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Q and A with Bob Hagan of the Minnesota Vikings

Daniel Borgertpoepping | October 26, 2020

Bob Hagan is the Vice President of Media and Communications for the Minnesota Vikings. He also happens to be a massive tennis fan.

 

We caught up with Bob for a Q-and-A on how he got into the game, his favorite matches and players and plenty more.


How long have you been with the Minnesota Vikings?

 

This is my 30th season - started as an intern. When I was there the first year or two, I was just hoping they’d keep me in there, so this just crept up on me. I never really thought how long I’d be there, I just enjoyed sports and working with the organization.

 

How did your interest in tennis develop - playing or watching tennis growing up?

 

Some of both. My mom and dad and two older sisters played. My dad and brothers built a tennis court up at our cabin that we’ve had for close to 70 years, and they were always hitting balls around; I was shagging balls with a baseball mitt. Then I started wanting to hit and got highly interested in it and that was my first love of tennis. 

 

If watching tennis was a regular activity, which players have been the most interesting/fun to watch?

 

I was a huge fan of Jimmy Connors. Thought he was fun to watch, high energy and you never knew what was going to happen. That was my first tennis player that I grew attached to and it's been Roger Federer and Mardy Fish in more current years. I've watched hundreds of [Roger's] matches.

 

If you've traveled to watch tennis, are there any experiences or matches that stand out among your favorites? Did you have plans to travel to any Slams this year?


With my job at the Vikings, it's so year-round and everything. Two years ago, I got to go to Wimbledon in the summer and went for four days of matches and last year I went to eight days of matches and this year I was planning on going for a week and a half; that obviously got cancelled. That's the only Slam I’ve ever gotten to go to. But I've been to Indian Wells and I've been to the Miami Open four times. 

 

I spent a semester in London in college so that's my favorite city in the world coupled with my favorite tournament and I'll probably try to find a way to go every year I can.

 

With the coverage of Kirk Cousins playing some tennis, are there other players over the years you've been with the Vikings who you know played?

 

Cris Carter likes playing a lot. I think Adam Thielen likes it. He's such a supernatural athlete no matter what sport he picks up he becomes instantly good at it. Ahmad Rashad was a good player. Ryan Hoag, too. He spent a couple years with us - he went to Gustavus and now he coaches tennis at Minneapolis Washburn. 

 

Which matches you've seen in person were your favorite?

 

Number one for me is the 2018 Wimbledon quarterfinal between Juan Martin Del Potro and Rafael Nadal. Number two is the Wimbledon semifinal last year, Federer against Nadal, a great four-setter. The other one had more ups and downs, but those two hadn’t played for 11 years which seems like it shouldn’t have happened. That was some high entertainment.

 

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