Minnesota Vikings ‘Top Candidate’ To Play In London, According To Report

Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press reports that London may be calling the Vikings as the next NFL headliner to play in Wembley Stadium in the next four years. The Vikings haven’t played overseas in 18 years but are the top choice as of now to fulfill the role vacated by the Rams as they focus on their stadium deal in St. Louis.

“We’ve expressed an interest, and there’s a process the league is following,” said Lester Bagley, the Vikings’ vice president of public affairs and stadium development before Minnesota’s preseason game against Buffalo on Friday. “We’ll see how it shakes out.”

Here is what Murphy had to say about why the Vikings could be the right pick:

The Vikings are ideal candidates because they have a flexible lease at the Metrodome, where they rank 31st out of 32 teams in stadium revenue. The club is also talking to the University of Minnesota about playing at least one season, and perhaps a portion of another, at TCF Bank Stadium, where the Vikings will earn even less revenue after paying to upgrade the facility to NFL specifications.

Still hurdles to overcome but this could be a great opportunity for the Vikings to jump on and possibly energize their organization and fan base as it attempts to make changes moving forward. Meanwhile, it would aid the league in keeping its commitment to the UK and continue strengthening that relationship.