Tagliabue: Saints unlikely to play at home

nfl.com ^ | 09/01/05

[KevinDavis]

NEW YORK (Sept. 1, 2005) -- NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue says it's unlikely the Saints will play in New Orleans this season after the devastation Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath inflicted on the city.

"At this point you have to proceed on the assumption ... that they may be unable to play in New Orleans at all for the entire season," Tagliabue said in an interview with CNBC.

"If things evolve in a positive way, then that would be something that we could adjust to. But our assumption is that for planning purposes, we should assume it will be difficult if not impossible to play in New Orleans at all this year."

The Saints will move into a hotel in San Antonio, Texas, this weekend and practice in San Antonio in preparation for their regular-season opener at Carolina Sept. 11. They have spent this week in San Jose, Calif., and played their final exhibition Sept. 1 in Oakland.

But it still hasn't been decided where they will play their home opener Sept. 18 against the New York Giants or play the rest of their games.

The New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, which runs Giants Stadium, has offered to host the upcoming Giants-Saints game there. It would likely be played Monday, Sept. 19, because the Jets will play Miami that Sunday at Giants Stadium.

Tagliabue said moving the game to New Jersey was one possibility.

He also said games could be played at another NFL stadium or at a non-NFL stadium. He didn't name any specifically, but the Alamodome in San Antonio seats 65,000 for football, about the same as the Saints' regular home at the Superdome in New Orleans, which was heavily damaged by Katrina.

Tagliabue, who announced that the NFL was donating $1 million to the recovery effort, added that the emphasis should be the total recovery of the region hit by the hurricane. So did Gene Upshaw, the executive director of the NFL Players Association in a statement released, although Upshaw did not immediately say what form the union's help would take.

"We want to really emphasize above all that sport is a small part of life," Tagliabue said. "We want to use are visibility and the respect we have with the public and the respect our teams have to support the national recovery program. That's the big thing."

[BlazingArizona]

Watch the NFL demand that New Orleans build them a new palace with taxpayer funds.

Oh, wait - it already has!

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

"Hey homie...you gotta see this. The Superdome is messed up fo' sho'!"

[StormEye]

"But it still hasn't been decided where they will play their home opener Sept. 18 against the New York Giants or play the rest of their games."

Aw go ahead and show some loyalty -- play in New Orleans.
The home fans will love ya for it. They're already at the
SuperDome waiting for you.

[red-dawg]

I guess the Saints season ticket holders are SOL.

If they play in the Alamodome I may go to a game.

[Waco]

Just what we needed, another "No Sh-t Sherlock" contender.

[thoughtomator]

The Saints are one team that can only be improved by a hurricane.

[Oystir]

The Superdome will never be usable again - period. Does Tulane have its own stadium? I bet Tulane used the Superdome too. LSU or Northcentral would be a possibility if Lousiana wants to keep pro football, I guess.

[independentmind]

Of all of the offensive comments posted on FR about the hurricane, the ones are the worst are those that bother about such trivialities as the NFL football schedule.

[Brilliant]

I have a feeling that for these refugees breakfast, lunch and dinner will be hotdogs. Maybe an occasional soft pretzel, box of popcorn, or cotton candy.

The entertainment will be different--for a while at least.

[Sometimes A River]

Move them to LA (Los Angeles) for the season.

Do Los Angeleans even know they don't currently have a team?

[birbear]

"We want to really emphasize above all that sport is a small part of life," Tagliabue said. "We want to use are visibility and the respect we have with the public and the respect our teams have to support the national recovery program. That's the big thing."

I'm actually impressed that anybody in the sports world would say something like this. Props to Tagliabue for recognizing what's important.

[KevinDavis]

True....

[kittymyrib]

PEUUUU...they could always call it the "Toilet Bowl."

[RckyRaCoCo]

The Saints will be moving out....

The Detroit Lions will be moving in.

[JustAnotherOkie]

Duhhhhh!!!

[KevinDavis]

Same here.. That is why I think that Paul is a better commissioner and the NFL is in good shape...

[maineman]

Move to LA???

I like that idea. I'm wondering if the panhandle has a stadium large enough. I'd like to see the team stay in the 'region'. If not, I like your idea of LA.

[KevinDavis]

How about playing in Mississippi that wasn't hit by Katrina???

[Popman]

Well, at least there are probably going to be 10000 Saints fans already there...

I think that is a pretty big assumption

[decal]

"Does Tulane have its own stadium?"

Wasn't the Sugar Bowl played there before the Superdome was built? At any rate, it does, but it faces the same problems as the dome...

I would like to see the Saints play in various stadiums in Louisiana during the season - Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, Grambling, etc. Sure, the logistics will be a bear, but they will be in any case, and the locals need to see that the NFL isn't abandoning them.

If they DO leave for LA, SA, or wherever, they won't be coming back...