There has been plenty of chatter surrounding the Vikings’ extremely rare international doubleheader, most of it positive. For starters, the Browns will arrive just days before their week five overseas date with the Vikings (in London).

While they are fighting jet lag and the many distractions that come with playing these novelty regular season games, the Minnesota Vikings should already be well adjusted, being they’ll arrive a full week earlier and having already played one game just one short plane ride away.

In theory, with this rare overseas doubleheader, Minnesota is also turning two of next season’s away games into neutral site matchups. Not only that, but they are undefeated in both regular (4-0) and exhibition (4-0) games outside of the USA borders, during the Vikings long-storied franchise history.

How many people were trying to get Dublin (Minnesota Vikings vs Pittsburgh Steelers) tickets…?

Speaking of drawing well, tickets for Vikings vs Steelers in Ireland on September 28 went on sale Tuesday morning at TicketMaster.com. When fans in the USA logged on bright and early to try and snag a 2025 PIT vs MIN ticket, however, they were greeted to quite the unwelcome surprise.

According to the automated online queue, those fans were told that hundreds of thousands of people were ahead of them in line, to purchase what appeared to be the hottest ticket in the world, all of a sudden. At its peak, the queue reached an unimaginable 600,000+ supposed people.

Been waiting months for the tickets to drop for Steelers game in Dublin. Get in the queue as early as you can get in. Only to see a quarter of a million people ahead of you like wtf🤦🏻‍♂️😂Been in the queue 38 minutes & it’s only gone down 271 people.Find that a lil hard to believe🤦🏻‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/FbEwtZOQDF

— Cam⚫️🌕 (@KillaCam0531) June 17, 2025

Related: Anonymous NFL Coach Gushes Over Minnesota Vikings Rookie

Finally arrived in the queue for the NFL Dublin Game tickets 😂 pic.twitter.com/LRoQuIEGfz

— René Bugner (@RNBWCV) June 17, 2025

Don’t worry. If you forgot to set an alarm for this morning, tickets are still available and the queue looks nothing like it did earlier in the day. In fact, you can take your chance now and wait a mear minute or two, vs some this morning who waited multiple hours.

WTF is going on in the TicketMaster queue?

But that begs the question: If there were that many interested people, when those tickets went on sale, how did the game not sell out in minutes? In case you are curious, Croke Park in Dublin holds an impressive 82,000 people, more than U.S. Bank Stadium (70,000).

In case you struggle with math, the 750,000 people who have supposedly gone through the Minnesota Vikings vs Pittsburgh Steelers TicketMaster queue could sell the place out over nine times. Yet somehow (as of 1:50 PM CDT on Tuesday), you can login and still purchase multiple tickets all over the stadium.

Maybe the huge 600K number waiting in the Vikings vs Steelers (Dublin) ticket queue was mostly bots, a tech mistake? Here's what it looks like at 12:40 PM CDT. Tickets still available… pic.twitter.com/THeeW01eQN

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) June 17, 2025

I have reached out to TicketMaster for more information on what happened with today’s queue, which exponentially outperformed other international NFL games that use the same system, including the Vikings’ very next game one week later in London vs the Browns.

It is worth noting, however, that tickets for that game in London remain much more widely available than week four in Dublin. If/when TicketMaster responds to our inquiry, this article will be updated.

Still, the Thunder are doing their best to make sure that their home-court advantage in this seven-game set doesn’t go to waste. If you are a Minnesota Timberwolves fan (or even a Thunder fan) who does not live in the OKC local viewing area (Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and Nebraska), then you are not allowed to purchase tickets through the team’s (and NBA’s) direct ticket sales partner, TicketMaster.com for this series.

OKC Thunder won’t sell WCF tickets to out of town Minnesota Timberwolves fans (or anyone else)

They aren’t hiding it, either. When you navigate to the OKC Thunder Ticketmaster site, you get this ***VERY IMPORTANT*** disclaimer at the top of the page (H/T to @UltimateNBA_H on X for noticing this and putting it on the internet).

