editor Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Looks like San Antonio has a new team -- for now.---Wednesday, August 31, 2005Saints to go to San AntonioWednesday, 12:50 a.m.The Saints will fly to San Antonio following their 8 p.m. Thursday game at the Oakland Raiders and will make it their home base for the immediate future, said director of media and public relations Greg Bensel.Several teams and communities offered assistance, but Saints owner Tom Benson has long-standing ties to San Antonio, his second home. The team evacuated to San Antonio before Hurricane Ivan last year.The Saints are planning to practice in San Antonio until their season-opener Sept. 11 at the Carolina Panthers.Where they will play the home opener, against the New York Giants on Sept. 18, is uncertain. General Manager Mickey Loomis and the NFL are looking into potential sites, and that would include college stadiums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 I just heard this morning that the home opener will play in Baton Rouge at the LSU stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Why not play their home opener in San Antonio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProHouston Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Because Baton Rouge is only 2 hours from N.O., not only would it be cheaper but their fan base would be that much closer. Not to mention 90,000 seats vs. 65,000.With that said, I'd love to see the Saints move to S.A. for good and this would be a great opportunity for S.A. to show the NFL that it can turn out a crowd for professional football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowspark Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Because Baton Rouge is only 2 hours from N.O., not only would it be cheaper but their fan base would be that much closer. <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It will be interesting to see how much of their fan base is actually somewhere in Louisiana on Sep. 11. That's less than two weeks away, and there's so much talk about how it will take weeks, months, to return people to their homes in NO and surrounding areas. But I do agree that Baton Rouge is probably a much better place for the Saints to play, simply because the state of Louisiana has sustained a terrible blow, and I can see a Saints game helping to raise morale there if it's played within the state, vs. how Louisiana folks will feel if their home team has to play in another state -- and that's probably true no matter where they're living at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banking214 Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 It will be interesting to see how much of their fan base is actually somewhere in Louisiana on Sep. 11. That's less than two weeks away, and there's so much talk about how it will take weeks, months, to return people to their homes in NO and surrounding areas. But I do agree that Baton Rouge is probably a much better place for the Saints to play, simply because the state of Louisiana has sustained a terrible blow, and I can see a Saints game helping to raise morale there if it's played within the state, vs. how Louisiana folks will feel if their home team has to play in another state -- and that's probably true no matter where they're living at that time.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>When the time comes, the fan base of the state will support the team. Baton Rouge should be up and running with power by then, NOLA, different story. I think the fans are going to need this. Sports seem to have a way of bringing people together in desperate times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonsemipro Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 New Orleans mayor criticizes Saints owner NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Mayor Ray Nagin disparaged Saints owner Tom Benson on Wednesday for working with San Antonio officials to permanently keep the NFL team in Texas. The mayor's comments came after the departures of two top Saints executives who were supportive of keeping the Saints in Louisiana. Nagin is concerned that San Antonio officials said publicly that Benson is working with them to relocate the franchise to Texas. ``We want our Saints, we may not want the owner back,'' Nagin said while attending the reopening of Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter. ``I'm ready to go to the NFL and to (commissioner Paul) Tagliabue and say, 'Give us the Cleveland plan,' `` Nagin added, referring to the league awarding Cleveland an expansion team almost immediately after the Browns moved to Baltimore after the 1995 season. ``Whatever the Saints want to do, you let them leave, but they can't take our logo, they can't take our name, and you give us a promise to give us a franchise when this city's back.'' Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said he had no comment on the matter. ``For them to be openly talking to other cities about moving is disrespectful to the citizens of New Orleans, disrespectful to the Saints fans who have hung in with this franchise through 30-something years under very trying times,'' Nagin said. The Saints joined the NFL in 1967. In 1986, Benson was part of an ownership group that bought the team to ensure it would stay in Louisiana. Benson eventually bought out other members of the group. During Benson's ownership, the state of Louisiana has built him a new headquarters, including spending $6.75 million for an indoor practice field in 2003. The state also has paid for repeated improvements to the Louisiana Superdome at Benson's insistence during the past two decades. On Monday night, Benson fired Arnold Fielkow, the team's top business executive since 2000. Fielkow had overseen a 36-game sellout streak at the Superdome and negotiated an unprecedented stadium lease that called for the state to pay Benson $187 million in direct subsidies over 10 years. But Fielkow has said he believed the Saints needed to be leaders in New Orleans' rebuilding process after Hurricane Katrina and repeatedly praised Saints fans in Louisiana as the best and most loyal in the NFL. Fielkow has since said that stance led to his dismissal. On Tuesday, Conrad Kowal, senior director of marketing and business development, also resigned. Nagin called Benson's recent actions a ``doggone shame.'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted October 20, 2005 Author Share Posted October 20, 2005 I'm really quite torn on this one.Reasons for staying in San Antonio:> It's a bigger market, especially now with so many people not returning to New Orleans.> Those who are returning to N.O. are probably going to spend their money on repairs and not on high-priced football tickets.