Founded in 1960, the Minnesota Vikings were also part of an expansion effort for the National Football League. The Vikings have not had major success in the playoffs since appearing in but losing four Super Bowls in the 1970s, but with the introduction of head coach Kevin O’ Connell, the Vikings have had two dominant 13-4 and 14-3 seasons in 2022 and 2024, respectively, but have lost in the wild card playoffs both times.

The Vikings aren’t just a sports team. For sophomore Pike Marthaler, they represent connections that allow for familial bonds. “The Vikings remind me of watching games with my grandpa. I think it’s very important to build connections with these sports teams because if your whole family watches, it’s really important to have those connections with your family,” he said.

Unlike most other teams, which are formed in their home state, the Minnesota Wild debuted after the departure of their predecessor, the Minnesota Stars. In the most recent 2025-26 season, the Wild made the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
The Minnesota Frost have roots that are much more recent than the Wild’s. In 2023, it was announced that one of the first six Professional Women’s Hockey League teams would be based in Minnesota. Since then, the Frost have been Walter Cup champions in 2024 and 2025.

Sophomore Teddy Crook sees Minnesota having a men’s and women’s professional hockey team as representative. “I think it’s important to have as much representation of our state, like the men’s and women’s league could probably get this year, and like those professional spaces,” they said.

Unlike the Minnesota Wild, the Minnesota Twins were formed in Kansas in 1894, before moving to Washington, D.C. in 1901, and finally settling in Minnesota in 1961. Since then, the Twins have won the World Series twice in 1987 and 1991, but have not gotten back since. Recently, the Twins have been going through a rocky time with ownership and low payroll issues.

As junior Gus Hembre notes, recent events have led fans to boycott games. “[The fans] express this [displeasure] by wearing a black shirt to the game. Sometimes, they’re just not coming. They’re basically boycotting games. That’s why the attendance has been at an all-time low this year,” he said.