From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee, across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea…those are the descriptive lyrics penned by Lee Greenwood to his famous song God Bless the U.S.A.
While Greenwood’s patriotic rendition captures and expresses the emotions many feel about being an American, the first stanza of his song is also an accurate way to detail the size of Vikings nation.
The Vikings have season ticket holders in all 50 states, including Washington D.C., as well as accounts in the United Arab Emirates, England and six provinces in Canada. Outside of Minnesota, the state with the most Vikings season ticket holders is Wisconsin, with 555. Discounting the five-state area, Illinois reigns as king of Vikings nation with 185 accounts. Manitoba has 50, England three and the UAE one.
Over the course of time and with the help of Bud Grant, the Purple People Eaters, four Super Bowl appearances and now the Wilf family, Vikings nation has grown worldwide.
“We are proud that our fan base extends to all 50 states and beyond,” said Steve LaCroix, Vikings Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “With so many passionate and loyal followers across the U.S., Canada and internationally, our organization takes seriously our responsibility to create and promote the strongest entertainment product possible as well as provide our fans with a brand they can be proud of and call their own.”
As many in the Vikings organization have come to find out, the fan base extends well beyond season ticket holders and the five-state area. Vikings Cheerleader Coach Tami Krause, who has traveled the country and the world with her team of cheerleaders for 11 years, says that Vikings fans can be found everywhere.
“One memory I have is from a trip to Acapulco, Mexico, when the ladies were arriving at an event,” Krause explained. “As we were walking into the building where their scheduled appearance was located, a group of people that were passing by starting yelling 'Vikingos! Vikingos!' and came running over. I asked our escort if there seemed to be a real following in that area and he said ‘Oh yes! The Vikings are loved by most.’ It was then and there, and I still remember it as if it were yesterday, that I realized how the Vikings franchise is reaching people all over the world.”
Around since January of 1960 when the NFL granted Minnesota a franchise and Max Winter and his ownership group founded the team, the Vikings have had nearly 50 years to garner passionate fans and develop a loyal fan base. Vikings fans have filled the Metrodome to capacity for 98 consecutive games, a true testament to the commitment and loyalty of the fan base and an indication that Vikings fans truly love football and their team.
The Vikings are constantly striving to reach out to their supportive fan base. Recently, the team launched a social network site called WeAreVikingsFans.com. On the site, Vikings fans are able to create personal profiles in order to find and communicate with other fans and teammates. Also, the Vikings have purchased and designated four parking lots near the Metrodome as tailgating lots, giving fans a prime location to gather before and after games to cheer on their team.
The relationship between the Vikings and their fans is truly unique and the organization cherishes the loyalty and passion of their followers. So, to borrow a word or two from Mr. Greenwood, “From Detroit down to Houston, and New York to L.A.” there’s pride in every Vikings fan’s heart and the organization is thankful.