Thousands Opt Out Of NFL Film Rights Settlement
Thousands of retired NFL players have opted out of a $50 million class-action settlement in a case that accused the league of using their names and images without their consent.
Watch CBS News
Thousands of retired NFL players have opted out of a $50 million class-action settlement in a case that accused the league of using their names and images without their consent.
Vikings fans travel rather well, but there's droves that have traveled to London to watch the men in purple play Pittsburgh. And it doesn't even have to be Minnesotans, as fanatics from as far as Denmark are in England to catch the NFL's European matchup. As for how the locals feel about the American version of "football"?
As some senior level Vikings officials spend time in London, there are questions here at home about the future of the new Vikings stadium. Groundbreaking is scheduled for November, but final negotiations about developments and the stadium lease have been postponed Friday until next week. This is the second time final deals have been delayed. The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) has now pushed back their final urgent deadlines for negotiations twice. The team says they will be locked into this lease for 30 years so that's why they are taking their time.
Up until August 6, 1983, television was the only place the British had seen American football. Today, the NFL is more popular in England than ever, with an estimated 11.3 million British fans. But back then, the idea wasn't popular with Vikings coach Bud Grant.
The NFL is back in London boasting the star power of Adrian Peterson and Ben Roethlisberger. Trouble is, their teams have nothing to brag about. The Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers are both 0-3 heading into Sunday's game at Wembley Stadium.
Minnesota is preparing to sell nearly $500 million in bonds to cover the state's share of the Vikings stadium facility. It's looking for financial institutions to buy the bonds for the stadium construction, which is scheduled to start in November. The $498 million in loans will cover the State's and the Minneapolis' share of stadium construction. The Vikings are putting up the rest of the $477 million for the project, which will total $975 million.
The Minnesota Vikings will be without fullback Rhett Ellison when they play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Ellison was listed as out for the game because of a knee injury that sidelined him from practice all week. The Vikings are already missing starting fullback Jerome Felton, who is serving the final game of a three-game suspension stemming from a DUI arrest two years ago. Coach Leslie Frazier says the Vikings will lean on rookie Zach Line and veteran tight end John Carlson. Line is a converted running back still learning the position.
Before you purchase tickets to the Vikings 2013 home opener – the final season at the Metrodome – here's what the Better Business Bureau wants you to know. Buy tickets from a reputable online ticket broker, such as the official NFL online ticket exchange. Apply common sense -- if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Negotiations on a new Vikings stadium are winding down, but a new controversy may be heating up.
The Minnesota Vikings now have a 0-2 record for the season, and some are asking whether it's time for a major change. One fan thinks he has the solution: get rid of quarterback Christian Ponder. In fact, he took his issues to a higher authority.
The board overseeing the new Minnesota Vikings stadium says a financial review has cleared up questions about the team owners' ability to pay their share. The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority's report was launched after a New Jersey judge came down on the Wilf family.
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh says he is appealing the NFL's $100,000 fine against him for his hit on a Vikings player over the weekend.
A New Jersey judge says Minnesota Vikings principal owner Zygi Wilf and others must make their financial worth public as the court determines what damages they should pay in a civil lawsuit. The Star-Ledger reported that the judge Monday said the sealed document listing the Wilfs' "minimum net worth" must be released, but she will allow a delay so the Wilfs can pursue an appeal. A lawyer for the Wilfs said releasing the information would invade their privacy.
The chairwoman of the public authority managing Vikings stadium construction says preliminary results of a financial review shows the team has the financial capability to cover its share.
Christian Ponder says he's feeling confident heading into what could be a make-or-break season for the young Minnesota Vikings quarterback. Ponder is entering his second full season as a starter.
Joe Webb's athleticism was too much to part with for the Minnesota Vikings. After converting Webb to wide receiver this spring, following a failed emergency playoff start at quarterback when Christian Ponder was out with an injury, the Vikings kept the versatile former sixth-round draft pick for special teams value and depth at an important position. Webb, in the fourth and final year of his contract, was one of five wide receivers on the 53-man regular-season roster revealed Saturday after the cut deadline.
The public authority overseeing construction of a new Minnesota Vikings stadium is warning that the opening of the stadium could be delayed if the team doesn't quickly resume negotiations on a lease and development agreements.
Kyle Rudolph has some of the surest hands in the NFL, with a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame fit for the type of tight end who can be one of his team's best passing targets. As long as he plays for the Minnesota Vikings, though, his potential is probably not on track to become the next Tony Gonzalez. No matter how much ability Rudolph has as a receiver, run blocking must be an equally important part of his skill set. "There aren't very many guys in our game anymore who are doing the run blocking and the pass catching," Rudolph said.
There is plenty of reason to be optimistic about the upcoming Minnesota Vikings season, which starts Sept. 8 at Detroit, followed by a Sept. 15 match-up at Chicago. But one CBS expert isn't convinced and thinks the Vikings will miss the playoffs this year.
Minnesota's favorite football player is experimenting with putting chocolate milk on his Wheaties and even admits he ratchets up his legendary debilitating handshake for reporters in particular. The Vikings star running back opened up in an Ask Me Anything forum Tuesday on reddit.com, the user-generated social news and entertainment website.
Veteran kicker Ryan Longwell is retiring as a Green Bay Packer. Longwell is the all-time leading scorer in Packers' history. He scored 1,054 points during his nine-year career in Green Bay (1997-2005). He connected on 226 field goals and 376 extra points. Longwell set a team record by leading the Packers in scoring in nine consecutive seasons, beating the previous mark of seven by Don Hutson from 1939-45.
Adrian Peterson is coming to a breakfast table near you. The Vikings running back is appearing on three limited-edition Wheaties boxes, one of which is released this week. According to Wheaties marketing manager Jim Wilson, A.P. is a natural fit for their product. "Adrian embodies the heart of a champion whether he's scoring touchdowns or giving back to his community," Wilson said.
When Minnesota's veteran defensive linemen are pulled from a game for a play or two to rest, the coaches are well-prepared for the response. Don't take me out. With the starters one year older and the Vikings even deeper at a position group already one of the team's strongest, these gripes are bound to grow louder this season.
Preseason games might not provide much in terms of seeing the starters, but they're a crucial audition for the guys trying to make a roster spot. Friday night, undrafted rookie fullback Zach Line made the most of his. He only touched the ball one time, but Line made it last as long as he could: 61 yards, all the way to the end zone. "[Wide receiver Stephen Burton] made a nice block for me, made it easy for me to get down the field. Seriously, he's just a, like a chariot riding down the sidelines," Line said.
