OT:Saints have easier way out of NO

[Pats726]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

It will be intersting to see what the NFL does...will they try to force benson to stay or maybe put in a red carpet for them to go to Lala land???

 

[QuiGon]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

It will be intersting to see what the NFL does...will they try to force benson to stay or maybe put in a red carpet for them to go to Lala land???

I know my opinion is the minority, but I honestly believe that the Saints would be in San Antonio or Los Angeles this very day if it weren't for Hurricane Katrina and the horrible publicity the league would receive for abandoning the city.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

The thing about this is that N.O. is a ghost town, and the superdome is in ruins, from what I hear. I think the smart business choice would be to move. Obviously that is not the 'politically correct' thing to do, but I'm wondering exactly who is left in N.O.?

Allstate and other insurance companies didn't pay a dime to all those people that lost their houses, and FEMA flood insurance is a scam, and barely pays a dime either. Nobody can rebuild and it looks like N.O. is going to be converted into a casino town by big business.

I think this is a huge elephant in the room that nobody seems to want to talk about. Everyone just says Benson is a total cold hearted jerk. I'd like to know what his realistic options are to have a financially secure franchise. Can the Saints even survive in N.O., now that the town is cutting them off from funding?

I don't know much about Benson, or the issue, but it strikes me as a really important issue when an NFL Franchise is in this kind of dire straits and the only scapegoat appears to be the owner.

Any opinions?

 

[hallfamebrady]

I think the Saints were going to end up in LA even before Hurricane Katrina. The deal they signed to stay in NO was only a temporary fix since Mississippi was courting them.

It sounds cruel but they are better off in LA. Spending money on football is less of a priority than rebuilding neighborhoods.

 

[QuiGon]

:bricks:

The thing about this is that N.O. is a ghost town, and the superdome is in ruins, from what I hear. I think the smart business choice would be to move. Obviously that is not the 'politically correct' thing to do, but I'm wondering exactly who is left in N.O.?

Allstate and other insurance companies didn't pay a dime to all those people that lost their houses, and FEMA flood insurance is a scam, and barely pays a dime either. Nobody can rebuild and it looks like N.O. is going to be converted into a casino town by big business.

I think this is a huge elephant in the room that nobody seems to want to talk about. Everyone just says Benson is a total cold hearted jerk. I'd like to know what his realistic options are to have a financially secure franchise. Can the Saints even survive in N.O., now that the town is cutting them off from funding?

I don't know much about Benson, or the issue, but it strikes me as a really important issue when an NFL Franchise is in this kind of dire straits and the only scapegoat appears to be the owner.

Any opinions?

Can they survive as an ongoing, profitable business entity in New Orleans...? Yes, of course they can. The television revenue alone goes a long way towards ensuring that.

Will they be significantly more profitable in another locale...? You're damn right they will be. Not only for themselves but arguably for the league as well. So it's tough (and pretty hypocritical) for owners making money hand over fist to tell Benson to keep eating his crap sandwich while they're rolling it in left and right.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Has the superdome been rebuilt? The roof was ruined, among other things.

I am surprised that it is so clear-cut that they can survive as 'an ongoing profitable entity' in N.O. I understand revenue sharing, but my take on the situation would be that the franchise cannot be profitable beyond the actual revenue sharing part if there are barely any fans in the area, if the fans are not able to spend much money because of their truly horrible situation, if the superdome is not fully functional, ect. I don't see how the franchise can contribute much to the NFL at all, and it would seem to be more likely to survive simply because of the revenue sharing. It would hurt the quality of the team and the team's morale, if the owner gets really 'cheap' about things. He is probably filthy rich, but he also pays the bills and the signing bonuses, ect. That money has to come from somewhere.

Supposedly, Benson is a terrible owner (if the media is right), and I think he would get much worse in a hurry if he loses his financial incentive to field a good team.

The team has a chance to be good with a new QB and Reggie. At least they have some hope to be decent.

 

[Luziana Saint Fan]

[B]The thing about this is that N.O. is a ghost town, and the superdome is in ruins, from what I hear. I think the smart business choice would be to move. Obviously that is not the 'politically correct' thing to do, but I'm wondering exactly who is left in N.O.?

Allstate and other insurance companies didn't pay a dime to all those people that lost their houses, and FEMA flood insurance is a scam, and barely pays a dime either. Nobody can rebuild and it looks like N.O. is going to be converted into a casino town by big business

[/

OK, sitting around the campfire, boys and girls and I'll tell you a post katrina New Orleans story.
New Orleans is not close to being a "ghost town". Yes , the city will be smaller than before, but I'm talking about the city of new Orleans,not the suburbs.The people are still here, they are just living in different parts of the area. Except for some towns east of the city, the area is booming. This is the biggest economic and construction boom to happen to the area since the oil boom in the 1970's. Most of the area's that "money" lived before the storm was not heavily damaged and the "money" is still there. Yes, some area s of the city were completly destroyed. They include the poorest areas in the city, middle class subdivisions and one very well off area. Everyone has suffered and lost,including the rich and poor, black AND white, though the national news seems to want the country to think this was a racist storm.
As far as Allstate and others not paying a dime, they have definatly gave people hell, but not as bad as the poster assumed. Unfortunatly, wind and flood insurance are 2 different things and because people lived inside the "bowl", they were told they didnt need flood insurance. DID YOU KNOW that you and your friend could live next door to each other. Both of you have wind insurance but no flood insurance because it doesn't flood. A hurricane comes and both of your houses get water to the roof. BUT, because a tree fell on your friends roof and put a hole in the roof, his insurance will pay for all of his damage and you will get ZILTCH! By the way, WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH FOOTBALL??!!
The superdome was not destroyed or flooded. The roof was heavily damaged. It will be complete and ready the the Saints 1st home game, which is the 3rd monday nite game of the season. The Saints set a record for the most season tickets ever sold by them and suites are selling nicely. The city is doing great, the people never give up, haslett and A Brooks are gone, Drew Brees' shoulder is stronger than ever, REGGIE BUSH is the man and football is almost here. This area is NOT dead and it's actually better than it was before. Katrina was a GREAT crime fighter. She sent all the riff raff down the street!!! WHO DAT!!

 

[tombonneau]

The biggest problem with moving the Saints is that the NFL loves having NO host Super Bowls, which technically they couldn't do without an NFL franchise; however, if the league is smart, they let the Saints move to LA, then make some sort of rule that a SB gets played in NO every three years or something like that. I think that would work out well.

 

[QuiGon]

I am surprised that it is so clear-cut that they can survive as 'an ongoing profitable entity' in N.O.

Well what's the most recent TV contract giving the NFL on a per-team basis...? My understanding is we're talking hundreds of millions of dollars per team over the next few years, which would be enough to cover operating costs. They also get a share of ticket revenue from roads games, most of which are going to be sell outs. And let's face it, there are still going to be some home tickets sold - it isn't like they will play to a completely empty stadium.

Supposedly, Benson is a terrible owner (if the media is right), and I think he would get much worse in a hurry if he loses his financial incentive to field a good team.

Well, it depends on your point of view. A lot of people think Art Modell was a terrible owner for moving the Browns, but he was acting in his own best financial interest. I am not sure that is the definition of a "terrible owner" even though he pissed a lot of people off.

 

[QuiGon]

The biggest problem with moving the Saints is that the NFL loves having NO host Super Bowls, which technically they couldn't do without an NFL franchise;

I'm not sure that's entirely accurate. The media loves having N.O. host a Super Bowl but even before Katrina, the NFL was very unhappy with the stadium situation down there and has started withholding Super Bowls. The last Super Bowl played in N.O. was 36 and there aren't any on the horizon. I believe this will be the longest "Super Bowl drought" N.O. has ever had.

however, if the league is smart, they let the Saints move to LA, then make some sort of rule that a SB gets played in NO every three years or something like that. I think that would work out well.

I don't think there's a rat's chance in heck that happens. And while there have been Super Bowls played in non-NFL stadiums in the past, I don't believe it will be something that we see ever again.

Besides, what would even be the motivation for having the Super Bowl in a non-NFL city..? The NFL wants to reward cities that build them nice, big, taxpayer funded stadiums... not ones that renege on payments to franchises.

 

[scout]

Great post Luziana Saint Fan! Thanks for the update and any misconceptions that were made on our part. Any comments concerning Bethel or Sullivan?

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

It is amazing what a different view the media portrays from what the Saints fan has posted.

The media makes it sound like nobody is left in town at all, but I guess that is how they keep people 'tuned in'. They also have never-ending stories about Allstate screwing everybody.

It is cool to get the straight story from one guy down there, instead of what the media wants you to believe. Thanks!

 

[mgteich]

If the owners of the Saints want to move, they should be allowed to move. If not, the owners should bring the league to court. It should be clear that the team can make much more money elsewhere, and that to leave them there will require city or other subsidies.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

I don't have much of an opinion on what Benson should do, or wants to do. I do feel that Paul Taglibue has been a piece of rat turd about the whole thing, by basically telling Benson to piss off and 'deal with it'.

I agree, Benson should sue if he can't control his own franchise.

Benson may be a crappy owner, like the media wants us to believe, but I really think that we have a crappy commissoner as well.

 

[PatsSaintsSox]

The thing about this is that N.O. is a ghost town, and the superdome is in ruins, from what I hear. I think the smart business choice would be to move. Obviously that is not the 'politically correct' thing to do, but I'm wondering exactly who is left in N.O.?

Allstate and other insurance companies didn't pay a dime to all those people that lost their houses, and FEMA flood insurance is a scam, and barely pays a dime either. Nobody can rebuild and it looks like N.O. is going to be converted into a casino town by big business.

I think this is a huge elephant in the room that nobody seems to want to talk about. Everyone just says Benson is a total cold hearted jerk. I'd like to know what his realistic options are to have a financially secure franchise. Can the Saints even survive in N.O., now that the town is cutting them off from funding?

I don't know much about Benson, or the issue, but it strikes me as a really important issue when an NFL Franchise is in this kind of dire straits and the only scapegoat appears to be the owner.

Any opinions?

The superdome is fine, it is almost done....i was there a month ago and it was fine on the outside....

New Orleans isn’t a big empty town as everybody thinks, 85% of uptown/garden district is back, the "richer" area, and the rest of the city is getting bigger and stronger every day....the burbs are going pretty strong as well....

Everybody is ready for the saints season to begin, and are pumped about Bush and actually having a QB that can throw the ball to Joe Horn and Donte' Stallworth on a consistent basis…

 

[PatsSaintsSox]

OK, sitting around the campfire, boys and girls and I'll tell you a post katrina New Orleans story.
New Orleans is not close to being a "ghost town". Yes , the city will be smaller than before, but I'm talking about the city of new Orleans,not the suburbs.The people are still here, they are just living in different parts of the area. Except for some towns east of the city, the area is booming. This is the biggest economic and construction boom to happen to the area since the oil boom in the 1970's. Most of the area's that "money" lived before the storm was not heavily damaged and the "money" is still there. Yes, some area s of the city were completly destroyed. They include the poorest areas in the city, middle class subdivisions and one very well off area. Everyone has suffered and lost,including the rich and poor, black AND white, though the national news seems to want the country to think this was a racist storm.
As far as Allstate and others not paying a dime, they have definatly gave people hell, but not as bad as the poster assumed. Unfortunatly, wind and flood insurance are 2 different things and because people lived inside the "bowl", they were told they didnt need flood insurance. DID YOU KNOW that you and your friend could live next door to each other. Both of you have wind insurance but no flood insurance because it doesn't flood. A hurricane comes and both of your houses get water to the roof. BUT, because a tree fell on your friends roof and put a hole in the roof, his insurance will pay for all of his damage and you will get ZILTCH! By the way, WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH FOOTBALL??!!
The superdome was not destroyed or flooded. The roof was heavily damaged. It will be complete and ready the the Saints 1st home game, which is the 3rd monday nite game of the season. The Saints set a record for the most season tickets ever sold by them and suites are selling nicely. The city is doing great, the people never give up, haslett and A Brooks are gone, Drew Brees' shoulder is stronger than ever, REGGIE BUSH is the man and football is almost here. This area is NOT dead and it's actually better than it was before. Katrina was a GREAT crime fighter. She sent all the riff raff down the street!!! WHO DAT!!

Yup, I agree with all of that...

Where are you from in LA?

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Since we still have a Saints fan around, please tell us about Benson. Is he as bad as people say? What is the biggest problem with him?

Did it seem to be a little unfair to call him the worst owner in football, and is he taking a lot of heat for the Katrina disaster?

 

[PatsSaintsSox]

Since we still have a Saints fan around, please tell us about Benson. Is he as bad as people say? What is the biggest problem with him?

Did it seem to be a little unfair to call him the worst owner in football, and is he taking a lot of heat for the Katrina disaster?

He is pretty bad, i'm not a huge fan....the stuff that happened at LSU was really bad, and i thought he was a big jerk after that...

 

[Pats726]

He is pretty bad, i'm not a huge fan....the stuff that happened at LSU was really bad, and i thought he was a big jerk after that...

SO...what do the Saint's fans think of the team possibly moving?? Benson finding a way out?? Seems pretty chinsy...almost like he's been waiting to find a way to leave...HARD to blame fans for NOT supporting an owner like that...

 

[SaintPeter]

I'm a Saints fan and live in Pass Christian, Mississippi. The "Pass" is about 50 miles east of downtown NO. I've been to New Orleans many times since Katrina. NO is far from dead. Granted, it has been set back quite a bit, but recovery is going well. The majority of the areas destroyed were poor and had little impact on Saints attendance. As far as the Saints moving from NO to San Antonio or LA......all I can say is anything is possible in the NFL. Did the Colts fans in Baltimore think it could happen to them? The Saints are stuck with a horrible owner in Tom Benson. Benson is a greedy automobile salesman. You Pats fans are lucky in that you have a great owner and coach. Season ticket sales are going well for the Saints. I believe they have sold the most ever and the Superdome should be repaired well enough to have games there in 2006. Too bad to see that Sullivan has messed up with him arrest recently, I was hoping the trade would do him some good. Good luck to ya'll in the up coming season.......