Minnesota Vikings Will Play Final Home Game at TCF Bank Stadium

With the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome still in a state of disrepair from last week's historic winter storm, it has been announced that the Minnesota Vikings' Week 15 Monday Night Football game against the Chicago Bears will take place at TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

The Vikings released the following statement today:

"We are committed to playing Monday night's game in Minnesota in front of our fans. With Mall of America Field at the Metrodome now unavailable, we have turned our full attention to the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium. We have been in close contact with the University and the NFL office since last weekend. Preparation of the stadium is fully underway and University officials have told us they will make every reasonable effort to ensure the stadium will be ready for Monday night. The league office is assisting our staff and the University to ensure the stadium is safe for our fans and meets the primary technical requirements for an NFL game. We appreciate the tremendous cooperation of the University of Minnesota and look forward to completing preparations for the game and turning this into a memorable experience for the State of Minnesota and Vikings fans.

More information will follow for those who hold tickets to the Vikings-Bears game."

Unlike yesterday's trek to Detroit for an indoor contest against the New York Giants, this game will not only be outdoors but also at a facility that has roughly 13,000 fewer seats than the Metrodome. Both facts will provide unique challenges.

This is the first outdoor home game for the Vikings in 29 years. And TCF Bank Stadium has been completely shut down and "winterized" for the season, prompting one University of Minnesota official to describe the upcoming preparation of the stadium as a "monumental task."

In addition, some of the aforementioned ticket holders to this game against the Bears will not be able to attend because of the shortage of seats.

On a positive note—and perhaps the biggest reason the game is committed to being played locally—is so the Minnesota Vikings organization can celebrate 50 seasons of Vikings football on a special celebratory evening.