Roof Collapse Forces Giants To Play Monday In Detroit
MINNEAPOLIS (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Giants' road game against the Minnesota Vikings was moved to Monday night in Detroit after the Metrodome's inflated roof collapsed in a snowstorm early Sunday morning.
The game originally was scheduled for Sunday afternoon and already had been pushed back because of the storm that dumped 17 inches of snow on Minneapolis.
PHOTO GALLERY: Roof Collapse Pushes Giants-Vikings Game To Detroit
But Metrodome officials told the league the roof wouldn't be ready in time to play Monday or Tuesday. The league also had discussions with New Orleans, St. Louis and Indianapolis and briefly considered the University of Minnesota's outdoor stadium before deciding to hold the game at Ford Field at 7:20 p.m.
The game will be broadcast in the New York City area on Fox. It will also be available to Sunday Ticket subscribers on DirecTV.
The NFL said Detroit was the best logistical fit given that Fox camera crews were already in town for the Lions' game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
"There are still a lot of logistics up in the air, but we will do everything we can to make this a quality NFL game for the Vikings and Giants," Lions President Tom Lewand said.
The Giants arrived in Detroit from Kansas City late Sunday afternoon. Bad weather in the area -- including snow and high winds -- had cast some doubt on whether the team would be able to travel.
Roy Terwilliger, president of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, said extensive repairs are needed to fix the Dome's roof and the repair technicians that are needed are not in town, CBSMinnesota.com reported.
Earlier Sunday, FOX aired exclusive video of the Metrodome roof's cave in and collapse in some spots -- causing snow to pour onto the playing field.
WATCH: Metrodome Roof Collapses
Speaking with WCBS 880, Terwilliger said the cold and high winds along with the snow were responsible for the damage.
"Too much pressure on the dome and several panels of the Teflon roof were caused to rip and that's causing a deflation in the dome," he said.
Terwilliger also spoke with 1010 WINS Sunday morning and said officials would try to have the stadium ready for next week's game between the Vikings and Chicago Bears.
"We're going to make certain that [it is] able to be still played," Terwilliger said.
No one was hurt, but the roof collapse sent the league and both teams scrambling.
The Giants' plane had been diverted to Kansas City on Saturday, and the team initially planned to leave early Sunday morning and arrive in the Twin Cities in time to play. But the roof collapsed overnight, the fourth time in the building's 29-year history that has happened.
University of Minnesota officials told the NFL that TCF Bank Stadium was shut down for the winter and would take several days to prepare for another game. Removing all the snow, figuring out how to cram 64,000 Metrodome fans into a 50,000-seat stadium, and the fact that the Giants did not bring any cold-weather gear with them from New York for what would have been a brutally frigid night game all combined to make that site problematic.
It will be the first Monday night game ever at Ford Field and first in Michigan since the Pontiac Silverdome hosted one in 2000.
The roof collapse is a fitting metaphor in a trying season for the Vikings that has included: the firing of coach Brad Childress; the investigation of Brett Favre for allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a Jets hostess 2008; the disappointing play of a 5-7 team that had Super Bowl aspirations.
"I think this is officially the craziest season ever; now the roof collapses at the metrodome," Vikings defensive end Brian Robison tweeted. "Can't wait to see what happens now. Let's make it even crazier and just take the roof off and play outside."
Tweeted punter Chris Kluwe: "Just when you think you've seen it all, there's always tomorrow."
Favre has barely practiced all week. He is still a game-time decision for the postponed game against the Giants
Favre told USA Today on Sunday that he doubted he would be able to play "but it does buy a little time" as he tries to keep his NFL record of 297 straight regular-season starts alive.
"Joke goin round is Gods Tryin to preserve Bretts streak record," receiver Bernard Berrian tweeted. "Lol!!"
Two of the dome's triangle-shaped panels were damaged and workers were still assessing the situation, Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Executive Director Bill Lester said Sunday.
The roof is 10 acres of Teflon-coated fiberglass that is supported by 20 90-horsepower fans. It weighs roughly 580,000 pounds and has failed three times previously.
The only time before Sunday that a game has been postponed because of roof failure was April 14, 1983, when a baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and California Angels had to be rescheduled.
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