Daily Clips Monday, July 1, 2019
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DAILY CLIPS MONDAY, JULY 1, 2019 LOCAL MEDIA: Monday, July 1, 2019 VIKING Update Sunday slant: Training camp changes help foster young fans By Tim Yotter https://247sports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/Article/Minnesota-Vikings-training-camp-changes-help- young-fans-133290331/ PUBLICATION: VIKING Update DATE: 7/1/19 Sunday slant: Training camp changes help foster young fans By Tim Yotter While the Minnesota Vikings have made changes over the last two years to training camp that might disgruntle some fans, they are doing things right. The transition of holding training camp in Mankato for more than five decades – spanning the eras of Bud Grant, Les Steckel, Jerry Burns, Dennis Green, Mike Tice, Brad Childress, Leslie Frazier and Mike Zimmer – wasn’t easy on everyone. The City of Mankato and its businesses presumably felt a bit of a punch to the economic influx that fans brought to training camp, not to mention players making an occasional visit to the shopping malls, restaurants (perhaps even a bar) when time allowed. Admittedly, Mankato provided some respite of the routine of an upcoming long and punishing season, especially as training camps shortened over the years and featured far less physicality. Long gone by the time the Vikings left Mankato were the grueling, fully padded two-a-days, replaced by a walk-through and a regular practice. The NFL wised up and realized that a body that is consistently beaten on will wear down quicker, especially with some of the oppressively hot practices in late July and early August. Training camps had shrunk from six weeks to less than three over the decades. But the flock of fans would regularly enjoy the city, reunions with other fans, and the ability to get autographs after practices as players crossed the street or finding them on the way to the dorm. Those days are over, but the changes the Vikings have made in moving training camp to their new facility are mostly good. The worst of it for fans, however, will come among those that either hate suburban traffic or love the autograph opportunities. New this year is the implementation that the formal autograph sessions won’t be available to fans 19 years or older. That likely isn’t going to sit well with the adult crowd seeking autographs, but after 20 years of convincing me that some adults were sending kids to beg for an autograph from a player, perhaps to sell it later, this move might be right, even if unpopular. Like batting practice at a baseball game, training camp is one of those events that is best when trying to develop a love of the sport or team among the kids. If parents can foster that better with a greater opportunity for kids to get autographs, it’s the right move. So, too, is the new Helmet Hike. This is much like the Green Bay Packers having young fans loan their bikes to players for the ride to the practice fields. However, since the Vikings’ TCO Performance facility is built with convenience, efficiency and technology in mind, the practice fields are only 10 steps from the locker room. Instead, the Helmet Hike will allow select kids to carry a player’s helmet from just outside the locker onto the practice field for stretching and get a picture with the player. Again, the kids come first, as it should be. While the team is starting their morning walk-through an hour earlier and shutting that down to the public, realistic fans realize there is little to be gained from watching a walk-through. It is, as the name suggests, players walking or jogging through plays simply to make sure they are in the right spot. The far better action for viewing is in the afternoon practices. View this change as saving fans from themselves and the heat. Once again, tickets, 80 percent of them, can be reserved for free but must be acquired electronically. Again, some adults may not want to see the change to electronic-only tickets, but it is more convenient once they get used to it. Not every change will be viewed as positive by every fan – some will always prefer Mankato – but the Vikings tried to learn from Year 1 at TCO and are implementing change in Year 2. Most of it is for the better and building a fan base for the future. As the world changes, so does the NFL. Get used to it, because your kids and grandkids might just be getting interaction that sparks their fandom. .