MINNEAPOLIS - The Super Bowl has been secured. Cheap Bulls Jerseys Free Shipping . Now the Minnesota Vikings have set their sights on soccer. With construction underway on their new stadium, the Vikings have intensified their pursuit of a Major League Soccer franchise for the NFL facility that team owners designed in hopes of accommodating both sports. Co-owner Mark Wilf met this week with MLS officials, the latest dialogue between the two parties. The Vikings also announced a partnership with promoter Relevent Sports, a major player in the soccer world that is helping sell an international tournament game between two European teams to be played at the University of Minnesota in August. "We like to go to new markets," Revelant Sports CEO Charlie Stillitano said Wednesday. "It seems like wherever we go an MLS team follows, and I think its a good thing." Most MLS teams, 15 of the current 19, play in soccer-specific stadiums for around 20,000 fans in a more intimate setting, but the Vikings have been touting their plan to classily cover the upper bowl of their new venue and reduce capacity from 65,000 to between 20,000 and 25,000. The translucent roof and five pivoting glass doors on the front of the building -- plus seats and suites close to the action -- give the facility a more vibrant feel. "Theres a real opportunity there, and we really have a lot of respect and admiration for the ownership group," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said earlier this year. Atlanta will begin play in 2017 at that citys new retractable roof NFL stadium to be built for the Falcons, whose owner Arthur Blank acquired the soccer club. Plans there will convert the 71,000-seat football facility to a soccer capacity of 29,000 by only using the lower bowl. With the regular season starting in March and the MLS Cup held in December, a roof would be ideal for a team in Minnesota. When Sporting KC won the championship game outside last year, the game-time temperature in Kansas City was 22 degrees with a wind chill of 12 that plummeted as the sun set. The MLS has added five teams in the last five years with a goal of 24, and New York City and Orlando will make 21 next season. Miami has also granted a franchise to former star David Beckham, contingent on a soccer-specific stadium being built there. That only leaves one spot left, and Garber said earlier this year Sacramento, California, San Antonio and San Diego are also under consideration. MLS executive vice-president for communications Dan Courtemanche said theres no specific deadline for awarding the next franchise. "There is no shortage of demand for future MLS expansion teams, and many markets and potential ownership groups have contacted the league office to inquire," he said. Criteria for MLS expansion include a committed local viable ownership group with a comprehensive stadium plan it controls, in an appropriate market attractive to sponsors and television networks with a history of strong fan support. The Twin Cities area currently has a team, Minnesota United FC, in the North American Soccer League, a level below the MLS. "We think our stadium is the perfect fit for MLS. We also think that Minneapolis-St. Paul has tremendous potential for MLS," Vikings vice-president for public affairs and stadium development Lester Bagley said. The legislation authorizing funding for the stadium included a five-year window from the opening during which the Wilfs have exclusive rights to bring an MLS franchise to the venue. That doesnt mean another group couldnt beat them to it at another site. Minnesota United owner Bill McGuire, the former CEO of United Health Group, has been linked with Minnesota Twins owner Jim Pohlad as potential partners in an MLS franchise. But that would require money for and construction of yet another new sports facility in a crowded market. Vikings officials will use the Aug. 2 match between Manchester City FC and Olympiacos FC, part of the Guinness Cup tournament, as an opportunity to gain more knowledge of and grassroots support for the sport. About 20,000 tickets have been sold so far, Stillitano said. Wholesale Bulls Jerseys Authentic . Bach, a 59-year-old German lawyer, was elected Tuesday as president of the International Olympic Committee. He succeeds Jacques Rogge, who stepped down after 12 years. Bach, the longtime favourite, defeated five candidates in a secret ballot for the most influential job in international sports, keeping the presidency in European hands. Authentic Denzel Valentine Jersey . He had spent 16 days on the disabled list before being activated Thursday. He was batting just .203 when he came to bat in the 11th inning on Sunday. http://www.cheapbullsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-toni-kukoc-jersey . I wondered how NHL coaches would feel about a playoff schedule that allowed them to open a best-of-seven series on the road, which many claim to favour, yet still gave them the precious home-ice edge for a seventh game. NEW YORK -- Brad Richards shook off second-period frustration to power the New York Rangers offence in the third. The Florida Panthers are still looking for any answer how to bust out of a long losing streak that has already cost one coach his job. Richards