Fan Mobilization and the Minnesota Sport Stadium Campaign

As state and local government subsidies to professional sport organizations have increased over the past three decades, economic arguments have been crafted to justify these subsidies such as Crompton’s (2004) claims of increased community visibility, enhanced community image, stimulation of other development, and psychic income. The purpose of this study was to examine the public relations strategy of a professional sport organization campaigning to secure public funding for a new stadium. Specifically, authors focused on the use of press releases by the Minnesota Vikings, a National Football League team, over the three seasons preceding the completion of their successful sport stadium campaign. The authors identified the arguments made by the team to garner support for the stadium plan during the Vikings’ campaign. Using a qualitative research method, 71 press releases were collected, examined, and coded by investigators. Findings were discussed to provide insight into these four alternative justification arguments