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Interesting.
Ken Rodriguez: Plans unfolding to keep Saints in San Antonio beyond 2006
10/23/2005
San Antonio Express-News
When San Antonio looks under the Christmas tree on Dec. 25, it might well find a pro football team, wrapped in a big box.
A gift from Saints owner Tom Benson?
Yes — but with plenty of strings attached.
Benson isn't going to give away his team for pennies. But he isn't going to keep it in New Orleans or relocate to Baton Rouge, La.
New Orleans couldn't fill the Superdome if it were operational — not next year, the year after, or the year after that. And Baton Rouge hasn't the room, money or desire for the Saints.
Louisiana State University Chancellor Sean O'Keefe says he doesn't want the Saints at Tiger Stadium. School athletic director Skip Bertman says he'd welcome the team. Sort of.
When the Saints inquired about playing at Tiger Stadium, Bertman told the New Orleans Times-Picayune, "We said, 'Yeah, sure. I guess. Why not?'"
Baton Rouge wants the Saints like Los Angeles wants an earthquake.
If you were Benson, where would you want to play?
Barring strong resistance from NFL owners, the Saints will play the 2006 season in San Antonio. And forces are in motion to keep them here long after that.
Four days before the Saints played Atlanta in the Alamodome, business and civic leaders changed the city's NFL game plan.
During a 90-minute meeting at the offices of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, nine power brokers switched strategies: from filling the dome to giving the Saints a new home.
The discussion, I'm told, was guided by a central question: What did San Antonio have to offer Benson?
At the top of the list was the Alamodome — a facility that needs upgrading to accommodate more luxury suites.
County Judge Nelson Wolff, former Mayor Henry Cisneros and others contemplated the cost of dome expansion. They discussed funding sources. They talked about personal seat licenses.
One participant suggested naming rights to the dome would generate more than $40 million, and maybe up to $100 million.
Another asked whether the city's soon-to-arrive corporate giant might be interested: "How about the AT&T Alamodome?"
The meeting, attended by representatives from Valero Energy Corp., Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc., the San Antonio Sports Foundation, the City Council and the Greater Chamber, did not include Mayor Phil Hardberger. Four days later, though, the mayor announced efforts to relocate the Saints to San Antonio.
What triggered the change in the city's NFL strategy?
"The driving impetus for that meeting was Phil and Henry," says one participant. "To my knowledge, nobody else at that table had talked to Tom Benson directly. But it was very apparent to us that Phil and Henry, especially, had."
Benson now says he's given no one authority to speak on his behalf. At the same time, he is not calling Hardberger a liar. That's telling because last week Hardberger said, "I think Tom Benson would like to stay here permanently. ..."
The business community is trying to fashion the arrangements. Now that two high-ranking Saints employees are gone, the job will be easier.
When Wolff, Cisneros and Co. began meeting in September to craft a plan for selling tickets and suites, they encountered surprising resistance from the Saints.
City Councilman Kevin Wolff — Nelson's son — recalls meeting with team officials to discuss selling large blocks of tickets to the first game.
"We specifically asked, 'What phone number can we have for these block ticket buyers to call?'" Kevin says. "The answer was 'Have them send us an e-mail.' We were like, 'You guys are doing nothing to sell your own tickets.'"
When resistance continued, city and business leaders suspected something afoul. Su ions were confirmed on Monday when Benson fired chief administrator Arnold Fielkow, a vocal opponent of relocation. On Tuesday, the team's marketing director resigned.
As the Saints' front office came apart, the local business community came together.
Cisneros, the Wolffs and other leaders will meet again this month. They know Benson wants to be here. They know he doesn't like his other options.
That puts the city in a pretty good position to bargain.
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Interesting.
It is very interesting but I still wish Hardberger would keep quiet. No need for press conferences when there is work to be done...no matter if we are being played or not.
I'd imagine getting so corporate naming rights might be tougher than any normal cir stance. Not matter what any San Antonian thinks - there will be some negativity towards our city if we get the Saints. Regardless of whether we are or aren't "stealing" the Saints, some people are bound to see it that way. That might persuades a corporation with a national presence from wanting to put their name right there with the team.Another asked whether the city's soon-to-arrive corporate giant might be interested: "How about the AT&T Alamodome?"
Meanwhile, Valero really is taking the leadership position on this issue from a corporate perspective. It was Valero who was out urging people to buy tickets for the first few games and now it's Valero helping to make this thing happen. Where are SBC, USAA, Clear Channel, etc?The meeting, attended by representatives from Valero Energy Corp., Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc., the San Antonio Sports Foundation, the City Council and the Greater Chamber, did not include Mayor Phil Hardberger. Four days later, though, the mayor announced efforts to relocate the Saints to San Antonio.
Oh boy, is that article going to cause some trouble
Any idea how much they run? And if they're only certain to be here for 2006, surely they won't charge this fee yet?
Maybe that's why it was so hard to get tickets at first and that game didn't sell as well as expected.
Carie
Yes. The two former employees were dragging their feet, hoping to make things fail here. No matter how good you think your intentions are, it's usually a bad idea to cost your employer money. Benson found out. They got run.Maybe that's why it was so hard to get tickets at first and that game didn't sell as well as expected.
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