All sales to this event will be restricted to residents of Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Nebraska will be canceled without notice and refunds given.

TicketMaster – Oklahoma City Thunder Playoff Games

😳🤯WAIT, can I seriously not go support my @Timberwolves in Game 1 & 2 vs OKC Thunder!? I’m trying to checkout and getting a message that my order will be canceled because I’m not a resident!! pic.twitter.com/36gCVblEAR

— Catrell Maclin (@UltimateNBA_H) May 19, 2025

I have never heard of this before. A team telling its official ticket vending partner that it cannot sell tickets to anyone outside of a certain geographical area assumedly that is much more likely to have their own fans in it, as opposed to outside of that area (like Minnesota and the surrounding states).

Related: Shaq Retells Story Proving NBA (Probably) Rigged 1992 Draft Lottery Against the Timberwolves

Just to be sure that this is not an unknown thing around the league, I checked the Minnesota Timberwolves’, New York Knicks’ and Indiana Pacers’ Ticketmaster sites and confirmed that there is no such mention of geographical restrictions when you purchase tickets for any other home venue of the four teams remaining in the 2025 NBA Playoffs other than the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Paycom Center.

Just imagine being that afraid of road fans taking over your arena. Be better, OKC Thunder. Be better.

Good luck getting into Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions game, peasants

Of course the only thing standing between you and seeing the Vikings beat the Lions in person this weekend? Money. Lots and lots of money… Obviously, the only tickets you can get to Sunday’s matchup at U.S. Bank Stadium are on the secondary market.

That’s the case for every game. But this week, it won’t just cost you an arm and a leg. It’ll take all those limbs to get in, and that’s before you buy any beer or popcorn. It makes sense. This game isn’t just a big matchup locally, it’s the best game in the NFL for week 7. The winner will be the odds-on favorite to win the NFC.

Tickets are HOW MUCH?!?!? pic.twitter.com/GB5dwd8TTc

— Addison SZN 5-0 (@MNsportsFan09) October 15, 2024

Tickets to Minnesota Vikings games are always expensive. The break even price for a seat in section 140 at U.S. Bank Stadium this season comes out to $175 per seat. But $800 on the second level? $300 for nosebleeds? The secondary market only goes wild like this when the Green Bay Packers are in town.

As a season ticket holder myself, I can confirm how insane these prices are. Others around the internet who sling Vikings tickets every week or buy/sell them a lot are saying the same thing. This is not any normal Sunday afternoon game at The Bank.

Current ticket prices for Vikings vs Lions

As of Wednesday morning the get-in prices at multiple sites are all off the charts. StubHub has an option for $210 while the cheapest at SeatGeek is $211. Ticketmaster, which is the official resale platform for the Vikings, checks in at $240. The Colts game can be entered for $135 and you can get in to see the Cardinals for less than $100.

Related: 4 Stats to Know for Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings Matchup, Analyzing Impact

Just a couple of weeks ago, lower level tickets against the Lions could be had for right around $200 (I was looking into selling mine, at the time). The win in London was like a shot of anabolic steroids into the market. The Lions destroying Dallas by 40 only acted as an additional boost of HGH.

Yes. This is absolutely insane for a Vikings game. Insane! https://t.co/obLM6y4i92

— SB24 (@SkolBros) October 15, 2024

Minnesota starting 6-0 would be a continuation of an improbable run to start the season. It would also further cement their legitimacy both in the division and across the entire NFL.

Related: What Does Cam Akers Trade Mean for Aaron Jones, Vikings RB Situation?

Whether you are able to take in the Vikings win in person or not, it’s clear the ticket market reflects just how important this early-season tilt is. Minnesota is slight favorites to come out victorious.

No fees for pivotal Minnesota Twins series tickets

The Minnesota Twins are still attempting to chase down the Cleveland Guardians. The want to keep the Kansas City Royals in the rearview mirror. A ticket promotion is on deck to draw fans towards Target Field. The franchise looks to pack the park against a pair of key rivals. Ticket fees are being waived as part of the process.

