Rumor - McCombs trying to get Saints to move to Alamodome

[Vashner]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/scorecard/06/17/truth.rumors.nfl/index.html


Some people remain convinced that Red McCombs will use some of the $600 million he received from the sale of the Vikings to become a major investor in the New Orleans Saints and try to move them to San Antonio, where he resides.

[pooh]

I'll believe it, when I see it

[Vashner]

I would not put it past him to make an offer. Didn't they just renovate the Alamodome?

[Uncle_Rico]

no. they would have renovated it for soccer, which still wouldnt have helped for pro football. the alamo dome is the worst piece of architexture ever built. it is poorly designed with tons of wasted space.

[blaze89]

They are putting some money into it but for the stadium to be up to present NFL-standards, alot of money would have to be invested.

[Horry For 3!]

It will be hard for San Antonio to get an NFL team and most likely LA will have a team before SA. BUT I do hope we can bring a NFL team to SA, I would love to have one here.

[UTSARoadrunnerBBFan]

As much as I would love a team in SA, they would need a crack marketing team. The Cowboys fandom has such a stronghold here. I should know, I'm one of the handful of Texans fans here in town.

[Extra Stout]

The purpose of this rumor is the same as the other rumors about the Saints to SA: to scare New Orleans into giving the Saints either a refurbished Superdome or a new stadium at no cost to the Saints.

It's not legitimate. Also, New Orleans has called the bluff already.

[Marcus Bryant]

I recall McCombs saying that a personal goal of his would be to bring a NFL team to San Antonio. I've forgotten the context, but it's not like a NFL franchise is a bad investment, even if it would be the 3rd franchise in Texas (and in South Texas at that).

[clubalien]

i would hate a football team here UNLESS it was the cowboys moving, i am a cowboy fan and a spur fan and would hate to cheer againt the home team

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I think the more likely scenario is McCombs getting involved, but moving the team to Las Vegas.

He's a business man first, and Vegas makes a whole lot more sense than San Antonio.

[scott]

As much as I would love a team in SA, they would need a crack marketing team.

More like you'd need a marketing team smoking crack to think it would work. This is a better rumor than NFL to the Valley though...

[AlamoSpursFan]

The purpose of this rumor is the same as the other rumors about the Saints to SA: to scare New Orleans into giving the Saints either a refurbished Superdome or a new stadium at no cost to the Saints.

It's not legitimate. Also, New Orleans has called the bluff already.

Something tells me y'all are goona look real good with egg on your faces when Red pulls this off.

And I don't think it has much to do with the city of New Orleans. The Ain'ts have the state of Louisiana by the short and curlys, and the new Governor doesn't like it too much.

[Marcus Bryant]

There are much more desirable markets for the Saints to be moved to. The McCombs angle is interesting insofar as he might be willing to try to fulfill a personal goal and bring a NFL franchise to San Antonio. Still, in order for that to happen the city or county would have to come up with a new stadium and we all know how easy it is to get major public projects funded in San Antonio de Bexar.

Also, in order for a franchise to work in this part of Texas, you have to be able to bring in the Austin market in a meaningful way because SA's corporate base is pretty damn weak compared to most NFL markets.

And any such move is bound to generate significant opposition from the Cowboys and Texans.

It's a longshot, as it's always been, but with McCombs, you never know.

[AlamoSpursFan]

The Texans aren't even willing to get their games broadcast in this market. Why would they care if we get a team?

[hunter-thereckoning]

i know Red McCombs' niece....i hang out with her in Rockport

she is soooooo hott

[Extra Stout]

Something tells me y'all are goona look real good with egg on your faces when Red pulls this off.

And I don't think it has much to do with the city of New Orleans. The Ain'ts have the state of Louisiana by the short and curlys, and the new Governor doesn't like it too much.Having witnessed the kind of activity one would see if a relocation truly were in the works, and having also witnessed what it looks like when a team is making up crap to blackmail concessions out of a city or state, this looks exactly like the latter, and nothing like the former.

San Antonians simply don't get it. They have this total misconception of what it takes to get an NFL team these days. They act as if somebody can just up and move a team to the Alamodome tomorrow and start playing NFL games immediately. You're delusional and/or stupid if you think that. While there are rumors that McCombs has a "personal goal" to get a team in SA, I'm guessing he does NOT have a personal goal to lose hundreds of millions of dollars to do so, which is what would happen to the team's franchise value if it moved into the 'Dome all of a sudden.

Red McCombs isn't going to squat down and crap a $600 million retractable-roof stadium in SA. You don't just build the kind of government and corporate support needed to make a team viable by snapping your fingers.

It takes years and years of hard work and collaboration with many, many groups, both private and public, to have a successful NFL franchise in a city. None of that has even begun to happen in San Antonio.

This same argument has been going on for years, with the Pollyannas in SA still convinced that there is an NFL team coming at the end of the next rainbow. But it never, ever happens, and it's not close to happening. If anything, there is less activity going on towards getting a team than there was a decade ago.

[Marcus Bryant]

Sure, SA has been used in the past by the two SA auto dealers.

But it's not like NO is that great of a market. Yes, it does come down to the stadium, but if you are successful in putting a franchise in this region that draws from both SA and Austin heavily then you have an average NFL market.

Long shot? Absolutely. But if there's a guy with the resources - money, desire, experience, contacts, and civic respect - to make it happen, it would be McCombs.

[Extra Stout]

Sure, SA has been used in the past by the two SA auto dealers.

But it's not like NO is that great of a market. Yes, it does come down to the stadium, but if you are successful in putting a franchise in this region that draws from both SA and Austin heavily then you have an average NFL market.

Long shot? Absolutely. But if there's a guy with the resources - money, desire, experience, contacts, and civic respect - to make it happen, it would be McCombs.But the wheels have to start turning. The city would have had to start working years ago to be ready to accomodate a franchise move that fits the Saints' timetable for getting something, be it in Louisiana or elsewhere, done.

[Marcus Bryant]

True, and you have to count on CA Stubbs climbing out of his coffin and getting airtime.

With the 'Dome, this region has at least a suitable temporary facility for a team. For a new facility, you'd have to get multiple local governmental entities involved between SA and Austin.

[blaze89]

Austin will support the longhorns before supporting any football in San Antronio.

The city does not have the resources to bring an NFL team here. The city efforts to bring an NFL team here is cosmetic at best. San Antonio has not done enough to have any team to even look in this direction.

[Horry For 3!]

This talk has been going on for a long time.