Annual VikeFans Tailgate and get together?
OK, Now that camp is behind us its really time to get cranking on this thing. We are targeting the Tampa Bay game on Sunday September 24th for our annual goings on. We are once again hoping to do some sort of Saturday gathering as well as a tailgate before the game....during the game.... and maybe after the game as well ( watch out for the cracks in the asphalt...they can be a real challenge) for those that dont know... typically there are a few that dont have tickets to the game, but want to hang out anyway so we get a TV set up in the parking lot with the game feed going on it for those outside... (this is actually a pretty good time as you can really get to know your brethren and the beers is much much cheaper)
So before we set anything in stone, who would be planning on joining us? Please note "Saturday", "Sunday", or "Both" in your responses as well as how many would be in your group if it will be more than just yourself.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
OK- so as of right now for a tailgate i have the following
SkolVike44
Mike
Myself
RSexpress +1
1wildman +4
Nichelle + 17 (ish)
Zerk +3
Viking2 +1
MaroonBells +2
at this point we are at 37... nothing set in stone, I just wanted to do a head count so far. If you arent on this list we havent seen a response from you for the tailgate event.
@"JimmyinSD" said:No. Have tickets to the Bucs game and we park at the MOA and take the light rail up. We're lucky to find the car again at MOA, let alone wander around a tailgating lot looking for you guys :p@"RS Express" said: Saturday (the 23rd) is possible, but until where and when is settled I couldn't call it a plan. There would be two of us Would you be joining us on sunday as well?
@"RS Express" said:We will be right across the street from the light rail stop. And we will have a big sign that says VikeFans.com@"JimmyinSD" said:No. Have tickets to the Bucs game and we park at the MOA and take the light rail up. We're lucky to find the car again at MOA, let alone wander around a tailgating lot looking for you guys :p@"RS Express" said: Saturday (the 23rd) is possible, but until where and when is settled I couldn't call it a plan. There would be two of us Would you be joining us on sunday as well?
Excellent! Even I might manage to not get lost =)
You realize the arrow you drew crosses the rail tracks twice? :# Perhaps we'll just walk along them... B)
Actually you have to walk down chicago ave across the tracks and turn right into the parking lot. We should be against the back wall
@"Mike Olson" said:@"RS Express" said:We will be right across the street from the light rail stop. And we will have a big sign that says VikeFans.com@"JimmyinSD" said:No. Have tickets to the Bucs game and we park at the MOA and take the light rail up. We're lucky to find the car again at MOA, let alone wander around a tailgating lot looking for you guys :p@"RS Express" said: Saturday (the 23rd) is possible, but until where and when is settled I couldn't call it a plan. There would be two of us Would you be joining us on sunday as well?
thats not one of the lots that got nuked in the interest of profit? if we are still good to go we better get an earlier start than last year although I noticed that at least we arent competing with that marathon this year. ( and I am going to bring some warm clothes for staking out our spot... damn near froze to death last year.)
@"Mike Olson" said: We also need to secure a tailgating spot. Rumor has it that many of the spots that used to be available are now no longer there for tailgating.It seems that the Vikings and/or the city is squashing tailgating as we have come to know it. So if you know someone that has a tailgating pass that might be able to let us use it let us know.
History does indeed repeat. I remember I was about 20 years old when we tried to tailgate at the Metrodome during it's first season. The Minneapolis cops showed up, kicked our grills over and told us to hit the road, no more tailgating.
@"Vikes45" said:@"Mike Olson" said: We also need to secure a tailgating spot. Rumor has it that many of the spots that used to be available are now no longer there for tailgating.It seems that the Vikings and/or the city is squashing tailgating as we have come to know it. So if you know someone that has a tailgating pass that might be able to let us use it let us know.
History does indeed repeat. I remember I was about 20 years old when we tried to tailgate at the Metrodome during it's first season. The Minneapolis cops showed up, kicked our grills over and told us to hit the road, no more tailgating.
well we will have this year.. so you coming?
@"Vikes45" said:@"Mike Olson" said: We also need to secure a tailgating spot. Rumor has it that many of the spots that used to be available are now no longer there for tailgating.It seems that the Vikings and/or the city is squashing tailgating as we have come to know it. So if you know someone that has a tailgating pass that might be able to let us use it let us know.
History does indeed repeat. I remember I was about 20 years old when we tried to tailgate at the Metrodome during it's first season. The Minneapolis cops showed up, kicked our grills over and told us to hit the road, no more tailgating.
Yeah tailgating was being shut down for a few years. The city I think eventually realized that was bad PR for them.Of course there's a really interesting dilemma regarding tailgating... First seas of surface lots for city design are really a bad idea. They don't generate very much revenue for the city. Second they are crime areas. Third... well they are ugly when they aren't filled with us beautiful tailgaters.
But then there's everything that tailgating brings that is good. Thousands of fans getting together and getting along is great for the community as well.
The problem is that it is greed. The city wants their tax revenue by having revenue generating businesses on those lots. And for sure having businesses on those lots that employ people is actually important as well. And then lets face it as good of a facade that the Vikings have put on about having tailgating as an option they've always known that they would rather have people eating their food and drinking their beer for an enormously inflated price. These two factors are exactly why no site other than downtown was ever going to happen despite what anyone said in public. Also you have to factor in the infrastructure that was already in place and the desire to get the ROI on those infrastructure investments.
So we should just accept it and move on right? Not so fast. Large tailgating groups need to find the work around. There are many lots that aren't too much further down the line that are on those same public transit lines. Contacting the businesses that own these lots would be a good idea. See if any of them want to max $X per car. It might get spendy though as no business not experienced in it would have an awakening at the amount of cleanup that goes along with it (another gripe of the city as well).
I guess what I am getting at is this was an inevitable thing that has been coming for a long time. It's up to us to figure out how to work around it. Or just let the tradition fade. I don't think that is an option.
I would like to know is those lot owners actually can pull it off, or would the fire marshall or other city code enforcement be drug in to make sure that nobody else can take the money away from the stadium and it adjacent facilities. I have to think that if suddenly found a lot over by target field and made that our new tailgating home that somebody would throw a shit fit as the team would lose that parking revenue near the stadium as well as the concessions... but Im all for it.... I love trains.
The NFL is making fandom difficult. The Vikings stated that building the new stadium downtown would still allow for tailgating, but we all knew it wouldn't last.
I used to have access to the NSP/Xcel Substation on the east side (11th St)of the stadium site years ago. Then someone screwed that up for everyone by parking their car in front of some essential equipment that NSP needed so they shut it down for everyone...typical. I don't know if you guys would have wanted to tailgate in there however LOL. Careful where you set that beer!
@"JimmyinSD" said: OK- so as of right now for a tailgate i have the followingSkolVike44
Mike
Myself
RSexpress +1
1wildman +4
Nichelle + 17 (ish)
Zerk +3
Viking2 +1
MaroonBells +2at this point we are at 37... nothing set in stone, I just wanted to do a head count so far. If you arent on this list we havent seen a response from you for the tailgate event.
Jimmy. We are tentatively planning being there. So add 4 to the list, but could so be without my better half. So maybe just the kids and myself. Hope to know more soon.
UPDATE: It not looking likely that it will work out for a saturday afternoon/evening get together this year so the Sunday tailgate will be the only event. Of the people planning on attending, who will be heading into the game and who will want to hang in the lot and watch it on the TV?
OK- so as of right now for a tailgate i have the following
SkolVike44
Mike
Myself
RSexpress +1
1wildman +4
Nichelle + 17 (ish)
Zerk +3
Viking2 +1
MaroonBells +2
PurpleMachine +3
at this point we are at 41... nothing set in stone, I just wanted to do a head count so far. If you arent on this list we havent seen a response from you for the tailgate event.
@"JimmyinSD" said: UPDATE: the Sunday tailgate will be the only event. Of the people planning on attending, who will be heading into the game and who will want to hang in the lot and watch it on the TV?
Going to the game, section 311 row 10. Even if our offense doesn't show up, I'm sure Tampa's will :p
Don't have tickets yet but I plan to get them. Seems to be more available and slightly cheaper after the poor preseason. But looking forward to the tailgate. Be sure to let us know what the contribution is and how we can pay it. Also, if you need us to bring anything. Actually, considering I'll be on the hoof, I'd rather just pay someone.
@"MaroonBells" said: Don't have tickets yet but I plan to get them. Seems to be more available and slightly cheaper after the poor preseason. But looking forward to the tailgate. Be sure to let us know what the contribution is and how we can pay it. Also, if you need us to bring anything. Actually, considering I'll be on the hoof, I'd rather just pay someone.usually its just bring your beverages of choice, but if you have a specific request and cant bring it yourself PM it to me and we can try to accommodate. as far as cost... Mike and I are still kicking around the menu so that is yet to be determined. we were talking cuban sandwiches, but we have had a request for a BBQ so we are thinking of other ideas.
No tickets here but I'll be at the tailgate. If nothing else I can guard the TV rig lol. I will try and convince a buddy so put me a +1 just in case.
Edit Post (mod action — author will see a notice)
Warn Poster
Suspend User (3 days)
The user will be suspended for 3 days and will receive an email with the reason and information about how to appeal.