Saints sell total of 30,000 tickets for all 4 games in B.R.

[King Manu]

According to two media outlets and ESPN. The Saints have sold 30,000 tickets for all four home games in Baton Rouge. The NFL commissioner feels stupid now that he did not let benson host all saints games in san antonio.

The nfl commissioner made a dumb mistake by letting the saints play in new york the first week and now Baton Rouge can't support the Saints. I bet Benson is in san antonio somewhere crying because he could have made more money in san antonio.

for those that don't know. L.A. has been reported in courting the San Diego Chargers. Which means San Antonio could land Jaguars or Saints. Chargers Lease expires in january 2006 in san diego. L.A. apparently wants the chargers because of the huge fan base in southern california expecially in the la market.

[scott]

I bet Benson is in san antonio somewhere crying because he could have made more money in san antonio.

In the grand scheme of things, it's not Benson loosing the money. The NFL use a collective business model, and IIRC ticket revenue is divided equally among the 32 teams.

As for the Jags, I doubt they are seriously up for grabs. It's really the Saints or nada, because I don't see the NFL expanding.

[Horry For 3!]

I knew they should of had all the games in SA, that is pretty pathetic for Baton Rouge to only sell 30,000 tickets for all 4 games, really pathetic.

I wouldn't mind the San Antonio Saints or San Antonio Jaguars, sometime soon. :)

[Trainwreck2100]

It really was a stupid idea, did they really think people over there would spend money on a Saints game when they need to buy clothes/food etc.

[dknights411]

The NFL wanted to keep the Saints as close to home, and to the fans, as possible. Unfortunately, people in Louisiana don't have the resources to support an NFL team right now. Because all their money is going towards rebuilding their communities, they don't have enough left over to go to one, let alone four, NFL games. And it does not help matters that they just laid a huge egg at Lambeau.

I like the fact that the NFL is commited to Louisiana and the Saints future, but it just may be too soon for the region to host the NFL.

[PeterBurns]

Keep in mind the majority of these tickets sold were for the Dolphins game when Nick Saban comes back in town.....

[SWC Bonfire]

How many fans does LSU's stadium hold? Isn't it huge?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

It holds around 92,000 normally, but LSU didn't want the NFL to use some seating that had a little construction going on, so I believe the NFL capacity for these games was in the 79,000 range.

[SWC Bonfire]

It holds around 92,000 normally, but LSU didn't want the NFL to use some seating that had a little construction going on, so I believe the NFL capacity for these games was in the 79,000 range.

That's...not good.

<chirp> <chirp>

[TheTruth]

what did the NFL expect. The whole state is still reeling from the hurricanes. Stupid to even expect a good showing for any of the games.

[Shiner Bock Girl]

Actually according to the official website of the Saints, 30,000 tickets were sold for the Oct 30th game alone...They haven't said how many for the other games yet, so they must be pretty low...I was bummed out my plans changed and i was finally able to go to the game Sunday and their sold out....

[dknights411]

Just heard that bars in Baton Rouge will NOT be open for the Saints on Sunday. As much as the NFL would like to use BR as the Saints interim home, San Antonio is just a better fit.

[SWC Bonfire]

Question:

Does the 30,000 seats sold include season ticketholders, or are they to be added to that total? Same scenario, they can give up the seats 10 days before the game?

[King Manu]

it includes season holders as well

[blaze89]

Is that a fact?

I'm not looking at attendence numbers and saying that it's a black and white information in favor of S.A. Consider the circumstances in those numbers plus the fact the games haven't been played yet. I'd rather wait until it's all said and done and final numbers are available.

[SWC Bonfire]

it includes season holders as well

That sucks for los Santos.

[Taco]

Go SAints Go

[Shiner Bock Girl]

Just heard that bars in Baton Rouge will NOT be open for the Saints on Sunday. As much as the NFL would like to use BR as the Saints interim home, San Antonio is just a better fit.

Even Haslett said on the audio conference when they asked about playing here in SA, and he said its a shame they did not have the opportunity to play them all here in SA because they were excited about being here with this fan base....
:elephant

[midgetonadonkey]

Fuck Paul Tagliabue. He is the reason the Saints aren't here all season. They would've sold more tickets here in SA than they have in BR. The people in Louisiana have bigger things to worry about than spending $50-$60 on Saints tickets. Home state team or not.

