Lions fans who assume their 7-7 team easily will beat the non-contending Giants and Vikings to end the season are overlooking two important factors: (1) the Lions typically don’t fare well at the Metrodome; and (2) next Sunday’s game will be the last one ever played at the Metrodome.
According to the Associated Press, the powers-that-be plan to increase security for the December 29 Metrodome finale, given that the last “last game ever” at a Twin Cities football stadium got out of hand.
“There will obviously be a great deal of attention for inside security, just monitoring so that fans can celebrate, but do so safely and responsibly,” Minneapolis police inspector Medaria Arradondo told the AP.
When the Vikings closed out Metropolitan Stadium in 1981, fans stormed the field, tore down goal posts, and otherwise stole anything that wasn’t nailed down -- and presumably some things that were. This time, that supposedly won’t be happening.
“Nobody’s leaving with anything,” Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen told the AP. “We’re putting that rule in place, and we’re going to stick to it from the beginning of the game to the end.”
While that could be easier said than done, the game will feature twice the number of security personnel used for a normal game.
“All told, we’re looking at close to 700 security representatives within the building,” Vikings spokesman Jeff Anderson told the Associated Press. “We don’t expect any issues, but we want this to be a memorable game for our fans, and we want to do it in a safe and respectful way.”
It sounds like a good plan, but that plan could change dramatically if/when the crowd collectively decides that it’s going to do whatever it wants to do.