Target Field is LOUD and SOLD OUT tonight! Same time next week?

For no ticket fees vs CLE & KC – use code ALShowdown at checkout (code expires at midnight CT on 8/7)!

🎟️ https://t.co/DSUBpte5A8 pic.twitter.com/2nPEC4vIre

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 4, 2024

You must use code “ALShowdown” to trigger the offer. From a direct purchasing standpoint, the waiving of fees will save you $8.25 per ticket through the Minnesota Twins. There are never fees associated at the box office itself. That could create logistical issues if you are seeking a certain section with these games being well-attended. Currently the lowest “get-in” price for Friday night’s game against Cleveland on reseller site StubHub is $60. That jumps up another $21 due to fees and taxes.

Related: Minnesota Twins Continue Ascent up MLB Power Rankings

Minnesota Twins need Target Field rocking

The Guardians come to town fresh off a doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both Minnesota and Cleveland have off days on Thursday. Stephen Vogt’s team will be welcomed with another doubleheader on Friday. The Twins have yet to beat the Guardians this year. A split is probably the worst case scenario they want to envision.

Minnesota does own a winning record against the Kansas City Royals this year. That comes with an asterisk as they have a negative run differential in those games. The Twins need to take something like five of seven games if they want to substantiate their position within the division. It’s smart of Minnesota to offer promotional deals with tickets, and it’s odd that it hasn’t been more prevalent in a year of terrible public relations.

Sellout crowd means Jhoan Duran's entrance is particularly amped up. pic.twitter.com/KhYdF19mib

— Tyler Mason (@tylermason21) August 4, 2024

Target Field has seen some significant crowds of late. The weekend looks like it should bring wonderful temperatures with sunshine and no rain. If there is a set of series that Rocco Baldelli’s club needs the stadium to be loud, it is definitely both of these.

Related: Minnesota Twins Headed Back to Comcast

That left Johnson with nothing but the transfer portal to fill his new maroon and gold roster. But without any expectations or resume to sell prospective transfers, the Gophers were left with small school veterans who overachieved at their first stop.

So fans were ready to give Ben a rookie pass, like most fanbases, even if individual games and/or the final record were awful. Oh, and this was all before two of their best players, Parker Fox and (Pitino’s only holdover) Isaiah Ihnen, suffered season-ending injuries in the offseason.

It’s gonna be ugly this year for Gopher MBB fans. Be ready. If you know it’s coming, the actual results should be easier to stomach. https://t.co/GfHRzxBf9y

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) September 8, 2021

Fast Forward to Undefeated

But then, the season started. And guess what? All the Minnesota Gophers do is continue to win games. Both at The Barn and away from it. Early on, they beat Princeton and Western Kentucky, two teams picked to finish high in their respective non-power-5 conferences.

After cleaning up on a couple of less than lesser non-conference opponents following that Asheville Championship run, the Gophers were confronted with the ACC/B1G Challenge. Their opponent was Pittsburgh, a team expected to finish near the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference come season’s end. Still, they squeaked out another victory.

Next up was their stiffest competition yet, a middle of the road SEC team, Mississippi State. Another win. Sure, they took it down to the wire but overall, it was probably their best performance yet. Minnesota lead wire-to-wire and had control of that entire game. The final score does not project reality to someone who didn’t watch.

But no matter, the victory meant that Ben Johnson’s first-year Minnesota Gophers were 7-0 entering early Big Ten play, a feat not even the biggest optimist foresaw.

#Gophers receive 7 Top 25 votes in this week's Coaches Poll. Unreal start to this season for Ben Johnson. The team looked like they were legit having fun yesterday.

