With the NFL trademarking the Duluth Eskimos last week, the question of how it will impact the Minnesota Vikings has to be asked.
Professional football in the United States has a rich history that goes long past the conception for the NFL as we know it and significantly further back than the first season of the Minnesota Vikings in 1961.
In fact, the Duluth Eskimos were founded in 1923, taking over the Duluth Kelleys and later being known as both the Orange Tornados and Newark Tornados. The Kellys and Eskimos combined to have a 16-20-3 franchise record from 1923 to 1927, finishing fourth during the 1924 campaign.
Last week, the NFL trademarked the Duluth Eskimos and there was a lot of speculation as to what that would mean for the league as well as the Minnesota Vikings going forward. Well, the answer is…probably not much.
SKOR North has already shared a statement from the team’s executive vice president of public affairs Lester Bagley about the Vikings’ intentions with the newly acquired trademark:
"“These plans do not include a team name change or a new team uniform but are instead centered around content, event activations and merchandise. We look forward to sharing our full “NFL 100″ plans prior to the 2019 season.”"
Those who visit the Vikings Museum at the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota have already seen some of the Eskimos team history on display. Ranging for items used back then to discussing Pro Football Hall of Fame members Walt Kiesling, John “Blood” McNally, and Ernie Nevers, it’s a nice throwback to the early days of professional football.
What fans should expect from this is more of a celebration of this history from the Minnesota Vikings with some cool Duluth Eskimos merchandise likely to follow. A game day event at U.S. Bank Stadium might even celebrate the Eskimos history for their “NFL 100” initiative.
Right now, details are up in the air as to what this means specifically for the Minnesota Vikings. However, fans looking to enjoy some of the state’s football history during the “NFL 100” celebration look like they could be in for a treat.