October 20, 200520 yr NEW ORLEANS -- Mayor Ray Nagin disparaged Saints owner Tom Benson on Wednesday for working with San Antonio officials to permanently keep the team in Texas. The mayor's comments came after the departures of two top Saints executives who were supportive of keeping the Saints in Louisiana, where they've resided since their NFL inception in 1967. Arnold Fielkow, the Saints' top business executive, attributed his firing Monday to his stance that the Saints should be a leader in the rebuilding effort from damage by Hurricane Katrina. Conrad Kowal resigned a day later as senior director of marketing and business development. Nagin is concerned that San Antonio officials said publicly that Benson is working with them to relocate the franchise. "We want our Saints, we may not want the owner back," Nagin said while attending the reopening of Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter. "I'm ready to go to the NFL and to (commissioner Paul) Tagliabue and say, 'Give us the Cleveland plan.' " Nagin added, referring to the league awarding Cleveland an expansion team almost immediately after the Browns moved to Baltimore after the 1995 season. "Whatever the Saints want to do, you let them leave, but they can't take our logo, they can't take our name, and you give us a promise to give us a franchise when this city's back." Saints spokesman Greg Bensel said he had no comment on the matter.
October 20, 200520 yr Nicely put. A city recovering from disaster, morale is low--AND take away the football team? You tell em, Ray.
October 20, 200520 yr OK, I didn't follow this very closely, but haven't the Saints wanted out since before Katrina? I mean, this is just helping along the inevitable isn't it? Sure it sucks for New Orleans, but they didn't really want the Saints to stay that badly when all was fine (kind of sounds like the Marlins in Miami), but now that they're walking away, it's unacceptable?
October 20, 200520 yr OK, I didn't follow this very closely, but haven't the Saints wanted out since before Katrina? I mean, this is just helping along the inevitable isn't it? Sure it sucks for New Orleans, but they didn't really want the Saints to stay that badly when all was fine (kind of sounds like the Marlins in Miami), but now that they're walking away, it's unacceptable? Except New Orleans fans actually support the team, come out to games, and do want the team to stay. In the last 5 years, the lower average yearly capicty theyve filled at was 87% in 2004. Most other years they fill up 90%+. Thats pretty good for a team that has been mediocre over this same period. They built Benson an indoor multimillion dollar training facility because he wanted it. They paid him annual subsidies to make him happy. The Superdome might not have been the most up to date building but it isnt close to the same situation the Marlins are in. Suffice it to say, this is another example of a money grubbing owner using a terrible situation to get himself a shiny new stadium. This is one of those owners who perpetually used the leverage of moving to get new toys.
October 21, 200520 yr from 2002-2004, the Saints were 26th, 24th, and 29th in the NFL in attendance...i hardly call that supporting the team
October 21, 200520 yr The attendance has been low in the past, and the city is expected to only have half the population when it is rebuilt. They won't be able to support a team for a long time.
October 21, 200520 yr from 2002-2004, the Saints were 26th, 24th, and 29th in the NFL in attendance...i hardly call that supporting the team Look at what thats relative to though. The enitre NFL is doing pretty well nearly filling out all the stadiums with the exception of Arizona. In 2004, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Chicago, San Diego and Indianapolis all had lower attendance. Would you say they dont support their teams either?
October 21, 200520 yr I think attendance is a bad measurement of support. Teams with newer facilities get revenues mostly from corporate support in terms of luxury boxes, luxury seats, and advertising. NOLA Media Strikes Back At Benson: http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWL1020....1137d8d03.html http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWL1020....11378d97a.html http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl1021....1164b5bf0.html http://www.wdsu.com/news/5132057/detail.html
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.