Oct 2, 2022; London, United Kingdom; A general overall view as Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) hands off the ball to fullback C.J. Ham (30) on the NFL shield logo in the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings head to London this season and will square off against the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That takes away a home game from U.S. Bank Stadium, but it is somewhat surprising to see how affordable getting into the game will be as tickets went on sale Friday.
For season ticket holders, one of the most disappointing things about the 17-game season is that you are afforded one less home game every other year. Having eight home games at U.S. Bank Stadium last year, they were in line to have nine home games this season. That technically is true, but one of them happens overseas.
While Vikings season ticket holders aren’t given entry into the stadium with their season ticket packet, they were handed priority access on Friday. With the pricing being revealed at 8:30 am, just ahead of the 10 am sale time, it had to be seen as something of a surprise. If you have purchased face-value season tickets for U.S. Bank Stadium, you’re used to prices of at least $100 and reaching into the $1,000’s. That wasn’t the case for the London game.
Although the prices are listed in Pounds sterling, the cheapest threshold is just over $86, with the highest price remaining under $250. The highest price point gains you a seat between the 40-yard lines in the lower level. A ticket of that stature stateside would run well over $500. The affordability of tickets as a whole certainly has to bring a smile to the faces of anyone attending the game.
Of course, for local Vikings fans, the ticket price only matters if you pay for flights and accommodations when getting to the game. That will cost you over $5,000, and of course, you’ll have other costs once you land in the United Kingdom.
Still, the cheaper entry fee to the game itself is a welcomed sight when already committing to be there, and it’s certainly something appreciated by those wanting to attend from London itself.
It remains to be seen what the prices will look like on the secondary market, and it’s possible that season ticket holders will be given a relative discount. That won’t be revealed until the general public is able to purchase tickets as well. For now, though, the NFL, Vikings, and Jets should be commended for not taking on a money grab that already requires a significant chunk of change.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.