blaze89
09-08-2005, 11:08 AM
NEW: Saints, city talk about four games
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
Discussions are ongoing among the New Orleans Saints, the NFL and the city to play at least four games at the Alamodome this season, sources close to the situation told the San Antonio Express-News today.
An NFL spokesman said no announcements are expected today concerning where the displaced Saints will play their remaining seven home games this season.
The options are San Antonio and Baton Rouge, La. Sources say the league is considering allowing the Saints to play three games at LSU’s Tiger Stadium.
Saints owner Tom Benson expressed gratitude this morning to the city for allowing the team to move its base here for what will likely be the rest of the season.
"I don’t know what the NFL would have done if San Antonio hadn’t taken us in," Benson said. "We are really grateful to San Antonio for all they’ve done."
Former San Antonio Mayor and U.S. Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros on Wednesday assured NFL officials that the displaced Saints could expect to play before significant – if not capacity - crowds at the Alamodome this season.
Concerned about reports that the league fears attendance will be low if it allows the Saints to play at the 65,000-seat building, Cisneros called the NFL office in New York to dispel rumors about San Antonio’s lack of enthusiasm for the Saints.
"There was a rumor that the city would do well to sell 20,000 tickets for Saints games," Cisneros said. "I believe we would sell 50,000 just upon the announcement that the Saints would play here.
"I have every reason to believe that Saints games would be successful here, and that is what I conveyed to the league."
Cisneros’ effort coincided with the strongest statement yet by a member of the Saints organization about the team’s desire to play in San Antonio this season.
"I think this football team needs to play here," Coach Jim Haslett said.
"This is where we’re practicing. … (The players) know we’re practicing here, so we’d like to play here. They would like to see their families on Saturday. They would like to be around their families one day a week, because you don’t see them at all (the rest of the week). So, more than anything, I think that’s the most important thing for them."
The Saints will likely base their operations in San Antonio for the remainder of the season after Hurricane Katrina and massive flooding left their hometown in ruins.
"Preferably, we would like to play in San Antonio because that’s were our families are," receiver Joe Horn said.
In a statement released Tuesday, Saints owner Tom Benson said he had expressed to the league his "desire to … play games in Baton Rouge, La., to the extent circumstances allow."
Benson’s qualification refers to the fact that Baton Rouge, home to LSU’s Tiger Stadium, is housing thousands of evacuees and is a major base for Hurricane Katrina rescue and relief efforts.
Sources say Benson shares Haslett’s opinion. One source close to Benson, who has strong business and personal ties to San Antonio, has said Benson even wants to relocate his team to the Alamo City.
Benson said Wednesday night he does not know where his team will play.
"I have no idea," Benson said. "I just can’t give you anything. I wish I could tell you something."
Cisneros, who has repeatedly expressed his concern that San Antonio’s first priority in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster should be caring for evacuees, said he called the league office "just so (NFL officials) would not make a decision based on bad information."
Cisneros, housing secretary in the Clinton Administration, said he also tried to convey to the league that the city is "very different" than it was in 1999 when the NFL last studied San Antonio as a potential market.
"I described our economic situation, corporate base, size and our growth," Cisneros said. "This is an NFL city. But beside that point, we certainly would have a respectable presence in the Alamodome for Saints games."
Reached earlier in the day, a league spokesman said the NFL believes San Antonio "would do a fine job (with attendance)."
But Greg Aiello, NFL vice president of public relations, also said Baton Rouge remains the league’s No. 1 option.
One option that has been ruled out is having the Saints play on the road for home games against division opponents.
"Louisiana officials are making it very clear they think it would be important to return the Saints to the region as soon as possible," Aiello said.
"The question is, when will that be?" Aiello said. "(LSU officials) will have to tell us."
The league has switched the Saints’ home opener against the New York Giants from the hurricane-damaged Superdome to Giants Stadium on Sept. 19.
The Saints’ next home game is Oct. 2 against Buffalo.
"The goal is LSU and Baton Rouge," Aiello said. "Whether it will be ready for Oct. 2, we don’t know."
Still, Aiello said San Antonio remains an option for "some" games.
