# Max Winter > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Max_Winter > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Max_Winter.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Winter > Source revision: 1347763749 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American sports executive For the Austrian politician, see [Max Winter (politician)](/source/Max_Winter_(politician)). This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Max Winter" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Max Winter **Max Winter** (June 29, 1903 – July 26, 1996) [*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] was a [Minneapolis](/source/Minneapolis) businessman and sport executive who helped found the [Minnesota Vikings](/source/Minnesota_Vikings). ## Biography Winter was born in [Ostrava](/source/Ostrava), [Austria-Hungary](/source/Austria-Hungary) (modern day [Czech Republic](/source/Czech_Republic)).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] He emigrated with his family and settled in [Minneapolis](/source/Minneapolis), [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] He graduated from North High School in Minneapolis in 1922 (see North High Polaris for 1922). He attended [Hamline University](/source/Hamline_University) on a basketball scholarship. Winter opened The 620 Club in 1934 with his brother Henry and boxing manager/promoter Ernie Fliegel as equal partners. Located at 620 Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, the restaurant specialized in turkey. The club was sold in 1971 and revamped the same year to become Moby Dick's bar (aka "Moby's).[1] In 1947, Winter became part owner with [Ben Berger](/source/Ben_Berger), [Sid Hartman](/source/Sid_Hartman), and [Morris Chalfen](/source/Morris_Chalfen) and assumed the general manager duties of the new [Minneapolis Lakers](/source/Minneapolis_Lakers) in the [National Basketball League](/source/National_Basketball_League_(United_States)). By the mid-1950s, Winter was interested in attracting a pro [football](/source/American_football) team to Minneapolis. He attempted to get an expansion team in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League); when that failed Winter and his partners joined with the newly created [American Football League](/source/American_Football_League) in the fall of 1959.[2] By 1960, with creation of the AFL, the NFL decided to expand to both [Dallas](/source/Dallas) and [Minneapolis-St. Paul](/source/Minneapolis-St._Paul). Minnesota was granted an NFL franchise at the league owners' meetings in Miami on January 28, 1960. Winter and his group, out of the AFL and received an NFL expansion team that began in the [1961 season](/source/1961_NFL_season). The team was named the [Minnesota Vikings](/source/Minnesota_Vikings) on September 27, 1960. The founding group consisted of Max Winter, [Bill Boyer](/source/Bill_Boyer), [H. P. Skoglund](/source/H._P._Skoglund), [Ole Haugsrud](/source/Ole_Haugsrud) and Bernard H. Ridder Jr. Winter remained on the Vikings board of directors until 1989. He served as team president from 1965 to 1987. In 1985, Winter shocked and angered his fellow Vikings owners when he attempted to sell his share of the team to [Irwin L. Jacobs](/source/Irwin_L._Jacobs) and [Carl Pohlad](/source/Carl_Pohlad). The case went to the [Minnesota Supreme Court](/source/Minnesota_Supreme_Court) and finally was settled in Winter's favor. [https://law.justia.com/cases/minnesota/supreme-court/1987/c5-86-637-2.html](https://law.justia.com/cases/minnesota/supreme-court/1987/c5-86-637-2.html) ## Legacy When the Minnesota Vikings headquarters and training facility opened in [Eden Prairie](/source/Eden_Prairie), Minnesota, the Vikings had named it Winter Park, in honor of Max Winter. Their headquarters is now in [Eagan](/source/Eagan%2C_Minnesota), Minnesota. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Fliegel 620 Club Family History"](http://www.mediafire.com/view/bj1866e182fv1of/Fliegel620ClubHistory.JPG). *facebook.com*. 2016-04-30. Retrieved 2017-07-26. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Vikings Franchise Timeline"](https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-franchise-timeline). *vikings.com*. Retrieved 31 March 2022. v t e Minnesota Vikings owners Boyer, Winter, and Skoglund (1960–1986) Boyer estate, Skoglund estate, Jacobs and Pohlad (1986–1987) Whitney, Dyer, Lynn, Skoglund estate, Jacobs and Pohlad (1987–1989) Whitney, Dyer, Lynn, Jacobs and Pohlad (1989–1991) Ten equal partners (1991–1998) Red McCombs (1998–2005) Zygi Wilf (2005–present) v t e Minnesota Vikings presidents Bill Boyer (1960–1965) Max Winter (1965–1987) Wheelock Whitney Jr. (1987–1990) Roger Headrick (1991–1998) Gary Woods (1998–2005) Mark Wilf (2005–present) This business-related Austrian biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Austria-business-bio-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3AAustria-business-bio-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Austria-business-bio-stub) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Max Winter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Winter) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Winter?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.