Minnesota Vikings at Headingley for UK promotional event (From Gazette & Herald)

Minnesota Vikings at Headingley for UK promotional event

10:48am Thursday 14th March 2013 in Sport

Headingley will be awash with Vikings later this month after Yorkshire agreed a tie-up with American football team Minnesota for them to hold a fans’ forum event in the Long Room as part of a UK promotional tour.

The Minnesota Vikings are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Wembley on September 29 in a sold-out regular season NFL game, and they are undertaking a promotional tour of the UK to help build interest in their franchise.

The fans’ event will take place at 7.30pm on Wednesday, March 27. Tickets will be available to NFL UK fans on a first come, first served basis, although Yorkshire will also be given some tickets and expect to make them available through a ballot for members.

Earlier in the day, players from both Minnesota and Yorkshire, who last week changed their one-day name to Yorkshire Vikings, will try their hands at cricket and American football.

“After our launch of the Vikings name last week, we were contacted by NFL Europe,” explained Yorkshire’s commercial director Andy Dawson.

“The Vikings are playing the Steelers at Wembley later this year. And, although it is sold out, they are keen to build interest ahead of the game through a promotional tour of the UK.

“We have been asked to hold a fans forum where 300 of their fans will have the opportunity to meet and question some of their most high profile players.

“We thought we would also have a bit of fun with it with players from both teams.”

The forum will also form part of a Sky Sports series named Inside the Vikings, to be aired on April 3.