Who will buy naming rights to a new Vikings stadium?

The Minnesota Vikings’ agreement with Ramsey County for a new $1.057 billion stadium includes a $407 million contribution from the team and private financing. A chunk of that, should the stadium be built, would come from corporate naming rights. Same thing goes for a deal to keep the Vikings in Minneapolis.

So…which Minnesota company might pony up? Let’s look at the most likely pool of candidates, Minnesota’s Fortune 500, with a few thoughts interspersed.

1. UnitedHealth Group

Lots of injuries in football. Marketing opportunities abound.

2. Target

Might as way go all the way. Target Field, Target Center, Target Stadium. The Target Triumvirate.

3. Best Buy

Name: Best Buy Bowl?

4. Supervalu

Eden Prairie-based Supervalu is consolidating its store-brand products under one nationwide brand. The brand name will be “Essential Everyday.” So, it could call the stadium “Essential Everyday Field.” Nah.

5. 3M

Probably doesn’t need the name recognition. But “Post-It Palace” would be nice, wouldn’t it?

6. CHS

A “diversified energy, grains and foods company,” it could use some name recognition that a stadium might bring. I’ve never heard of CHS, have you?

7. U.S. Bancorp

We could have another Twin Cities stadium we could call “The Bank.” Cool.

8. Medtronic

See United Health Group.

9. General Mills

Name: The GM Cereal Bowl.

10. Land O’Lakes

Land O’Lakes is based in Arden Hills, where a Ramsey County stadium would be built. So why not? Stadium nickname: The Milk. “I’m headed to the Milk to see the Vikings!”

11. Xcel Energy

Xcel Center. Xcel Stadium. Keep up with Target?

12. Ameriprise Financial

Financial planning. Might be problematic to take financial advice from a company that just blew millions to name a stupid stadium.

13. C.H. Robinson Worldwide

A “third party logistics provider,” whatever that means. Nothing clever to say here. It’s getting late in this post. Fill in your own.

14. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

Maybe my favorite. I’d love to hear TV announcers trip over it. Would this be the only stadium with a religious denomination in the name? Methinks so.

15. Hormel Foods

Nickname: The Chili. Spam jokes too obvious.

16. Mosaic

The world’s largest supplier of phosphate and potash. So many possibilities.

17. Ecolab

Hmmmm.

18. St. Jude Medical

See United Health Group and Medtronic.

19. Nash-Finch

Look, folks. I’m getting tired. What would YOU say about “Nash Finch Field?”

20. Alliant Techsystems

We will defend our house! De-fense! De-fense!