— Zips (@zipsofakron) December 6, 2021

Pack the Barn

And that brings us to Wednesday evening (8 PM CT), when the Gophers will welcome the Michigan State Spartans to Williams Arena for the first of two early Big Ten games. And by the end of the week, we will know a lot more about what kind of team Ben Johnson really has for this stretch run of 2021-22.

Because after their matchup vs the Spartans, they’ll follow them back to Michigan to face their in-state rival, the Michigan Wolverines, who entered the season ranked in the top-10 nationwide, but have since fallen out of the top-25 after losses to Seton Hall, Arizona and North Carolina.

In other words, we cannot discount how successful this early season has been for the Golden Gophers men’s basketball team. And while we still aren’t sure what will come of Ben Johnson’s rookie campaign, we should celebrate that early success later this week.

Gopher basketball fans should pack The Barn and show support for their new coach. Make a difference. Show these new Minnesota basketball players what playing in a full William’s Arena is really like. Help make life difficult for the Spartans.

Let's pack The Barn this Wednesday when your 7-0 #Gophers open up Big Ten play vs. Michigan State!

???? Get your tickets now: https://t.co/4ci2UBA0oV pic.twitter.com/jrg80oI0hr

— Minnesota Men's Basketball (@GopherMBB) December 6, 2021

And who knows, maybe you’ll leave cheering for an 8-0 basketball team… I promise, nobody at the University of Minnesota contacted me before writing this blog.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Going to arenas and stadiums to watch high-level college and professional sports teams, is dying. TV’s are getting bigger and clearer. Lives are getting busier and relying more on convenience.

And going to high-level sporting events is expensive as fuck. The profit margin for fountain pop at a [insert favorite team here] game still give rich old men like Glen Taylor and Jim Pohlad erections that last longer than 4 hours.

But with times changing, so must these sports organizations, when it comes to the game day experience. Making concessions and apparel cheaper is a huge step in the right direction and the Timberwolves realize that.

If you buy season tickets with the Wolves for 2020-21, you get 50% off concessions, including apparel…. food… and ALCOHOL.

That’s right. You can now get hammered at a Wolves game, if you hold season tickets, for half the cost of any previous season.

Wolves have put out season ticket plan for 2020-21:
-No price increase
-2 year price guarantee
-season ticket holders get 50% off concessions, including alcohol, and merch
-If you have tix to a game and can’t make it/don’t want to, you can turn exchange them for another game

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) February 12, 2020

Wolves are last in attendance this season. They know they need to get fans back. Of course: best way is to win.

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) February 12, 2020

Let’s be real. Glen wasn’t going to raise prices after the product he’s put on the floor over the last two years. A two-year price lock is nice, I guess.

But again, how big time are the 50% concessions? You need to eat/drink while you watch games. It’s as necessary as breathing. But, seeing the $27 price tag on a small pop and a pack of Twizzlers, makes me want to pickpocket the guy next to me…

Add a couple beers + a Mike’s Hard Pounder… and now I’m out here begging for spare change after games like I’m Latrell Sprewell. But not next year for season ticket holders.

So, if you are bought in on the new vision of the Timberwolves, go get season tickets. Don’t do it for the team or to make Glen feel better…

…do it for the 1/2 price snacks and foam fingers.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

PJ has done a lot of things right since taking over the Minnesota Gophers Football Program (read below for a bunch of examples) but he knows it’s time to win and he wants to get people in the stands to watch it happen, even if it means giving away scholarships and (essentially) tickets:

Set your clocks for 10:00am Thursday, #Gophers.

For 24 hours, you can get $10 tickets online for our first game at TCF Bank Stadium.

State Fair Special Details: https://t.co/KVzf70Tjei pic.twitter.com/8dodh312Tw

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) August 19, 2019

A scholarship for two students in the stands every game this year.

The #RTB Scholarship is ready for 2019- are you?

