Greetings from the 3M Championship in Blaine
Day 2 of the week-long Champion’s Tour stop in Blaine included the Junior Pro-Am with a new local kids teeing it up with some well-known professionals.
Coon Rapids graduate Taylor Auman was part of a foursome with Gary Hallberg, while her brother, Nick Auman teamed with his Spring Lake Park teammate and classmate Brandon Jones and Blaine’s Dylan Dimke and Dan Meinert to form a team along with Jim Colbert.
Later this afternoon nine pros will compete in a skills challenge around the 18th green. More to come.
Xcel Energy Center earns more acholades
Wild officials released a press release Tuesday morning, saying the Wild deliver the ‘Best Stadium Experience in the NHL and second in all pro sports’ according to ESPN The Magazine’s Ultimate Standings for 2009.
Read the entire release here:
MINNESOTA WILD DELIVER “BEST STADIUM EXPERIENCE” IN NHL AND SECOND IN ALL PRO SPORTS IN ESPN THE MAGAZINE’S “ULTIMATE STANDINGS 2009”
XCEL ENERGY CENTER NAMED “ULTIMATE CRIB” IN PRO SPORTS
SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Xcel Energy Center is the “Ultimate Crib” and the Minnesota Wild deliver the “Best Stadium Experience” in the National Hockey League, according to ESPN The Magazine’s “Ultimate Standings 2009” list. The hockey club ranks second overall for “Stadium Experience” in the field of all 122 major league sports franchises among NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB.
This is the first time Xcel Energy Center has been named “Ultimate Crib” and fourth time the Minnesota Wild experience at Xcel Energy Center has been ranked in the top two in the seven years the poll has been conducted. In 2008, it was second only to the Green Bay Packers and in 2007 and 2003, it was voted the No. 1 “Stadium Experience” overall.
“Our fans continue to be the top priority of our organization and it is an honor for the Minnesota Wild and the Xcel Energy Center to be ranked second overall by ESPN The Magazine for best stadium experience,” said Minnesota Wild Chief Operating Officer Matt Majka.
“We strive to create an exceptional experience for our guests,” said Xcel Energy Center Vice President and General Manager Jack Larson. “It’s gratifying to know people have a great time here and it inspires us to make it even better.”
The criteria set forth by ESPN asked fans to judge “Stadium Experience” based on quality of arena, friendliness of the environment and game-day promotions. More than 50,000 responses were received on ESPN.com. The Ultimate Standings appeared in the July 3, 2009, issue of ESPN The Magazine. For the complete methodology, HYPERLINK “http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4297571″ click here.
In addition to serving as the home of the Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Swarm National Lacrosse League teams, sports fans also flock to four Minnesota State High School League tournaments and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Final Five tournament that Xcel Energy Center hosts each year. In 2010, Xcel Energy Center will welcome the NCAA Men’s Hockey Regional and in 2011, the NCAA Men’s Frozen Four.
