Minneapolis, You Are Our Bitch Love, The NFL

Story's gotten quite a bit of play in the media, but I felt the need to touch on it before Brazil takes everything over for about the next month, barring any further developments in Donald Sterling's madness or the O'Bannon trial kicking off...

Over the weekend, the NFL's ransom note list of requests for potential Super Bowl LII hosts was leaked to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

The direct .PDF file of the demands on whoever was going to host the 2018 game is here.

It reads that basically the NFL is going to own the city of Minneapolis, at no cost to the NFL (and that exact phrase is repeated over once a page in a document that is 153 pages long!!!) for several days previous to and the day of (and probably days after) the February 4, 2018 holy grail.

• The NFL gets EVERY PENNY of the tickets.  The city gets ZERO. (page 18)
• Any additions to the seating must be approved by the league, at no cost to the league, and must be installed by the first home game of the 2018 NFL season. (page 18)
• No cost to the NFL for any ADA modifications necessary due to Super Bowl LII.  (page 19)
• Any costs to ensure cold-weather access to the stadium, no cost to the league. (page 19)
• Though the NFL will pay for utility costs (power, water, sewage, etc.), the access to the utilities is at no cost to the league. (page 20, 25)
• Though the NFL will pay for any required monitor replacements (NFL or sponsor-branded, naturally), the signal to power them?  No cost to the league.  (page 20)
• If the league or television network need temporary lights... No cost to the league. (page 20)
• Stadium's audio engineer?  No cost to the league.  (page 21)
• If the PA system must be improved to meet Super Bowl standards?  No cost to the league.  (page 21)
• The video control system, same thing.  No cost to the league for operation or needed improvements.  (page 21)
• Equal locker rooms for both teams.  If the visiting locker room needs upgrade?  You guessed it.  No cost to the league.  (page 22)

And that's just the surface.

The NFL has control over the stadium, and most, if not all, the areas around it.  It starts to take realistic control about the moment the conference championship games are over.  A 300-foot security perimeter around the stadium, as well as the stadium itself, are effectively the property of the NFL (at no cost to the league for any necessary actions thereto, cleaning (both before and after) included (p. 25) 15 days before the game until 48 hours after it's completion.

Any Internet/social media/wifi improvements needed also come at no cost to the league.  (p. 25-26)

A 14,000 foot concrete barrier will fortify the stadium, and 300 feet around it -- at no cost to the league.  (p. 30)  Any businesses within this 300-foot area must CLOSE for the duration of the lockdown, 96 hours prior to the game until the NFL reopens the area.

This, almost certainly, will be used as an opportunity to drive out businesses which might not be corporate enough for the NFL's liking, whether they fall into the zone or not!

The NFL controls ALL advertising in the Super Bowl stadium.  (p. 33-34)

The NFL also demands an area in which 2500 people can work to prepare the Super Bowl Halftime Show, for a week before the game.  That building, and all parking thereto, at no cost to the league.  (p. 34)

In fact, let's save time -- all improvements to anything to bring the stuff up to Super Bowl standards, no cost to the league.

At least 19,000 "top-level" hotel rooms must be made available to the NFL and it's partners. (p. 49)

At least five hotels (one for the headquarters, and two for each team) must be made 100% exclusive to the NFL.  (p. 51-55)

And, if they need extra hotel meeting space or Saturday night meeting rooms, they come...  at no cost to the league. (p. 55)

300 top-quality busses, 65 limosuines, and 10 elite-quality busses (5 for each team) must be available. (p. 56)

Transportation Operations office with a staff of 250 and a bus yard for the 300 busses -- no cost to the league. (p. 57)  The bus yard is for a 15-day period -- 10 before the game, to 5 after.

Within one mile of the stadium, six blocks of the NFL Experience site, and six blocks of the NFL headquarters will be made a "Clean Zone".  No temporary structures, no unauthorized signage, etc. (p. 66)

All public safety and security measures necessary -- no cost to the league.  (p. 67)

The NFL will take possession of Super Bowl Boulevard, a street system meant to link the stadium, the NFL Experience, and other relevant areas.  (p. 73)

A tailgate party of at least 400,000 square feet (and it would be indoors in Minneapolis) near the stadium -- at no cost to the league.  (p. 80)

A building for the NFL Honors awards event -- no cost to the league. (p .84)

NFL House, a place for the league's "most valued and influential guests) for hospitality and schmoozing, at no cost to the league. (p. 89)

Rent free, a 75,000 square-foot-plus venue for the Friday Night concert event.  (p. 91)

80,000 square-foot media center, no cost to the league.  (p. 97)

50,000-65,000 square-foot credential center, no cost to the league.  (p. 104)

Also, the bowling alleys for a bowling event during the week, no cost to the league.

--

Basically, they own the city of Minneapolis, the moment the bid was agreed to.

And, basically, at no cost to the league.

This, for what studies are finding is a $30-120 million spending by the visiting parties to the Super Bowl. 

Indianapolis lost at least a million dollars for hosting the 2012 event.

If this list of demands was any indication, it sounds like Minneapolis will lose far more.

And, if they said no, well, word is the Vikings aren't going to be very good in the years to come to begin with....