Vikings home opener will be shown on local TV

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have extended their Metrodome sellout streak to 137 straight games.

Chief marketing officer Steve LaCroix said Tuesday less than 1,000 tickets remained for the home opener Sunday against Tampa Bay, meaning the game will be televised locally.

The Vikings haven’t had a TV blackout of a home game since the final game of the 1997 regular season. Though they’ve had help from corporate sponsors to avoid blackouts for certain games, they’ve reached virtual sellouts of every preseason, regular season and playoff game at the Dome since then.

LaCroix said less than 4,000 tickets were left for the Sept. 25 game against Detroit. Sellouts must be reached 72 hours before kickoff to ensure local TV coverage by NFL rule, though extensions are often granted.