Maturi says TCF COULD host Bears vs Vikes Next Monday Night

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Schnauzer

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This isn't hot off the press, but I did hear Maturi's comments on WCCO this morning and I didn't see another thread mentioning this:

Maturi said that the turn around time was too short to host tonight's Viking's game against New York, but he is currently talking to Vikings officials about NEXT Monday night's game vs the Chicago Bears.

Maturi said that the field and Stadium could be ready to go, and sounded like the "U" would be willing to help out (and cash a big check, I'm sure) if the Metrodome can't be fixed in time.

After hearing his comments it sounded to me like nothing is official, there is a chance the Metrodome will be repaired in time, but the game would likely be at TCF if needed and all the agreements can be made.
 

No doubt TCF is the best option for the Vikes and their fans. I expect it will happen if the Dome isn't ready in time.
 

It would be fun to have an outdoor NFL game in Minnesota, especially an NFC North game! I saw in another thread that Camp Randall is used for Packer preseason games, which I know is the appease the Madison market, but has it ever been discussed using TCF for a Viking preseason game?
 

It would be awesome for the Bears to go 1-0 on TCF Bank turf.
 

It's going to take a certain amount of time to make a call on whether or not the dome can be fixed in time. But it is also going to take a certain amount of time to get TCF ready. If they decide the dome won't be ready, they need to leave enough time for TCF to be prepared. They may not have to do everything that they would like to do to get the stadium "good enough". Getting the bathrooms ready would be a priority. If they can't get the water fountains ready, they could keep them closed and put in temporary water coolers.
 


goldengophers said:
It would be fun to have an outdoor NFL game in Minnesota, especially an NFC North game! I saw in another thread that Camp Randall is used for Packer preseason games, which I know is the appease the Madison market, but has it ever been discussed using TCF for a Viking preseason game?
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Not a bad idea. No one wants to go to preseason games as it is, if you look on stubhub, you can buy tickets for them for $2. It would make it more interesting if one of them was played at TCF.
 

Maturi sounded confident it could all be done in time. I agree the biggest issue at this point is the time table on the Metrodome. I suspect they will know TODAY how long the Dome will be out of service and if that time frame extends beyond next Monday, TCF will be an option and it can be ready in time.
 

Getting TCF ready for a game after prepping it for winter would be a good 'dry run' for an eventual hockey game too.
 

The U would have to find out pretty soon if they need to get the ball rolling. Heard somewhere that the officials of company that made and fix the roof are snowed in in NY. The dome won't get a time table until they get here.
 




Yesterday they kept talking about how the U needed about 4 days to get TCF ready to host a football game again.
 

Could the Twins swoop in and offer up Target Field? Heated field, heated concourses and a liquor license!

I do not know if it can fit a football field safely, but the Twins could step in and be the heros while Joel sits on the sidelines and cannot make a decision...
 

They should just announce the move and go forward. If they do some sort of rush job on the Dome, they're just going to open themselves up to a lot of speculation over safety, etc. It seems pretty unlikely they can get it done anyway and the loss of 14,000 seats isn't the end of the world.
 



Stan The Caddy said:
Could the Twins swoop in and offer up Target Field? Heated field, heated concourses and a liquor license!

I do not know if it can fit a football field safely, but the Twins could step in and be the heros while Joel sits on the sidelines and cannot make a decision...
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I can't imagine this. Doing the game at Wrigley took months of planning. There are many things that would need to be done to the field to configure it properly, temporary seats would have to be brought in. I can't see it. There's zero excuse for not having TCF available by next Monday. It would be epic fail by Maturi and everyone involved.
 

howeda7 said:
I can't imagine this. Doing the game at Wrigley took months of planning. There are many things that would need to be done to the field to configure it properly, temporary seats would have to be brought in. I can't see it. There's zero excuse for not having TCF available by next Monday. It would be epic fail by Maturi and everyone involved.
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What would have to be done? Clear the snow, figure out a configuration and prop up some goal posts.

Why would temporary seats need to be brought in?

Is Maturi capable of an epic fail? (Rhetorical question people)

I agree that it is a long shot at best, but was surprised it has not been discussed.
 

"Maturi says TCF COULD host Bears vs Vikes Next Monday Night"

There goes the neighborhood.