[TheWriter]

Mayor says S.A. pays off for Saints

Web Posted: 10/14/2005 12:00 AM CDT

Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer

Glowing over news of the first Alamodome sellout for the New Orleans Saints, Mayor Phil Hardberger on Thursday plunged into the potentially explosive issue of where the team will play in 2006.

San Antonio, Hardberger said, is the only sensible answer.

He called the alternative site, Baton Rouge, La., "a disaster for the Saints."

And the question about whether San Antonio can support an NFL team, Hardberger said, has been answered by the city's strong demand for Saints tickets.

"As far as I'm concerned, the issue is closed about whether we can do it," Hardberger said.

Hardberger reacted forcefully to news that NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue will attend the New Orleans-Miami game Oct. 30, the first of the Saints' four home games scheduled for Baton Rouge's Tiger Stadium.

An NFL spokesman said Tagliabue plans to use the visit to meet with LSU officials about possible use of Tiger Stadium for the Saints' home schedule in 2006.

The Saints say only about 30,000 of the 79,000 tickets available for the New Orleans-Miami game have been sold. Tickets went on sale Sept. 23.

"The truth is, Baton Rouge has been a disaster for the Saints," Hardberger said. "San Antonio has been a success."

San Antonio's support, he said, clearly makes the Alamo City the better choice to accommodate the Saints next year.

"I'd like to see them play all their games in San Antonio in 2006," Hardberger said, "and I would hope the commissioner would not close his eyes to the difference in ticket sales between San Antonio and Baton Rouge."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Tagliabue wouldn't attend Sunday's game between the Saints and the Atlanta Falcons and doesn't plan to attend the last of the Saints' three Alamodome games this season, on Dec. 24 against Detroit.

Tagliabue declined to attend the Saints' first game in the Alamodome, a 19-7 victory over Buffalo on Oct. 2. Last month, Tagliabue lumped San Antonio in with cities he considers "small market" and unattractive as NFL relocation options.

Hardberger said he plans to make the city's case to Saints owner Tom Benson soon — but said he's certain Benson already agrees with him.

"I'm going to tell him to use the Alamodome until things settle out and a decision is made long-term," Hardberger said. "He would make considerably more money. I would assume on that fact alone he would rather be in San Antonio than Baton Rouge. Businessmen enjoy making money rather than losing money. And he is going to make money in San Antonio."

Saints officials Thursday announced all 65,000 seats for Sunday's Saints-Falcons game in the Alamodome have been sold. A crowd of 58,688 attended the Saints-Bills game on Oct. 2. Sales for the Saints-Lions game Dec. 24 have been much slower.

Phil Wittmann, an attorney overseeing the Saints' interests in Louisiana, said slow ticket sales in Baton Rouge are to be expected.

"We've had a couple of hurricanes here," Wittmann said.

Both Saints and NFL officials have doubts the Superdome in New Orleans, badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina, can be repaired for next season.

The Saints moved operations to San Antonio within days of the Katrina disaster. Tagliabue responded with strong pressure to reschedule games to Baton Rouge, the result being three games in the Alamodome and four in Tiger Stadium.

Now battle lines over a possible 2006 home schedule of 10 games, including preseason games, are being formed.

"Nothing has been ruled out for next year," Aiello said.

Hardberger, whose aggressive stance regarding the Saints and their future in San Antonio is a departure from the more measured and cautious approach he adopted in the days after the team moved here, said he considers the city to already have two sellouts under its belt.

He said the city's strong response shows "what I know to be the case: We've got the market for (an NFL) team."

Said Hardberger: "Whether we get it or not, I don't know. But I think it's important for San Antonio to realize themselves — the citizens of San Antonio — that we can do this. We are showing we can do it."

Hardberger said the city's NFL viability isn't necessarily linked to the Saints' future.

"There are other teams looking for advantageous locations," he said. "I would submit San Antonio is a pretty advantageous location."

Hardberger said he hopes to meet with Tagliabue.

"I want him to see the San Antonio of 2005," Hardberger said.

"He has in mind a city that no longer exists. It is a city of the '90s, and huge changes have gone on in San Antonio and are continuing to go on. It would be nice to be able to show him that. Sooner or later, I will tell him that. But it would be more impressive if he saw it himself."

To determine the economic impact an NFL team would have on San Antonio, the city has hired a marketing research consultant who will work with Trinity University students to interview fans Sunday.

