Economics Favor San Antonio Saints

[Shiner Bock Girl]

Economics Favor San Antonio Saints
LAST UPDATE: 10/26/2005 6:46:01 AM
Posted By: Mandi Bishop

Whether San Antonio should lure the Saints permanently is one question. Whether San Antonio can is another question altogether. The News 4 WOAI Trouble Shooters uncovered economic numbers that make a move to San Antonio look like a no-brainer.



The big question is, and has always been, can San Antonio support an NFL team? Well, New Orleans has, for more than 30 years. So how does our city compare?



The Trouble Shooters analyzed economic data from the U.S. Census to compare San Antonio to New Orleans, pre-Hurricane Katrina. Here are the results:



Population (2003):



New Orleans: 469,032

San Antonio: 1,214,725



*From 2000 to 2003, New Orleans’ population declined 3.2% while San Antonio’s grew 5.5%



Median Household Income (1999):



New Orleans: $27,133

San Antonio: $36,214



Total Number of Firms (1997):



New Orleans: 30,262

San Antonio: 73,970



Media Market Size (2005):



New Orleans: 43rd

San Antonio 37th



All four indicator show that San Antonio has a more favorable economy than New Orleans did prior to the hurricane. So putting the moral questions aside, if New Orleans could support the saints, there’s no reason why San Antonio can’t as well.



However, it is important to understand how the NFL works. In economic terms, the league operates as a "cartel," meaning member teams make all decisions collectively, to minimize competition and maximize their profits. For San Antonio to permanently land the saints, the NFL’s other team owners have to decide the relocation is in their best financial interest. It would take approval from 23 of the other 31 teams.

http://www.woai.com/troubleshooters/story.aspx?content_id=21B3537C-42D1-4237-ACC3-0C80F964901E

[Kori Ellis]

It's interesting but they couldn't find more recent data than 1997 and 1999 in some of those categories? :lol

[Big Pimp_21]

good stats. I could name at least 10 cities that are smaller markets than SA who already have NFL teams. The whole small market arguement has always perplexed me.

[Shiner Bock Girl]

It's interesting but they couldn't find more recent data than 1997 and 1999 in some of those categories? :lol

I know, thought that was odd also..Buts its all they had.

[blaze89]

good stats. I could name at least 10 cities that are smaller markets than SA who already have NFL teams. The whole small market arguement has always perplexed me.

In terms of TV markets (http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html), there are three. Buffalo, Jacksonville and New Orleans.

The NFL, collectively, gain a majority of their revenue from FOX, CBS, ABC/ESPN (and coming soon NBC).

[tgrgrd00]

Economics Favor San Antonio Saints
LAST UPDATE: 10/26/2005 6:46:01 AM
Posted By: Mandi Bishop





Population (2003):



New Orleans: 469,032

San Antonio: 1,214,725



*From 2000 to 2003, New Orleans’ population declined 3.2% while San Antonio’s grew 5.5%





See this is a perfect example of how statistics can be skewed in any direction depending on your agenda. The market for the Saints in N.O. is not just the city of New Orleans. They figure in the entire metropolitan area as being a part of NO (as well they should). Here is what their numbers should say:


New Orleans: 1,316,510
San Antonio: 1,711,703

Granted SA is still a larger market but not as much as these people indicate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_metropolitan_statistical_are as_by_population

[Vashner]

Those are pre storm numbers. NO has less than 40,000 residents right now.

[gameFACE]

New Orleans: 469,032

San Antonio: 1,214,725
One of the cheepest spin tricks - compare NO city poulation to SA's MSA. Oh brother. While San ANtonio's economy is obviously going to be stonger post-Katrina there is no need to grasp straws.

[MannyIsGod]

Yeah, thats WOAI bullshit journalism at its best.

[Extra Stout]

good stats. I could name at least 10 cities that are smaller markets than SA who already have NFL teams. The whole small market arguement has always perplexed me.

Jacksonville, New Orleans, Indianapolis maybe... OK, I'm out. I'm pretty sure you're confusing city size with market size.

[T Park]

If this person is gonna count outlying areas population of NO, then SA should do the same.

[TheWriter]

Census 2004 MSA populations:

San Antonio
1,899,725

New Olreans
1,363,750

And by my own "estimate" of current MSA growth and other things the MSA population for San Antonio is 1,944,725 as of July 2005.

[scott]

New Orleans is not a viable NFL market anymore, that much is given. The argument is not, nor should it be, San Antonio versus New Orleans (unless you are the mayor of N.O.) but rather San Antonio versus the next best alternative. In this case, it's LA.