"It depends on the circumstances," Aiello said. "We have to see what the issues are in terms of playing in Louisiana."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA090805.saints.en.397c9cd1.html)
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
Discussions are ongoing among the New Orleans Saints, the NFL and the city to play at least four games at the Alamodome this season, sources close to the situation told the San Antonio Express-News today.
An NFL spokesman said no announcements are expected today concerning where the displaced Saints will play their remaining seven home games this season.
The options are San Antonio and Baton Rouge, La. Sources say the league is considering allowing the Saints to play three games at LSU’s Tiger Stadium.
Saints owner Tom Benson expressed gratitude this morning to the city for allowing the team to move its base here for what will likely be the rest of the season.
"I don’t know what the NFL would have done if San Antonio hadn’t taken us in," Benson said. "We are really grateful to San Antonio for all they’ve done."
Former San Antonio Mayor and U.S. Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros on Wednesday assured NFL officials that the displaced Saints could expect to play before significant – if not capacity - crowds at the Alamodome this season.
Concerned about reports that the league fears attendance will be low if it allows the Saints to play at the 65,000-seat building, Cisneros called the NFL office in New York to dispel rumors about San Antonio’s lack of enthusiasm for the Saints.
"There was a rumor that the city would do well to sell 20,000 tickets for Saints games," Cisneros said. "I believe we would sell 50,000 just upon the announcement that the Saints would play here.
"I have every reason to believe that Saints games would be successful here, and that is what I conveyed to the league."
Cisneros’ effort coincided with the strongest statement yet by a member of the Saints organization about the team’s desire to play in San Antonio this season.
"I think this football team needs to play here," Coach Jim Haslett said.
"This is where we’re practicing. … (The players) know we’re practicing here, so we’d like to play here. They would like to see their families on Saturday. They would like to be around their families one day a week, because you don’t see them at all (the rest of the week). So, more than anything, I think that’s the most important thing for them."
The Saints will likely base their operations in San Antonio for the remainder of the season after Hurricane Katrina and massive flooding left their hometown in ruins.
"Preferably, we would like to play in San Antonio because that’s were our families are," receiver Joe Horn said.
In a statement released Tuesday, Saints owner Tom Benson said he had expressed to the league his "desire to … play games in Baton Rouge, La., to the extent circumstances allow."
Benson’s qualification refers to the fact that Baton Rouge, home to LSU’s Tiger Stadium, is housing thousands of evacuees and is a major base for Hurricane Katrina rescue and relief efforts.
Sources say Benson shares Haslett’s opinion. One source close to Benson, who has strong business and personal ties to San Antonio, has said Benson even wants to relocate his team to the Alamo City.
Benson said Wednesday night he does not know where his team will play.
"I have no idea," Benson said. "I just can’t give you anything. I wish I could tell you something."
Cisneros, who has repeatedly expressed his concern that San Antonio’s first priority in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster should be caring for evacuees, said he called the league office "just so (NFL officials) would not make a decision based on bad information."
Cisneros, housing secretary in the Clinton Administration, said he also tried to convey to the league that the city is "very different" than it was in 1999 when the NFL last studied San Antonio as a potential market.
"I described our economic situation, corporate base, size and our growth," Cisneros said. "This is an NFL city. But beside that point, we certainly would have a respectable presence in the Alamodome for Saints games."
Reached earlier in the day, a league spokesman said the NFL believes San Antonio "would do a fine job (with attendance)."
But Greg Aiello, NFL vice president of public relations, also said Baton Rouge remains the league’s No. 1 option.
One option that has been ruled out is having the Saints play on the road for home games against division opponents.
"Louisiana officials are making it very clear they think it would be important to return the Saints to the region as soon as possible," Aiello said.
"The question is, when will that be?" Aiello said. "(LSU officials) will have to tell us."
The league has switched the Saints’ home opener against the New York Giants from the hurricane-damaged Superdome to Giants Stadium on Sept. 19.
The Saints’ next home game is Oct. 2 against Buffalo.
"The goal is LSU and Baton Rouge," Aiello said. "Whether it will be ready for Oct. 2, we don’t know."
Still, Aiello said San Antonio remains an option for "some" games.
"It depends on the circumstances," Aiello said. "We have to see what the issues are in terms of playing in Louisiana."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected]
Link (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA090805.saints.en.397c9cd1.html)