MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Some Minnesota Vikings fans are getting a chance to see them face the Detroit Lions at Ford Field Sunday night for a significantly lower price after the Vikings’ ownership group made a big purchase. 

Vikings buy tickets for fans

What we know: Vikings season ticket holders, some staff and stake-holders got an email on Thursday announcing the opportunity to pick up some discounted tickets for the Vikings versus Lions game in Detroit Sunday night. 

The email said, “We’re excited to share that a limited number of tickets are now available for the Vikings vs. Lions game this Sunday, January 5, in Detroit! As a valued Season Ticket Member, we want to offer you the opportunity to purchase lower level seats for Sunday night’s game.”

The message then explains that the limited number of seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis, before adding that the tickets “are intended to be used by Vikings fans and not to be positioned for resale or sold on the secondary market.”

Sources confirmed that in the days leading up to the game, the Vikings bought about 1,900 tickets on the secondary market for about $1,000 each, for a total just under $2 million, according to Sports Illustrated. 

The Vikings then offered a significantly lower price to season ticket holders, with some sold for as little as $200.

READ MORE: Vikings WR Justin Jefferson: ‘I won’t be able to sleep Saturday’

Sports Illustrated writer Albert Breer reports the Lions contacted league officials and were told “that the Vikings didn’t break any rules in the process of pulling this off.”

The tickets are also reportedly for seats that are behind the visiting team bench zone at Ford Field, cutting into the number of Detroit fans in the stadium and potentially helping the Vikings communicate on the sideline. 

What they’re saying: Minnesota Vikings spokesman Jeff Anderson shared this statement: “Given the uniqueness of this game, we wanted to offer our stakeholders – staff, family, Season Ticket Members and team partners – an opportunity to attend.”

Secondary ticket market 

The other side: Sports Illustrated reported one instance that “got the Lions’ attention” when one ticket holder sold their seat on the secondary market for $724.

That buyer then sold the ticket to Advantage Tickets, which is a company that reportedly worked with the Vikings, for $1,200. The Vikings then sold the ticket to a season ticket holder for $300, who then sold it on the secondary market for $690. Sports Illustrated said the buyer could be a broker, because the ticket was back on the market on Saturday.  

Pivotal game ahead 

Why it matters: Whoever wins the game Sunday night will win the NFC North title and secure the No. 1 seed as well as home-field advantage through the playoffs. The loser is the No. 5 seed with a 14-3 record, and will be on the road for Wild Card Weekend.

Ohio State Buckeyes (9-5, 1-2 Big Ten) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-6, 0-3 Big Ten)

Minneapolis; Monday, 9 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota hosts Ohio State after Dawson Garcia scored 20 points in Minnesota’s 81-61 loss to the Purdue Boilermakers.

The Golden Gophers are 8-3 on their home court. Minnesota has a 2-2 record in one-possession games.

The Buckeyes are 1-2 in conference matchups. Ohio State is seventh in the Big Ten scoring 81.3 points per game and is shooting 49.5%.

Minnesota scores 67.4 points per game, 2.4 fewer points than the 69.8 Ohio State gives up. Ohio State has shot at a 49.5% clip from the field this season, 6.9 percentage points higher than the 42.6% shooting opponents of Minnesota have averaged.

The Golden Gophers and Buckeyes meet Monday for the first time in conference play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Lu’Cye Patterson is averaging 10 points and 3.9 assists for the Golden Gophers.

Bruce Thornton is averaging 16.9 points and 4.6 assists for the Buckeyes.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Gophers: 5-5, averaging 68.6 points, 30.8 rebounds, 16.4 assists, 5.7 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.0 points per game.

Buckeyes: 6-4, averaging 83.3 points, 30.0 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 7.5 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 50.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.0 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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