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: Is the agreement with General Mills sufficient to insure the purchase of all unsold tickets thereby authorizing the release of the Vikings Football Team from the provisions of 473.568? (473.581, Subd. 3(m))

Text: M.S. 473.581, Subd. 3(m) requires the Commission to obtain a purchaser of tickets for not less than twenty years which will assure compliance with M.S. 473.568 permitting the televising of games. The amount determined by the Commission to be sufficient to assure the purchase of such unsold tickets is one and a half million dollars. The evidence reasonably supports the judgment of the Commission and the Council in this determination. The evidence discloses that the Vikings annually sell 40,000 season tickets and have a waiting list of 15,000 applicants for season tickets. In the past four years they have sold out every game and except on two occasions due to weather or other unusual conditions, all tickets were fully sold in advance of 72 hours before game time. The covered dome is expected to eliminate weather as an attendance factor. Based upon the Vikings history of ticket sales, upon the league averages and the present inflation rate, the agreement appears to be reasonable. Further, in addition to the Commission's agreement with General Mills, the Vikings Football Team has an agreement with General Mills that provides that such unsold tickets which General Mills is obligated to purchase by its agreement with the Commission, will be sold by the Vikings as agent for General Mills and such sales shall be deducted from the amount General Mills is obligated to pay under its agreement with the Commission. The Vikings further have agreed to pick up the excess over $150,000 per year up to a maximum of one and a half million dollars. If the past history of the Vikings ticket sales is any indication of the future, the amount of money General Mills is pledged to use to purchase tickets should be more than adequate.