Ramiro Cavazos, director of the city's economic development department, said the study will be headed by Webster University economics professor Patrick Rishe and will cost $10,000.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA101405.01A.saints_hardberger.1d565981.html

[gameFACE]

According to two media outlets and ESPN. The Saints have sold 30,000 tickets for all four home games in Baton Rouge.

Not true. Shiner Bock Girl is correct.


The Saints (2-3) have sold more than 30,000 tickets for the Oct. 30 game against the Miami Dolphins
ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2189072)

Also:


Since tickets for those games went on sale three weeks ago, the Saints have sold 30,000 tickets for their Oct. 30 matchup against Miami
ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2186971)

They had to at least try the Baton Rouge thing. Who knows maybe ther could be more in SA...........

[Shiner Bock Girl]

Tagliabue declined to attend the Saints' first game in the Alamodome, a 19-7 victory over Buffalo on Oct. 2. Last month, Tagliabue lumped San Antonio in with cities he considers "small market" and unattractive as NFL relocation options.


Interesting how Tagliabue is avoiding SA...LOL....He's really humilating himself...Guess he's afraid to see the truth and in his eyes, he's already made his mind up...It will now be up to the Benson, ppl of SA, and the SAints to change it....If BR does not sell many more tickets, this i think will determine everything....As much as BR probably wants to support the Saints, the Saints also know realisticly they NEED that large crowd behind them during these games since they are struggling, and they know BR cannot support them right now and help them win games like SA can....Right now it is about business, this is their bread and butter and they have to look out for themselves and their own families...As my heart goes out to the ppl of New Orleans for their loss They need to worry about rebuilding their economy and lives rather then rebuilding a football stadium.....

[Obstructed_View]

Considering the things people are saying about him just because he dares to point out the fact that San Antonio is a small market, I'd avoid the place too.

[Marcus Bryant]

Putting the Saints in SA does nothing to grow the NFL's ratings. The NFL is already rock solid in South Texas. The TV contract pie does not grow with another Texas franchise. It grows by getting a franchise in Los Angeles.

The NFL extorted something like $700 mil from McNair to put a team in Houston, the 4th largest TV market in the US and the largest one in football-mad Texas.

Yes, sure, San Antonio might be able to get good attendance at home games. Big fucking deal. That is not what drives the NFL's revenues. The TV money does. I'm sorry if this hurts you San Antonihomers but it's the truth. Some of you are so fucking provincial it's not even funny.

[Obstructed_View]

The NFL extorted something like $700 mil from McNair to put a team in Houston, the 4th largest TV market in the US and the largest one in football-mad Texas.
According to Neilsen estimates for this year, Houston is 10th in the US and 2nd in Texas, but the gist of your post is absolutely correct and I agree completely.

[TheWriter]

Yes, sure, San Antonio might be able to get good attendance at home games. Big fucking deal. That is not what drives the NFL's revenues. The TV money does. I'm sorry if this hurts you San Antonihomers but it's the truth. Some of you are so fucking provincial it's not even funny.

I thought it was how many luxury suites a stadium has.

Was the NFL thinking "TV market" or "making big bank" when it game Charlotte and Jacksonville teams?

Make up your lame ass mind.

[j-6]

I thought it was how many luxury suites a stadium has.

Was the NFL thinking "TV market" or "making big bank" when it game Charlotte and Jacksonville teams?

Make up your lame ass mind.


The NFL was thinking stable ownership with deep pockets when Carolina was given a team. When it was time to award the 2nd franchise in '93, the NFL wasn't impressed with any of the ownership bids left from St Louis, Baltimore or Memphis as well as Jacksonville.

Jacksonville got their shit together faster than any of the other listed towns and sent in a revised bid under a new ownership group including a complete renovation of the Gator Bowl into today's Alltel Stadium and selling over 10K club level seats in under two weeks.

[TheWriter]

The NFL was thinking stable ownership with deep pockets when Carolina was given a team. When it was time to award the 2nd franchise in '93, the NFL wasn't impressed with any of the ownership bids left from St Louis, Baltimore or Memphis as well as Jacksonville.

Jacksonville got their shit together faster than any of the other listed towns and sent in a revised bid under a new ownership group including a complete renovation of the Gator Bowl into today's Alltel Stadium and selling over 10K club level seats in under two weeks.

Whatever the reasons, the fact that Charlotte and Jacksonville recieved teams pretty much slaps MB's (my bitch) little TV market theory to hell.

