Duchess Jack Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Hot tickets Vikings' Tice target of Super Bowl scalping probe Minnesota head coach Mike Tice is being investigated by the NFL for allegedly heading up and profiting from a Super Bowl ticket-scalping operation within the Vikings organization, a violation of NFL rules that league sources say has been going on for years. Two investigators from the league's security staff, Larry Sweeney and John Keenan, were in the Twin Cities on Tuesday, questioning Tice in his office and speaking with Vikings running backs coach Dean Dalton, as well as other club personnel. The pair left the team complex in the afternoon to meet with the team's director of ticket sales, Phil Huebner, at the Metrodome, where Minnesota's ticket operations are headquartered. The league requires all players, coaches, and club personnel who buy Super Bowl tickets to sign a release stating they will not re-sell them at a profit. Still, the practice of scalping Super Bowl tickets is widespread within the league and is an open secret in many NFL locker rooms. Yet the practice in Minnesota is unique, league sources say, because it has been orchestrated by the head coach. And, according to people familiar with the scalping operation, Tice began facilitating the reselling of Super Bowl tickets long before becoming the Vikings' head coach in January 2002. Tice coached Minnesota's tight ends and then offensive line beginning in 1996. "This started when [Tice] wasn't the figure he is now," said one team source. "I can't believe how rampant it's been. Stuff like this has gone on a long time. There's a pretty good amount of people involved. There could be a lot of people affected by this, not just in the NFL's view, but with the IRS as well." Tice acknowledged to SI.com that he met with league security officials Tuesday at the team complex, but said he told them he had nothing to do with the re-selling of players' tickets. "They were in there here talking to me and others about how we deal with our Super Bowl tickets, and how they're distributed,'' Tice said. "I'm confident when the league finishes looking at this, everything will come out fine. It's a shame assumptions are being made about my role in this. I did not approach any player about Super Bowl tickets as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.'' However, in mid-January, after the Vikings were eliminated by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC divisional playoffs, a team source said Tice organized the re-selling of Super Bowl tickets for players and club employees. (Each NFL player has the right to buy two Super Bowl tickets at face value, which this year was $500 and $600 depending on the location of the seat). Those who gave their tickets to Tice received $1,900, a mark-up of at least $1,300 per ticket, sources said. Last season, individuals brokering tickets through Tice received $1,100 per ticket, a former Vikings player said. "Tice has been turning around tickets for years and years," said one player who was with the Vikings in 2003. "He's been selling them to the same guy. He commits to a certain amount every year." Late in the 2003 season, Tice berated one Vikings veteran for asking teammates if he could buy their tickets, which he had hoped to procure for family members. Tice, one source said, accused the player of trying to "backdoor the head coach." Tice then successfully pressured some players to renege on their commitment and sell their tickets through him, the player said, even though Tice was offering slightly less money per ticket. "It was always understood that if you want it, here it is," one Vikings team source said of the opportunity to scalp Super Bowl tickets. "There was nothing different this year about how it worked." Sources around the league, including several coaches, said it is common practice within the NFL for players and assistants to scalp their Super Bowl tickets. On some teams, the income from the re-sale of those tickets is counted on by assistant coaches to supplement their salaries. "A lot of teams do it," said an NFL assistant who once worked for the Vikings. "Everybody can do it. Every team has a guy who takes care of moving the tickets. I'd hate to see it end because coaches have always used that as extra money. Coaches do count on that as a little extra deal. [Team] owners will probably stop doing it now, because they don't have to give us those tickets. "When I was there [in Minnesota], Mike was the guy. He had a guy somewhere who moved the tickets. I just never took him up on it because I was always scared I'd get my ass caught." Said another coach: "Mike's the wheeler dealer. But it's just stupidity doing it as a head coach. Maybe the NFL wants to send a wake-up call about scalping, and they're going to come down on Mike." Owner Red McCombs has been made aware of the league's investigation, a Vikings official said. It is unknown whether Reggie Fowler, who has an agreement to purchase the team from McCombs, has been told of the probe. NFL vice president of public relations Greg Aiello would not confirm if there was an investigation into Super Bowl ticket scalping in Minnesota. "We're not going to respond to questions about what NFL security looks into and what it doesn't look into," Aiello said, "but it's against league rules to sell those tickets for a profit." Tice, the league's lowest-paid coach at $1 million per season, is entering the final year of his contract with Minnesota, and his job security was an ongoing issue all of 2004. Just last week, in a conference call with the Minnesota media, McCombs said he nearly fired Tice during the second half of last season, in an effort to shake up his slumping club, and specifically star receiver Randy Moss. It is also known that Tice was in danger of being fired if Minnesota had not upset Green Bay at Lambeau Field in the first-round of the NFC playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbimm Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 I hope this finally gets rid of Tice. I'm tired of hearing about this dumb ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBalata Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Yea! Because an ex-player who was cut two years ago saying it's so, it must be true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Red Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Yea! Because an ex-player who was cut two years ago saying it's so, it must be true! 726019[/snapback] When I heard the story I assumed it was an ex player or Moss. Doh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Its all fun and games until somebody gets caught. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSab Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 (edited) I don't know if Tice did it or not. But If he's dumb enough to do this out in the open so everyone can see and if he's dumb enough to play the "heavy" and force his players to deal their tickets exclusively to him then move over Les Steckel. We found your replacement as the lowest scum of a coach ever. This is after Tice has been trying to clean up his players' behavior. Edited March 9, 2005 by MikesVikes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dread Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 I don't know if Tice did it or not. But If he's dumb enough to do this out in the open so everyone can see and if he's dumb enough to play the "heavy" and force his players to deal their tickets exclusively to him then move over Les Steckel. We found your replacement as the lowest scum of a coach ever. This is after Tice has been trying to clean up his players' behavior. 726069[/snapback] Maybe it's time to bring Les back...or maybe Bud again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBalata Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Tice denies scalping Super Bowl tickets Kevin Seifert, Star Tribune March 9, 2005 TICE0309 Click to learn more... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- An anonymous tipster has sparked an NFL inquiry into Vikings coach Mike Tice and one of his assistants for possible violations of the league's Super Bowl ticket policy, the Star Tribune and other media outlets learned this week. Tice denied any wrongdoing but acknowledged meeting Tuesday with two league investigators at Winter Park. The interview came five days after an informant, who would not reveal his name, began calling the league's security office along with at least three media outlets: the Star Tribune, Sports Illustrated and the New York Daily News. The informant's allegations, which SI reported on its website Tuesday night, claimed Tice routinely collects Super Bowl tickets from Vikings players and sells them to a ticket broker in bulk for hefty profits. Running backs coach Dean Dalton, whom the investigators also spoke with, was alleged to be the middle man for an operation that netted players between $1,100 and $1,400 per ticket. Face value of Super Bowl tickets topped out at $600 this year. Tice said he has "never, ever, ever approached a player about Super Bowl tickets" since becoming Vikings coach in 2002. Tice said he flatly denied those allegations during his Tuesday meeting. The investigators turned down Tice's offer to take a lie-detector test. "I am confident that when the league is finished looking into this, everything will be fine," Tice said. "I'm confident nothing is going to come of this. There is no story." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Tice denied soliciting players' tickets as a HEAD Coach. He specifically qualified his denial in that manner. We'll see a lot more about this story soon, and I'm guessing that a lot more teams will have to investigate their staffs as well. If even part of this story is true involving Tice, I would bet a lot of money that Red will use this as an opportunity to dump him. Tice and Red are not seeing eye to eye lately and I'm sure Red has been praying for a misstep like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Jack Posted March 9, 2005 Author Share Posted March 9, 2005 (edited) Tice has been quoted saying 'I deny that aberration. I ain't scalped no tickets since February' Well not really, but I would not be surprised. Edited March 9, 2005 by Duchess Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Tice denies scalping Super Bowl tickets Kevin Seifert, Star Tribune March 9, 2005 TICE0309 Click to learn more... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- An anonymous tipster has sparked an NFL inquiry into Vikings coach Mike Tice and one of his assistants for possible violations of the league's Super Bowl ticket policy, the Star Tribune and other media outlets learned this week. Tice denied any wrongdoing but acknowledged meeting Tuesday with two league investigators at Winter Park. The interview came five days after an informant, who would not reveal his name, began calling the league's security office along with at least three media outlets: the Star Tribune, Sports Illustrated and the New York Daily News. The informant's allegations, which SI reported on its website Tuesday night, claimed Tice routinely collects Super Bowl tickets from Vikings players and sells them to a ticket broker in bulk for hefty profits. Running backs coach Dean Dalton, whom the investigators also spoke with, was alleged to be the middle man for an operation that netted players between $1,100 and $1,400 per ticket. Face value of Super Bowl tickets topped out at $600 this year. Tice said he has "never, ever, ever approached a player about Super Bowl tickets" since becoming Vikings coach in 2002. Tice said he flatly denied those allegations during his Tuesday meeting. The investigators turned down Tice's offer to take a lie-detector test. "I am confident that when the league is finished looking into this, everything will be fine," Tice said. "I'm confident nothing is going to come of this. There is no story." During a conversation Saturday night with the Star Tribune, the informant said he represented a client who "had an ax to grind with Tice" and wanted damaging information spread about him. But the informant insisted that all of his client's claims could be proven. In the course of reporting the story, however, a number of those allegations have proved inaccurate. For example, the informant said Tice traveled Jan. 19 to Chicago to unload his collection of tickets and returned to the Twin Cities with $250,000 in cash. On that day, however, Tice was seen at Winter Park by dozens of members of the organization. Later, he conducted an hour-long radio interview at 6 p.m. in the St. Louis Park-based studios of KFAN (1130 AM). Tice said he hasn't been to Chicago since the Vikings played there Dec. 5. Tice denied several other of the informant's claims that appeared on SI's website. Among those allegations: That Tice berated a Vikings player in 2003 for undermining his ticket scheme. "That never happened," Tice said. Dalton, who was on a scouting trip Tuesday night, could not be reached for comment. The league's policy is not to comment on ongoing investigations. NFL players and coaches have exclusive access to Super Bowl tickets but are prohibited from selling them for above face value. The rule is generally treated with a wink by NFL security, knowing that small-time scalping occurs in nearly all locker rooms -- often orchestrated by assistant coaches. But the detail of the informant's allegation apparently drove the league to launch an official inquiry that should be completed by the end of this week. As part of the investigation, NFL security has contacted Vikings owner Red McCombs and team President Gary Woods. Tice said he has spoken with McCombs several times about the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Jack Posted March 9, 2005 Author Share Posted March 9, 2005 What ever happened to the sale? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJoTheWebToedBoy Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 And that, Ladies and Gentlmen is why most folks can only dream of going to the Super Bowl. Greedy @#$%^@!@ people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egret Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 So, that's how he affords all of those nifty pencils and vests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Bye bye, Mikey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 On some teams, the income from the re-sale of those tickets is counted on by assistant coaches to supplement their salaries. 726011[/snapback] You've got to be ***ing kidding me. :violin: ***ing poor babies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chargerz Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 MAN, the crap coming out of Minnesota just keeps coming and coming.... :bigshock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Jack Posted March 9, 2005 Author Share Posted March 9, 2005 You know....with the amount Tice is making now...could you imagine how much he would have been making as an assistant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schellin30 Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 He know's he's going to be w/o a job soon so he's gotta get at least a little bit of $$ to support his kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shot_Kings Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Tice denied soliciting players' tickets as a HEAD Coach. He specifically qualified his denial in that manner. 726139[/snapback] Exactly. And now ESPN.com is reporting that Tice admitted to brokering tickets as an assistant coach. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgaddis Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 With the money Red is paying him, I think he needed it to pay some bills... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Scorp Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 So is Cotrell our next head coach or do they just promote Looney... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE SIX KINGS Posted March 13, 2005 Share Posted March 13, 2005 When I heard the story I assumed it was an ex player or Moss. Doh. 726022[/snapback] I heard it was Hovan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.