octagon999 wrote:San Antonio is doubtful to be a permanent solution (as much as I would LOVE to see them come there) because there are already two Texas teams.
San Antonio is in the top ten for US city populations and New Orleans was in the thirties. San Antonio is more then fours driving from Dallas and Houston. Red McCombs wanted to move the Vikings there. I know it's stupid that LA doesn't have a team but I think the Saints are going to SA.
I agree with most saying Beson could have had some tact about the situation.
San Antonio's direct population is large, but its MSA size is limited (#30 in the nation). New Orleans in contrast had a fairly large MSA relative to its direct city size (#35). Both cities have fairly poor populations.
MSA larger than NOLA pre-Katrina without football teams:
LA (#2)
San Juan (#20)
Portland (#23)
Sacremento (#25)
Orlando (#28)
Norfolk/VA Beach/Newport News (#31)
Las Vegas (#32)
Columbus (#33)
Smaller MSAs with football teams:
Nashville (#39)
Buffalo (#43)
Jacksonville (#46)
nikku88 wrote:I don't understand why it's so easy for NFL teams to move. Baseball has lots of problems, but you would never see a team like Cleveland be allowed to move just for money.
Don't get me started on teams from Cleveland moving...
F**k Art Modell.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -- Voltaire
VHawk15 wrote:Eh, Texas already has too many teams. Picture this:
Birmingham Saints Knoxville Saints Jackson Saints
In all seriousness, this move, even for only a couple of years, makes sense.
How So?
Birmingham or Jackson won't work from from a $$$ standpoint, if for no other reason(s) than:
1.) Their respective Metro Areas aren't big enough to "sustain" an NFL team (TV and Ticket Money).
2.) They've both been hit nearly as hard as LA by Katrina (especially in the case of Mississippi. The loss of the casino money is a killer to what was already the poorest state in the US.)
Tennessee already has 1 team. There's no way $$ wise they can support two.
Benson's already shown the "community" (i.e. NO) don't mean s**t to him. (he's been shoppin' around for how many years?). The NFL needs to step in and tell him to have a friggin' heart. If he's that concerned about the bottom line..Sell the Saints to Someone who won't sell New Orleans out the same way Modell did Cleveland (or Davis did "fill in a CA City Here").
The people of NO that have come out and supported the Saints through thin and thin deserve better than to have Benson use this disaster as an excuse to move the team so he can make more $$$. I'm pretty sure he's not broke.
For What It's Worth.
God Bless The Gulf Coast.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -- Voltaire
octagon999 wrote:San Antonio is doubtful to be a permanent solution (as much as I would LOVE to see them come there) because there are already two Texas teams.
San Antonio is in the top ten for US city populations and New Orleans was in the thirties. San Antonio is more then fours driving from Dallas and Houston. Red McCombs wanted to move the Vikings there. I know it's stupid that LA doesn't have a team but I think the Saints are going to SA.
I agree with most saying Beson could have had some tact about the situation.
San Antonio's direct population is large, but its MSA size is limited (#30 in the nation). New Orleans in contrast had a fairly large MSA relative to its direct city size (#35). Both cities have fairly poor populations.
MSA larger than NOLA pre-Katrina without football teams: LA (#2) San Juan (#20) Portland (#23) Sacremento (#25) Orlando (#28) Norfolk/VA Beach/Newport News (#31) Las Vegas (#32) Columbus (#33)
Smaller MSAs with football teams: Nashville (#39) Buffalo (#43) Jacksonville (#46)
Columbus has a football team....The Buckeyes. As rabid as the fans are about 'em (Tix 4 the game vs. TX are goin for $1,500 a pair) That's all they need..
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -- Voltaire
octagon999 wrote:San Antonio is doubtful to be a permanent solution (as much as I would LOVE to see them come there) because there are already two Texas teams.
San Antonio is in the top ten for US city populations and New Orleans was in the thirties. San Antonio is more then fours driving from Dallas and Houston. Red McCombs wanted to move the Vikings there. I know it's stupid that LA doesn't have a team but I think the Saints are going to SA.
I agree with most saying Beson could have had some tact about the situation.
San Antonio's direct population is large, but its MSA size is limited (#30 in the nation). New Orleans in contrast had a fairly large MSA relative to its direct city size (#35). Both cities have fairly poor populations.
MSA larger than NOLA pre-Katrina without football teams: LA (#2) San Juan (#20) Portland (#23) Sacremento (#25) Orlando (#28) Norfolk/VA Beach/Newport News (#31) Las Vegas (#32) Columbus (#33)
Smaller MSAs with football teams: Nashville (#39) Buffalo (#43) Jacksonville (#46)
For reference sake (and completeness), if you're going to include San Juan on that list, then you may as well include Mexico City and Toronto on that list as well, which would probably come in at #'s 3 and 5 respectively in that grouping. Both cities would get consideration in the event of any possible expansion, although everything I've heard is that the NFL isn't seriously considering expanding outside the US anytime soon, they are doing to well with what they're doing.
VHawk15 wrote:Eh, Texas already has too many teams. Picture this:
Birmingham Saints Knoxville Saints Jackson Saints
In all seriousness, this move, even for only a couple of years, makes sense.
How So?