[j-6]

The TV contract pie does not grow with another Texas franchise. It grows by getting a franchise in Los Angeles.

Yup. And it's much easier on the league to move the orphan Saints into the arms of 10 million Angelenos than to solicit some expansion team to them.

If Tags got $700M out of Bob McNair five years ago, the next expansion price is going to be well over a billion dollars, and probably closer to 1.5B.

Costs of previous NFL expansion:

Houston Texans $700 million 2002
Cleveland Browns $580 million 1998
Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars $140 million 1995
Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers $16 million 1976
Cincinnati Bengals (AFL) $8 million 1967
New Orleans Saints $8.5 million 1967
Atlanta Falcons $8.5 million 1966
Miami Dolphins (AFL) $7.5 million 1966
Minnesota Vikings $1 million 1961
Dallas Cowboys $1 million 1960

[j-6]

Whatever the reasons, the fact that Charlotte and Jacksonville recieved teams pretty much slaps MB's (my bitch) little TV market theory to hell.

I see where you're coming from, but that doesn't explain everything either. Remember, St Louis, Memphis (temporarily), and Baltimore all had teams within five years after the '93 expansion. The Rams were still playing in the crumbling old Anaheim Stadium in '94, and all the renovations were done after Frontiere bitched for half a decade and noone thought she'd have the balls to move out of such a large market. When she did and LA/Orange County realized that she wasn't coming back, Disney (who owned the MLB Angels)and the city of Anaheim quickly agreed on a stadium package to keep the baseball team in town.

There's a big difference between an established NFL owner and member of the good ol' boy club taking his franchise to LA, and a bunch of idiots with pie-in-the-sky plans (remember the guy who wanted to build a stadium and a park on top of a parking garage?) and questionable monetary means getting a team.

I see the arguments for a third NFL team in Texas, since New York, California, and Florida all have three. And I'm actually flying down tomorrow at what's for me a considerable expense to see the Saints game when I could spend less money and go watch the Cowboys play the Giants.

I support San Antonio's effort here with my own wallet, but there's a need to be realistic here. I'd think it's somewhere between a 3-1 and a 4-1 shot at them staying in SA, and almost all of that is because of Benson's ties to the area.

[Obstructed_View]

Whatever the reasons, the fact that Charlotte and Jacksonville recieved teams pretty much slaps MB's (my bitch) little TV market theory to hell.
No, actually it doesn't. It just makes your argument look pointless, and your attempt to deflect it look stupid. We aren't talking about expansion, we are talking about relocation. Moving the fan base of an existing team from one of the smallest and poorest to the second largest is just smart. Moving it from a small poor market to a slightly larger poor market isn't.

[j-6]

Another thing. The Panthers are a truly regional franchise.

Don't forget that the Panthers draw from the Charlotte market, the Raliegh-Durham-Chapel Hill market, the Asheville-Greenville (SC) market, and the Columbia (SC) market. Thay played their first season all the way over in Clemson, SC while waiting for their Charlotte stadium to be ready, despite having collegiate facilities in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Winston-Salem, and Durham.

[scott]

MB's point isn't that the San Antonio market isn't big enoug, it's that the NFL already has the San Antonio market locked up. The Saints moving here doesn't create more people watching the games on TV, it just displaces the ones who were previously watching the Cowboys.

[Marcus Bryant]

If TV markets do not matter why the fuck do networks agree to multi-year, multi-billion $ contracts to secure the broadcast rights?

I mean, damn, get a fucking clue San Antonihomer.

[Marcus Bryant]

I thought it was how many luxury suites a stadium has.

Was the NFL thinking "TV market" or "making big bank" when it game Charlotte and Jacksonville teams?

Make up your lame ass mind.


No, ownership gets those revenues. But all owners split the TV revenues, which, again, is why those owners want to see franchise moves that make it possible to command larger amounts of $ from the networks that want broadcast rights to NFL games.

Again, elementary.

[Obstructed_View]

hey fuckhead we know about tv and all that shit....be we are from SA and we want a team.....go fuck yourself, asshole.

you are stupid to think the fan support is all you need.....we are well aware of all that other bullshit.....but we don't care and we are proving we can support a team.....if the NFL has other motives they can go fuck themselves.....Al Davis has already proven that Tom Benson can move the Saints anywhere he wants.....and he wants SA........you are a dumbass.
The demographic speaks...