Ahead of their crucial showdown with the Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings pulled off a cheeky move to gain an advantage. They secured $2 million worth of tickets at Ford Field, purchasing 1,900 seats behind the visitors’ bench, each priced around $1,000. The Vikings then resold these tickets to team stakeholders for just $200 to $300 each. When the Lions discovered the scheme, they contacted the NFL, but were told the Vikings hadn’t broken any league rules, according to Sports Illustrated.
While this move significantly impacts profits, it could sway nearly 3% of Detroit’s fan base in favor of Minnesota for the final regular-season game. The 1,900 tickets don’t include the 600 seats the Lions are required to provide to the Vikings or any tickets purchased by Minnesota fans through Detroit’s sales channels.
Sunday night’s game is expected to be dominated by Lions fans, as they face off against the Vikings in a high-stakes NFC North battle for the conference’s top overall seed. This matchup marks the first-ever regular-season game between two teams with 13 or more wins, as both the Vikings and Lions have 14 victories. The loser will be forced to play on the road in the Wild Card round against the NFC South winner.
If seeding holds, a potential rematch in the Divisional playoffs could occur, with the losing team taking on the No. 4 seed. The losing team will have the best record of any non-division winner in NFL history, potentially holding the third-best overall record but still unable to host a playoff game.
The Lions won the earlier matchup this season, edging the Vikings 31-29 with a last-second field goal by Jake Bates. Ford Field, with a capacity of 65,000, has been packed nearly every week during the Lions’ resurgence.
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