Birmingham or Jackson won't work from from a $$$ standpoint, if for no other reason(s) than:
1.) Their respective Metro Areas aren't big enough to "sustain" an NFL team (TV and Ticket Money). 2.) They've both been hit nearly as hard as LA by Katrina (especially in the case of Mississippi. The loss of the casino money is a killer to what was already the poorest state in the US.)
Tennessee already has 1 team. There's no way $$ wise they can support two.
Benson's already shown the "community" (i.e. NO) don't mean s**t to him. (he's been shoppin' around for how many years?). The NFL needs to step in and tell him to have a friggin' heart. If he's that concerned about the bottom line..Sell the Saints to Someone who won't sell New Orleans out the same way Modell did Cleveland (or Davis did "fill in a CA City Here").
The people of NO that have come out and supported the Saints through thin and thin deserve better than to have Benson use this disaster as an excuse to move the team so he can make more $$$. I'm pretty sure he's not broke.
For What It's Worth.
God Bless The Gulf Coast.
To be fair, he knows that no one is going to come watch the saints for at least a year after this, as they will still be rebuilding and most people will be far too poor to afford a football game.
Kilroy1872 wrote:For What's It Worth....The Alamodome has next to NO Luxury Boxes (the lifeblood of greedy owners), so I really don't think that if the Saints DO move it will be to SA.....
God Bless the Gulf Coast.
No he'll move to SA and build a new stadium on the taxpayers' backs. The community will go for it no doubt because they're getting AN NFL TEAM WOO WEE. Publicly funded stadiums are a scam.
I'm not saying that moving isn't a good financial move for the owner, but I do think he should suck it up and have some tact for a year at least.
"It is unworthy of excellent men to lose hours like slaves in the labor of calculation, which could be safely relegated to anyone else if machines were used." - Leibniz
A week after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and numerous other Gulf Coast communities, we've heard from our old friend John Marie, host of the Sports Court on 990 am in the Crescent City. Over the past year or so, we've done several radio spots with John Marie, who isn't afraid to call it like he sees it when it comes to the Saints and their history of mismanagement and general ineptitude.
John Marie, who lost his home in Katrina and its aftermath, has forwarded to us a message from Fletcher Mackel of WDSU-TV containing some shocking revelations regarding the plans of Saints owner Tom Benson.
WDSU, you might recall, reported on Sunday that the Saints do not intend to give refunds to season ticket holders. The report was brief and vague, without identifying the source or disclosing any details.
Now, all of that has changed.
Mackel says that he has spoken directly with Saints executive Arnold Fielkow, who has outlined in detail owner Tom Benson's plan for profiting from the demise of New Orleans.
It was Fielkow, by the way, who recently told Louisiana state senator Mike Michot that Benson wants to move permanently to San Antonio. The "real" media, as we explained earlier on Monday, generally ignored the story.
Per Mackel through John Marie, Fielkow (who based on the following likely will soon be a former employee of the organization) says that Benson is hoping to anger the citizens and the Louisiana Legislature by refusing to issue refunds to season-ticket holders.
Writes Mackel: "[Fielkow] said Tom Benson WANTS to upset season ticket holders and the Louisiana Legislature! He wants to play this season in San Antonio, forcing the state to tell him that since he turned his back on the community in a time of need they won't make any more payments to him.
"If the state fails to make their payment next summer Louisiana is in breech [sic] of contract and Benson can move the team without making a penalty payment. He would then shop the team to the highest bidding city. San Antonio, L.A., even New Orleans with a better deal in place. He's simply going to use this tragedy get a better deal and perhaps [a] new stadium from some city."
The decision not to pay refunds, per Mackel, will be announced within the next 24-to-48 hours. Apparently, fine-print language in the tickets permits the team to deny refunds based on natural disasters.
Fielkow told Mackel that Benson simply does not care if this plan makes him the most hated man in the history of the city.
Mackel and John Marie both say that Fielkow is a good man, and that he is "passionate" and "upset" regarding Benson's intentions. Per Mackel, Fielkow has urged Benson to play this year's home games in Baton Rouge, so that the season-ticket holders may attend. Fielkow also told Mackel that insurance money for the Superdome along with possible federal finances could enable New Orleans to build a new or refurbished stadium that would also serve as a better place of evacuation when the next Category 5 storm prepares to make landfall.
Mackel says that he also has spoken with Saints running back Deuce McAllister, who said that "a bad decision" was about to be made by the organization. McAllister said he hopes the team can play in Baton Rouge and remain in New Orleans. Asked whether the Saints have played their last game in New Orleans, McAllister told Mackel: "I just don't know, nothing would surprise me."
These folks, starting with Fielkow, are getting the word out because, apparently, there's still time to change Benson's mind. John Marie and Fletcher Mackel are hoping that as many journalists, politicians, and fans as possible learn of Benson's plan and sound off in a loud, clear voice that his efforts to profit at the city's most dire time of crisis will not succeed.
We plan to do everything we can to spread the word on this. As to anyone out there who's in a position of influence of any kind, we hope that you do the same.
No refunds to season ticket holders. How shocking.
"It is unworthy of excellent men to lose hours like slaves in the labor of calculation, which could be safely relegated to anyone else if machines were used." - Leibniz
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