snapped a tie in the opening minute of the third period and then set up an insurance goal that became necessary as the surging Rangers handed the Panthers their ninth straight loss with a 4-3 victory on Sunday night. A missed prime scoring chance in the second period prompted Richards to shatter his stick against a goal post. His productivity in the third, had Panthers goalie Tim Thomas expressing similar frustration with his equipment. Richards snapped a shot past Thomas 46 seconds in, and punched the glass in celebration of his first goal in nine games. Richards then assisted on Mats Zuccarellos power-play goal that made it 4-2 and guided the Rangers to their third consecutive win and sixth in seven games. "It seemed like one of those nights where you wonder if something was against you. But we got a clean sheet of ice and I put one into the net," Richards said. "Weve been winning lately, which brings the mood of everybody up." The Panthers know nothing of that lately. They have lost nine in a row (0-5-4), and show no signs of breaking out of it, even with strong performances on back-to-back days in road losses to Ottawa and New York. Defenceman Brian Campbell scored his second of the game -- and the season -- to cut Floridas deficit to 4-3 with 7:03 left, but the Panthers couldnt get over the hump, even with a late power play after Thomas was pulled for an extra skater. Florida let a one-goal lead get away in the second, committed a crucial turnover that led to Richards go-ahead goal, and then took two penalties 53 seconds apart that led to Zuccarellos 5-on-3 tally that made it 4-2 at 6:16 of the third. "I dont know what to say," Campbell said. "It deflates you, but youve got to keep pushing. Thats how teams lose hockey games. "Its tough getting down 5-on-3. Sometimes you have to be a little more careful and not let that happen." Interim coach Peter Horachek, who took over for the fired Kevin Dineen on Friday, took a more pointed approach after dropping to 0-2. "You are not going to win games if you turn pucks over," he said. "We are not going to get better until we decide we are going to manage the puck better. These are unforced errors. You cant win hockey games that way." After a sluggish start during a season-opening, nine-game trip, the Rangers have found their stride. J.T. Miller and Derek Dorsett also scored for New York (9-8), which went over .500 for the first time this season. Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves, but the Rangers had their nine-game streak of holding opponents under three goals broken. Stitched Bulls Jerseys Online. "Even though theyve been struggling a little bit lately, its still a tough game to play," Lundqvist said. "The second goal for us when we tied it up was a big, big goal, going out and getting that confidence, knowing that we can do this." Aleksander Barkov had the other goal for the Panthers. Thomas, in his second straight start after returning from injury, stopped 25 shots. He also took a roughing penalty when he punched Miller in the head after Miller crashed into him. He said the hit wasnt dirty, but probably crossed a line. "I was just frustrated because I really wanted to help us to win and turn that corner," Thomas said. "I wanted to be able to be that difference to help us to break out of this." Much of the second period was played at a chaotic pace with chances missed at both ends. Campbell notched his 400th NHL point on his first with the help of a fortunate bounce. Campbell took a pass at the left point and fired a drive that struck the left post, caromed off Lundqvists backside, and went in with 9:01 left in the second. "Were doing so many good things, saying the right things. I believe guys have bought in," Thomas said. They want to turn this corner so bad, it just hasnt happened yet. Its going to, we just have to stick with it. "Its kind of equal right now in the luck category. If we keep working hard, the bounces will all go our way in one game." The Rangers tied it 2-2 when Dorsett pushed the puck into Thomas at the left post, and then put in the rebound with 6:02 remaining in the second for his second of the season. "I dont think we played that well," Zuccarello said. "At the same time we pushed the pace a little bit extra when they went up 2-1." New York grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first after forcing a turnover in the neutral zone. Defenceman Ryan McDonagh took a pass from Miller and handed it off to Chris Kreider, who quickly found Miller alone on the left side for a shot into the open net at 9:49. Thomas played well, allowing Florida to get even in the closing seconds of the first with a rare power-play goal. Two shots in close were stopped by Lundqvist, but the second by Kris Versteeg rebounded over to the 18-year-old Barkov, who scored inside the right post with 26.1 seconds left in the first. Barkov, the No. 2 pick in this years draft, has four goals in his first 18 NHL games. NOTES: Barkovs power-play goal was just the sixth for the Panthers this season in their first 61 chances, the worst percentage in the 30-team NHL. ... Florida C Scott Gomez missed his second straight game and third in four because of a groin injury. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '