The NFL Is Erasing All Things Vikings From U.S. Bank Stadium
First, the Vikings suffered a heart-wrenching loss at Philadelphia in Sunday's NFC Championship Game (and had to endure some less-than-Minnesota-Nice Eagles fans), and now the NFL is scrubbing just about everything Vikings from our own home stadium.
Don't feel bad, though, Vikings fans. The NFL isn't punishing the Purple and Gold for losing Sunday's game. According to this MPR story, it's actually just a process all stadiums that host the Super Bowl actually go through, to try to transform the venue into a neutral site.
In Super Bowl LII's case, the story noted, the Vikings' Norseman has been removed from midfield at U.S. Bank Stadium, and the distinctive 'Vikings' fonts have been taken out of both end zones too. In their places, the logos for both the Patriots (the 'home' team) and the Eagles (the 'visiting' team) are being installed.
But, wait-- there's more. The story also said NFL advance teams are methodically going through the Vikings' new home and placing the official Super Bowl LII logo over pretty much any other Vikings logo they see, too. And there are a lot. So when you watch next Sunday's game (you still are going to, right?), don't be surprised if the familiar Vikings' logos and colors at U.S. Bank Stadium are pretty much mysteriously missing.
About the only thing the NFL isn't changing (outside of the Vikings' signature Gjallerhorn, of course) is the distinctive purple color of all 66, 655 seats that surround the playing surface-- although, I wouldn't put it past the NFL to want to try and replace them as well-- and have us taxpayers foot the bill, of course. ;)
Listen to Curt St. John from 6a to 10a on Quick Country 96.5.