I was talking to someone before Week 4 of the Minnesota Vikings season, and he said something that caught me off guard. It was a weird conversation. Alcohol was involved, but not much. I’m just a weirdo who will strike up a conversation with a random person as we wait in a line that’s too long for a draught that’s too expensive.
The guy told me he’s a Vikings fan.
That wouldn’t have been weird, except we were at a Crystal Palace game in south London, and I was talking to a German man. This person grew up over 4,000 miles away from Minnesota and willingly chose to back the Vikings.
He remembers the 1998 team, believing they’d win the Super Bowl. He fretted over Gary Anderson’s missed kick and Morton Anderson’s make from the same hash. Brett Favre throwing across his body in 2009. Blair Walsh in 2015.
Little did we know the Vikings would squeeze out a win over the New Orleans Saints in London as part of an 8-1 start to the season. Ultimately, they won 13 games, 11 by one score, and lost by one score to the underdog New York Giants.
It’s a ritual Vikings fans endure every year. Minnesota feels relevant nearly every year, only to pull away the football like Lucy did to Charlie Brown. Even when Minnesota started 0-3 in 2023, it briefly looked like the Passtronaut would save their season. Last year, they won 14 games and ended up with more questions than answers.
Many Vikings fans embrace this misfortune because they grew up in Minnesota. Others have a familial connection. However, there are people throughout the world who choose to root for the Purple. They choose misery.
The Vikings have cultivated an international fan base by playing games overseas. The Saints hosted the 2022 game in London, and about a quarter of the fans at Tottenham Stadium wore purple. Another quarter backed New Orleans, and about half of them were fans of another team but wanted to watch any live NFL game.
However, the Vikings hosted the Week 5 game against the New York Jets this year. Tottenham Stadium was full of purple, and fans witnessed Minnesota stave off Aaron Rodgers and the Jets.
Many American fans traveled for the game, but there were fans from England, Germany, and throughout Europe. Just like there are Manchester United, Chelsea, and Tottenham fans in America, there are bona fide NFL fans overseas. To some people, the Vikings are their Man U.
Nothing is official yet, but some people are reporting that the Vikings will play Week 4 in Dublin and Week 5 in London. It is the first time they’ve played two games abroad in a season. They’re going overseas because they’re building a fanbase there. It’s a fun excuse for Minnesotans to visit Ireland and England, but it’s also an opportunity to create Vikings fans around the world.
As much as it seems unconscionable that someone would choose Minnesota’s misery, we’re not alone. Manchester United has lost crucial games. So have Chelsea and Tottenham. Perhaps there’s some comfort in that.
Maybe the Vikings are ramping up, building a worldwide fanbase right as J.J. McCarthy, Justin Jefferson, and Co. take Minnesota to the promised land. However, they’ll be defying over 80 years of history if they deliver a championship. Still, if they don’t, take some solace that people in England, the Netherlands, and Germany are suffering along with you.