Our 2013 NFL Tech Series provides a quick hit of tech insight on all 32 NFL teams up until kickoff of Week 1 of the regular season. Each feature includes the latest tech advances implemented by the organization in the effort to advance the team’s success… in a wide variety of venues. Stadium experience, fan engagement, mobile technologies, player performance and health, statistical data gathering and analysis… any and all aspects of the organization’s procedures in the effort to find success in the NFL is on the table. We’re uncovering those efforts, investigating those innovations and pondering the benefit they might provide, for the team, players and fans alike… today and looking forward.
Today’s focus is on the Minnesota Vikings as they look ahead to a competitive year following Adrian Peterson’s MVP award and the final season at Mall of America Field.
The Minnesota Vikings are on an upward trend. After a strong season from the team and MVP Adrian Peterson last year, the Vikings are embarking on a journey to not only improve the team but the fan experience as well. With most of the new tech focus in Minnesota geared towards the new stadium, the idea this year is to engage with fans and bring them along for the journey; after all, this is the last season at the 31-year-old Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome!
Social Engagement
Last season, most of the Vikings social efforts were geared toward the incredible season from Adrian Peterson. They initiated a campaign through Facebook called “28 for 28” for the final weeks of the season, which introduced 28 reasons why Adrian Peterson deserved to be named the NFL’s 2012 MVP. This kept fans connected and provided a platform to express their passion for the team and the season’s MVP. Director of Corporate Communications, Jeff Anderson wanted the fans involved, “through a variety of highlight clips, images, opinions from analysts, as well as a fan submission. The creative campaign allowed our fans to participate and provided a complete argument promoting Adrian as the MVP.”
Collaboration between Vikings Entertainment Network and the team’s marketing and communications departments has allowed an entirely new level of connection with their fans through the team website and social media platforms.
Now a season and MVP trophy later, the Vikings want to continue to highlight their star running back and exclusive content from the team. During training camp, the Vikings gave Adrian Peterson a helmet camera to film the first person view of him at practice. Fans could see what the league MVP views in the backfield and the video became very popular.
Also the Vikings are looking to have a much bigger presence on Instagram to provide some behind-the-scenes access to the organization. Team photographer Andy Kenutis will be snapping unique photos and videos using the new official Vikings Instagram profile, vikingsphotog. The Vikings have a geo-targeted social media plan in place for their game in London in September, and is looking to play off the fact that this is their final season at Mall of America Field in the H.H.H. Metrodome.
Uniforms
After a successful season last year, the Vikings are introducing a new look. With the fans input, the Vikings designed a more modern and classic uniform that embodies the Vikings tradition. Features include a matte purple helmet with a black facemask, a brighter gold accent, unique new font and numbers featuring curves that reflect the bow of a Vikings ship, and single gold and white stripes on the shoulders and pants reminiscent of early Vikings uniforms.
To promote the new uniforms, they launched the “Vikings Uniform Insider” campaign, a social reward program that gave fans a chance to earn 12 teasers – videos, images and other insights – into the new uniform design process. Fans registered with their name, email and zip code and connected with the various social media platforms. As they engaged with those platforms, they earned points that allowed them to unlock up to three teasers per week over the four weeks leading up to the uniform unveiling.
“These uniforms embrace the strong tradition of the Vikings but add a contemporary feel that speaks to the future of this organization,” said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. “We believe Vikings fans will be extremely proud of the new uniforms.”
New Stadium
The Vikings are in the midst of creating a state of the art, tech savvy, multi-purpose stadium for the future of Vikings football. As previously mentioned, this is the last season at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for the Vikings as they plan to open a new stadium in 2016. Construction begins on the Metrodome in 2014, so the following two years the Vikings will play at TCF Bank Stadium, which is the University of Minnesota’s football stadium. Unfortunately, for Vikings fans used to a dome, the ’14 and ’15 seasons will be played outside in the rugged Minnesota winters.
However, it shall be worth the wait for one of the most advanced stadiums in the country. This stadium is a $975 million project that will be designed with stunning architecture and efficient functionality. With the largest transparent roof in the nation, and operable doors that open to the downtown skyline, the facility’s openness and sleek geometric exterior will make it unlike any other stadium.
Some of the stadium features include:
- Approximately 1.6 million square feet.
- 65,000 seats, including some of the closest to the field in the NFL; expandable to 73,000 for a Super Bowl.
- Up to 125 suites and 7,500 club seats, including suites and clubs at the field level, some of which will put fans closer to the sideline than in any other NFL stadium.
- Seven levels, including two general admission concourses with 360‐degree circulation and various views into the bowl.
- Highest quality HD video boards in the NFL located in both the east and west end zones and video ribbon boards throughout the interior of the seating bowl.
- Over 1,200 HD flat screen televisions throughout the concourse for all fans in attendance to view the game.
- Lightest and most efficient roof structure in the nation for a major new stadium, which will include a single large steel super truss providing primary support for the main long span roof
- Largest clear ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) roof in the country and the first on a stadium in the nation, allowing connection to the outdoors from a climate‐controlled environment.
- Largest glass pivoting doors in the world that will open to the west plaza.
- Application for LEED‐certified status.
- Parking ramps with skyways from the north and south sides of the stadium and connections from the facility to the downtown skyway system.
“The design reflects the true story of the Minnesota community with its international style driven by climatic response and energy conservation,” said Bryan Trubey, design principal, HKS Sports & Entertainment Group. “The interior volume makes it the most versatile, multi‐use building in the country with the most advanced digital age technology.”
The stadium will have the newest state-of-the-art technology in order to keep fans connected to family and friends during games, and the facility will include a team restaurant and a Hall of Legends.
One of the coolest features of the stadium is the ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) roof that covers the southern half of the stadium. The glass-like substance will make fans feel as if they are sitting outside without being exposed to the elements. It will diffuse some of the direct sunlight and radiant heat to create a more climate control atmosphere but with the sense of being outside.
The stadium is built to deflect the bad Minnesota weather as well, so issues like the roof collapsing never happens again. Jeff Anderson stated “several characteristics of this roof are designed for the Minnesota climate. First, the slope of the stadium – rising from approximately 205 feet high in the east to approximately 270 feet in the west – will give the facility a unique ability to shed snow. Secondly, the translucent ETFE material will allow more sunlight and radiant heat through the roof, which combined with the natural rise of heat from inside the stadium will help melt the snow and ice. So where will all of that snow and ice go? Diverters will redirect it into gutters and collection basins located on the edges of the roof, keeping snow and ice from falling to the ground below.”
Looking Ahead
Since most of the efforts and time are spent on making the new stadium as great as it is can be, the Vikings are not wasting time on upgrading any of the features at Mall of America Field this year (which makes sense). They do have an app that features content from the team and new stadium updates, but they are saving major upgrades for the future. The Vikings have a dedicated page on their website that features updates about the new stadium as well.
The Vikings have big plans for the future. With new jerseys and a new stadium brewing, the Vikings are reshaping their identity. Hopefully the new stadium will give Minnesota leverage to host a Superbowl in the future. In the meantime, Vikings fans are looking forward to setting on sail on their new ship!