Minnesota Vikings president Mark Wilf figures if you can get a soda out of a vending machine, you might as well be able to get a team T-shirt or a set of trading cards, too.

Wilf took that concept to MainGate Inc., his team's apparel partner. When the Indianapolis-based company agreed that Wilf's idea had merit, MainGate installed a vending machine with Vikings merchandise at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., with hopes that it will be profitable and the idea will catch on with its six other NFL clients.