Fans Fill U.S. Bank Stadium For Final Time In Opening Season
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The drama of Sunday seemed an appropriate ending to a very dramatic season for the Vikings.
U.S. Bank Stadium is home to the Vikings and what a home it is. A $1 billion facility and couple of years removed from the Metrodome, U.S. Bank Stadium made quite the August football debut.
A 90-year-old fan who has seen all three stadiums smiles.
"I think it's just gorgeous," the fan said.
After the first preseason game, another fan said, "The acoustics were fantastic. No bad seats in the house."
The ideal start to an ideal season, at least for a little while. By game five, the Vikings were No. 1 in the NFC North. But as the temps dropped, so did the stats as the Vikings lost four straight.
A fan said in November, "We're still supporting the team, just gotta believe."
With an injured coach and injured stars, you might think hope would dwindle.
But on the last game on Jan. 1, 2017, the team and the stadium kept pulling fans in from all over.
Robert Derrek Taylor says he's been a Viking's fan since he was 4 years old. This was his first trip to Minneapolis.
"Being from Mississippi, it's cold but I walked around this is awesome, awesome. Great day, great day," Taylor said.
Aaron Moss came from Winnipeg Manitoba.
"Came down from Canada, eh. And we're having a wonderful time and we want to see this new beautiful stadium," Moss said.
Jim Kerrigan traveled from Chicago to see the stadium and his favorite purple team.
"The Vikings season what can I say, let's be positive," Kerrigan said.
And that may be these fans' strongest attribute. Even when the weather wasn't fair and the chips were down, they keep their chins up, grateful for the new home and the new year.
Taylor says, "Maybe I'll be back, Super Bowl 2018."
