When you look at all the well-run franchises across the National Football League, the Minnesota Vikings are at the top of the list, but it didn't used to be that way.
When the Wilf family purchased the Vikings in 2005, they inherited a rich history but also in a poor spot. Outgoing owner Red McCombs did not invest at all into the facilities nor the on-field product. It was a tough time, but things changed a lot once Mark and Zygi Wilf took over the franchise.
Mark Wilf has a lot of pride over NFLPA survey
Over their 21 years of ownership, the Wilf family has put in a ton of time and resources when it comes to making things better. They started by getting legislation passed for U.S. Bank Stadium and then built the palace at TCO Performance Center.
Their work in building up the facilities and infrastructure of the organization has not gone unnoticed, as the Vikings have finished first, second, and second over the three years they have had the survey. Wilf was asked about how much pride he has in that, and the answer speaks volumes.
"A lot of pride. I think, as an ownership, and I know our fans, hopefully, can appreciate this. We have the best stadium, the best facilities at training camp for our players, for our fans to enjoy the game, and that's very important. But it's not just the buildings. We have amazing people: Coach O'Connell, Kwesi (Adofo-Mensah), Rob Brzezinski, all the guys that kind of run the football operation, and Andrew Miller running our business side. I think we want to make sure our players know that they can come to a place where the buildings and facilities are A-1, that their families can be taken care of, and that they can hone their craft and maximize their potential. And so we have all those things, and we hope to continue to compete on that level."
The facilities being upgraded were a huge reason why the Vikings have been viewed so highly over the last few years. The Vikings have been able to parlay that success in free agency with a ton of great talents at reasonable prices. You get to do those things because of the infrastructure
The way things are going for the Vikings, they will continue being the class of the NFL.
