Dec 18, 2011; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans hold up a sign asking for a new stadium during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints at the Metrodome. The Saints defeated the Vikings 42-20. Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

With the new Vikings’ stadium finally a reality, we can start to think about the perks of a shiny new facility that (hopefully) won’t collapse because it’s snowing.

One particular perk to keep in mind: the very real possibility that Minnesota will soon host a Super Bowl.

It’s been 20 years since Minnesota hosted its one and only Super Bowl. Not that I’m complaining. Even then, the Metrodome wasn’t the best facility, the weather in Minnesota is not at its best in February and the Twin Cities night life isn’t exactly world famous.

So it’s understandable why it took 10 years after the Metrodome was built for Minnesota to get a Super Bowl.

But the NFL has set a precedent with many of the most recently built stadiums.  The stadiums in Arizona, Dallas, Houston and Tampa Bay all received a Super Bowl within at least three years of their opening. Detroit, New Jersey and Indianapolis all hosted a Super Bowl within four years.

In the 10 Super Bowls that have been scheduled since Super Bowl XL in 1996 in Detroit, only two cities who had not built a stadium in the 10 years beforehand received the bid, Miami (twice—2007, 2010) and New Orleans (2013), but both those stadiums incurred massive renovations before winning their Super Bowl bids.

The NFL has also started to move away from its “Super Bowl will only be held in paradise” stance. While the majority of Super Bowls are still played in southern, vacation-friendly cities, the recent Super Bowls in Detroit, Indianapolis and soon to be East Rutherford, New Jersey in 2014 show a willingness to bring America’s biggest game into the cold-weather elements of the north.

Now, with the Minnesota legislature and the Wilf family agreeing on a deal to build Metrodome 2.0, it seems like only a matter of time before the Vikings and the city of Minneapolis start putting in bids for a Super Bowl.

With an early estimate on the finish of the stadium in 2016, the first possible Super Bowl would be Super Bowl LI in 2017

Who knows? By then, we should be out of rebuilding mode. Maybe we could be the first team to host a Super Bowl we play in.

I hope you’re not superstitious. I already get enough hate mail.

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So the Packers and their fans get a shot at a fourth Super Bowl trophy, and the Vikings and their fans get to watch Antoine Winfield play in a meaningless game.

I’d call that a fair trade.

Barf.

Seriously though, congratulations to the Packers on their NFC championship.  I hope they do the NFC North proud in the big game two weeks from now.  And I hope Jay Cutler‘s vagina isn’t feeling too sore today.

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Last year, the list also included Randall McDaniel, who ended up among the few chosen to be added to the roll call of all-time greats.

Of the three Viking semifinalists, Cris Carter would seem the most deserving candidate.  Unfortunately for Carter, two of this year’s first-year-eligible HOF locks – Tim Brown and Jerry Rice – are at his position, and I doubt voters will want to put three receivers into the hall in the same class.

The list of first-year-eligible players also includes another lead-pipe cinch, running back Emmitt Smith.  A fourth first-year man, Aeneas Williams, is a long-shot at best.

So, with three spots virtually guaranteed, and 22 guys fighting for the others, it’s looking unlikely that Randall McDaniel and the other Viking Hall-of-Famers will be joined by Carter, Doleman or Randle next year.  A Super Bowl win for the franchise would be a nice consolation prize for everyone.