Kidding...kind of.
 

As long as no one needed any running water, heat, rest rooms, parking, concession stands, security, workers etc. they could have had TCF ready tonight!
 

Iceland12 said:
As long as no one needed any running water, heat, rest rooms, parking, concession stands, security, workers etc. they could have had TCF ready tonight!
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Or shoveled seats to sit in... The place is PACKED with snow right now.
 


I was also told by somebody in the know that there was a design flaw with TCF. The main area where the Gophers and vehicles enter the filed is two inches too small to fit dump trucks out to the field. So, when all the snow is shoveled out onto the field, it has to be hauled out of there in much smaller trucks, adding to the time it would take to clear the field.

When I drove by this morning, my first thought was , "it is going to take a TON of work to have this place ready in a week."

Parking on a Monday would be a nightmare with the U in session and all the employees parking during the day on campus.
 

Stan The Caddy said:
I was also told by somebody in the know that there was a design flaw with TCF. The main area where the Gophers and vehicles enter the filed is two inches too small to fit dump trucks out to the field. So, when all the snow is shoveled out onto the field, it has to be hauled out of there in much smaller trucks, adding to the time it would take to clear the field.

When I drove by this morning, my first thought was , "it is going to take a TON of work to have this place ready in a week."

Parking on a Monday would be a nightmare with the U in session and all the employees parking during the day on campus.
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Parking shouldn't be a huge issue other than that many fans won't be as familiar with parking options at the U. Really there is probably more parking in walking distance of TCF than at the dome.
 

Stan The Caddy said:
I was also told by somebody in the know that there was a design flaw with TCF. The main area where the Gophers and vehicles enter the filed is two inches too small to fit dump trucks out to the field. So, when all the snow is shoveled out onto the field, it has to be hauled out of there in much smaller trucks, adding to the time it would take to clear the field.

When I drove by this morning, my first thought was , "it is going to take a TON of work to have this place ready in a week."

Parking on a Monday would be a nightmare with the U in session and all the employees parking during the day on campus.
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Yeah, parking would be a major issue. Many don't leave work till after 5. I'm gonna guess they'd kick people out before then. There's definitely a lot of logistical issues that would be in play here before this could be done. I still think it's easily doable, just a lot of factors are involved.
 

year of the gopher said:
Parking shouldn't be a huge issue other than that many fans won't be as familiar with parking options at the U. Really there is probably more parking in walking distance of TCF than at the dome.
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It's not about those who are coming to the game, it's those who are already parked for work/school/etc. during the day and clearing them out for a game at 7:20.
 

Word is they have called in employees for the de-winterization process.
 


Iceland12 said:
Pretty damn funny, true or not!:)
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Heard it on the Common Man progrum first. He said he had "sources" that said they were coming in, then a guy called in to the show who said he was an employee and that he got the call to come in.
 

Have you ever been to the U of M?

year of the gopher said:
Parking shouldn't be a huge issue other than that many fans won't be as familiar with parking options at the U. Really there is probably more parking in walking distance of TCF than at the dome.
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What are you talking about? Parking in and around the U is full each and every day school is in session. Parking would be a MAJOR issue if there is a game on campus next Monday night.

It is either going to be an issure for Viking fans coming to the game because the lots are full from staff and students or it is going to be an issue for staff and students because they are holding the lots for the football game.

Either way it would be a major issue on a weekday.
 


Stan The Caddy said:
Could the Twins swoop in and offer up Target Field? Heated field, heated concourses and a liquor license!

I do not know if it can fit a football field safely, but the Twins could step in and be the heros while Joel sits on the sidelines and cannot make a decision...
Click to expand...

I doubt it can fit a field. There is very little foul space by design. Then again, they shoehorn a field into the Giants field and that is also a smaller one.

In the end I can't see it. It would be easier to get TCF up and running then to reconfigure Target Field.
 

Stan The Caddy said:
It is either going to be an issure for Viking fans coming to the game because the lots are full from staff and students or it is going to be an issue for staff and students because they are holding the lots for the football game.
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If anyone is inconvenienced, it will be the Vikings fans, because the U is not going to screw employees for a one-night event.

Plus, the parking is never compromised for any other weekday event.
 

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