An hour before an otherwise meaningless preseason game, enthusiastic Minnesota Vikings fans streamed into the commons park outside the new U.S. Bank Stadium ahead of the venue's NFL debut.
Purple jersey-clad fans lined up to take photos in front of the stadium and a giant inflatable Vikings player.
Behind them, rescue dogs demonstrated tricks including catching Frisbees.
On a stage, classic rock tunes blasted including "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns N Roses.
In another area, kids romped in a giant inflatable house and had their faces painted.
On bright sunny Sunday with a noon kickoff, the mood was ebullient even on the light-rail trains where fans gasped "Wow" as the Vikings' new home came into view.
The first hitch of the day came when phone apps malfunction, blocking access for some fans to their tickets.
A team spokesman said there were a brief interruption after the gates opened at 9:30 a.m., and the glitch was fixed within about 15 minutes without any impact on entry into the stadium.
Rochelle Olson • 612-673-1747
Twitter: @rochelleolson