> After what happened, I don't think I would ever want to step foot inside the Superdome again. I don't know if it's haunted or what, but the place just seems like it would be loaded with bad karma.> From what I can tell, S.A. has welcomed the team and been very supportive.> There's no business support for the team. Football teams depends heavily on advertising, and especially TV revenue. Few of the large local businesses plan to do any serious advertising for at least a year. Even the owners of some of the large network-affiliated New Orleans stations are thinking about selling and getting out because there isn't going to be any significant revenue stream for a long long time.> Bottom line: It's a business. S.A. has people and money. N.O. has neither.Reasons for returning to New Orleans:> Sentimentality.> It seems cruel not to.> Having an NFL team would be a big image boost at a time when the city needs it most.> The team got big bucks from the state and should stay until those subsidies are returned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Benson is just like Modell - a greedy old man. I agree with Nagin, take the Cleveland plan. Let Benson start a new team in San Antonio. Perhaps let the City of New Orleans own the new expansion team. This way, everyone is a winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saddleman Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 New Orleans is not going to be able (most likely) to support the Saints, and they want another team if the Saints leave? That's just not going to happen. NO is not Cleveland. If the Saints go to SA (new nickname please) then the next thing the NFL will do is find a team for LA. Not NO. An NFL team is not an entitlement, and the NFL has said that they are very happy at 32 teams. Hell, 32 teams is already more than the league should have, and NO will demand yet another. Just because NO had a team in the past doesn't mean it has to have one in the future. It's very likely that NO will be a much smaller city anyways. NO shouldn't even worry about the Saints. There are so many more pressing problems to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Eitherway, I surely don't want to see the name "San Antonio Saints". I hope they at least have the creativity to come up with a new name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Eitherway, I surely don't want to see the name "San Antonio Saints". I hope they at least have the creativity to come up with a new name. like maybe the san antonio texans i always thought other cities should follow in our example in naming new teams - such as the santa fe new mexicans...or the oklahoma city oklahomans...yeah, that's the ticket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Being from Louisiana, I have no problem with the Saints leaving.If you look at it from the revenue to the city, the Saints didn't generate that much. I think this will help New Orleans start over too with a clean slate. The city doesn't need a team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.S.O.N. Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 The San Antonio Saints would be so fitting, given the city's history.Do any of you happen to know the approx population of New Orleans currently? Also, does anyone else notice the substantial pedestrian and vehicle traffic on Canal and Burbon during recent newscasts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeightsGuy Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 A couple of random thoughts on this:........NO doesn't need the Saints per se, but it does need the Superdome or another similar facility for its tourism. Saints are in the building 8 times a year, there are 10 times that many events held yearly in the Superdome......on San Antonio, I just don't see it happening. First, LA has already been promised next dibs on a franchise. Second, and probably most important, there have been rumblings over the past few years that some NFL owners are not happy with the revenue sharing agreement and want local teams to get their own merchandise profits. Under that scenario, who thinks Jerry Jones and Bob McNair will roll over and allow a team to move into central Texas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProHouston Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 I think a team can definitely make it in SA. SA is big enough already but if you include the Austin corridor, there is pleanty of money and corporate prescence to go around. I mean look at cities like Jacksonville, San Antonio is much more ripe than that city. Plus San Antonians have proven to be loyal fans. With that said, I think Jerry Jones would birth a cow before willingly let a team into South Texas and interfere with his precious cowboy following. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 With that said, I think Jerry Jones would birth a cow before willingly let a team into South Texas and interfere with his precious cowboy following.Agree 100% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeightsGuy Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 ESPN coverage of this topicJust like I said. If the Saints leave NO, LA will get this team in the end, even if they play in SA next year."LA Saints" makes sense too, LA being the City of Angels and all...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 The San Antonio Saints would be so fitting, given the city's history.someone from san antonio was telling me they were joking about the San Antonio Saints, and how that's SAS (which is the already taken San Antonio Shoes). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ V Lawrence Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Didn't San Antonio build the AlamoDome with the intention of trying to lure an NFL team (as well as temporarily hosting the Spurs)? Who has actually spent more taxpayer money trying to get an NFL team, San Antonio or L.A.? San Antonio has already done enough to earn an NFL franchise more than L.A. They deserve it, and I'm not sure the Saints moving to L.A. would benefit Jones or McNair either. A new in-state conference rivalry couldn't hurt. (Well, unless the Texans have the same kind of season next year as they are having now) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonsemipro Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Just came in...WASHINGTON - The Washington Post reports the NFL will consider relocating the Saints to Los Angeles if New Orleans is unable to recover from Hurricane Katrina. Link... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051027/ap_on_...nts_los_angeles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincoRanch-HoustonResident Posted October 28, 2005 Share Posted October 28, 2005 ^I knew it. Los Angeles is more likely to get an NFL team than San Antonio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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