Student Tickets: https://t.co/43IAwGlqTe pic.twitter.com/DdX3WhIJMN

— Minnesota Football (@GopherFootball) August 18, 2019

That’s right, get on your laptop on Thursday morning and be ready to buy those $10 tickets and if you’re a student, get your ass to this link so YOU CAN PURCHASE SEASON TICKETS FOR $100, ARE YOU SHITTING ME….? You can’t go get drunk with your girlfriend/boyfriend for $100, and you could win free schooling for the rest of your stay… (trust me when when I say this… just that chance is worth it)

Coyle and Fleck are pulling out all of the stops, because no matter how good your product looked at the end of last year’s showcase, or how weak your schedule looks for this year’s, fans still need to see winning. It also doesn’t matter that you’ve been dramatically making your product measurably better with young and so-far reliable talent, since taking over a few years ago.

It doesn’t even matter that your new and held-over talent gets into trouble FAR LESS often than anyone remembers from previous regimes OR that your players repeatedly exceed expectations in the classroom. Even in 2019, that doesn’t matter as much as it should.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY… even.

You need to win. Just ask PJ Fleck and the Minnesota Gophers Football team. I repeatedly find myself defending this Gopher program for all sorts of things; from play on the field, to PJ’s presentation, to perceived discipline issues, to perceived “me attitudes”, to character questions…. You name it and I feel like I’ve talked with someone about it. Yet all of the improvements in the football program, that I listed in the paragraph above, are linked to sources for a reason. They are all facts.

The only thing left to do is win. If PJ starts winning then everyone will pay attention and if everyone starts to pay attention then everyone will see what is really behind the curtain of this team, because I have. It’s a massive family that PJ is creating in that Gopher locker room and into the entire athletic department. These guys really seem to love and hold each other accountable. And, the talent is building to go with that rising chemistry.

Throw all of that into the blender with the mediocre Big Ten West and weak slate of Big Ten East games, we might just have a Gophers Football program to believe in.

So, buy a couple of $10 tickets at 10 AM TOMORROW and grab your kid for an event they might never forget or (if that’s not your life) your new girlfriend for a date she might actually be impressed by. Give PJ Fleck and Co. a chance to sell you on what they are offering. As you can see, he’s proven a lot of you wrong already. 1 seat, 1 game, and a “prove it to me” mentality. Let’s have some fun.

We'd try to transcribe what @Coach_Fleck says in the final few seconds below, but we'd never get it right.

Can you help us out, @GopherFootball? ?#MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/tLsVbC01Ua

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) August 19, 2019

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The fans aren’t showing up and now the University of Minnesota is taking action.

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Story: Gophers slash season ticket prices, hoping to boost sagging hockey, basketball attendance numbers: https://t.co/4hIr5Lew8j pic.twitter.com/GmzkXTAhRk

— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) April 18, 2019

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Some of the details from Joe Christensen at the Star Tribune are pretty incredible. The University will offer season ticket packages as low as $340 ($190 decrease) for the men’s basketball season. You haven’t been able to get that price since 1995-96. There are also 6 other sections, that overlook the court, which will go down from $640-$490.

Those aren’t small decreases…

For the hockey team over at Mariucci, prices have been reduced $100 in 5 sections, compared to last season. In others, they have dropped $200 from 2 seasons ago.

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via GIPHY

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Mark Coyle pointed to a need to stay competetive with all of the options around the Twin Cities on any given night… which certainly plays into the scenario. But, if you win games, asses will be in the seats.

Pitino needs to have a great spring recruiting season (more on that later) to make sure he wins in 2019-20. Amir Coffey sticking around for his senior season will help the cause too, if his NBA prospect isn’t as high as he hopes. As far as hockey is concerned, they have Bob Motzko so they’ll be fine. And when they start winning, the fans will come back. 

As an SCSU alum and fan, I know Bob will lead the Gophers to the promise land….. and I know a good Gopher team is good for all of Minnesota hockey… even if I hate maroon and gold sweaters.

On the bright side of all of this, if you’re a die-hard who’s been waiting for that season ticket deal you can’t turn down, your patience may have paid off.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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