Where will the Saints go, post Katrina?

[quantum]

Memphis has proven that they aren't a viable NFL market.  The Oilers drew so poorly there that they moved to Vanderbilt's stadium in Nashville the next season before Adelphia Coliseum was completed.

The problem with Memphis is that the citizens knew the Oilers were a temporary thing. Plus, Memphis has an in state rivalry with Nashville, which was demonstrated with the lack of support for a Nashville team.

[Intimidator85]

Maybe San Antonio would be the best choice. Texans love football, and I think they can support three teams. It keeps the team in the South, so you avoid hairy division realignment problems.

As a rival Falcons fan, it'd be strange to see the Saints somewhere other than New Orleans. I'd rather the Saints stay in New Orleans, but that seems like it is unlikely to happen. Los Angeles, Memphis, Las Vegas and Hartford seem like four other good choices to put a team. Maybe even Toronto or Mexico City may be good places for an NFL team, as the NFL is the only major sports league that has yet to put a team outside of the U.S. (not necessarily meaning they should, however).

[totc]

Where's Hampton Roads?

The general Hampton/Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. There is some physical structure out there -- the Virginia Beach Soccerplex, Foreman Field at Old Dominion. The Plex, especially, can be expanded around its other three sides to make an NFL-caliber stadium. And the highways can handle the NFL-caliber traffic.

[totc]

The league will do what it takes to get Los Angeles a team. The city might say they don't want a team, but they would still come out and watch them play. Move the Rams to the South Division, and get the San Francisco-Los Angeles rivalry going.

The NFL was going to spend -- out of its own pocket -- about $400 million on a Mexican-themed complex called The Hacienda for whatever Los Angeles franchise was going to come in.

But in the Dominguez Hills in Carson, another complex has spring up called Home Depot Center. And they play that other kind of football which is often called futbol. And there are TWO teams there now!

[Shmee]

I still maintain that the best place for any sports team looking to relocate (except hockey) should make Las Vegas its first choice. The fastest growing city in the United States has no notable professional sports teams, which means that the first team to move in would be the only game in town. The NBA has already scheduled it as the host for next year's All Star Game, but I think the NFL could also draw very strongly in that area.

Moving a team to Las Vegas would give the NFL an opportunity to more closely monitor the sports gambling that goes on there, making betting by players and team employees LESS likely, not more.

[Slickster]

I agree that Vegas should be picked down the line, but for now put them in the Alamodome/Baton Rouge for this season.

And to whomever mentioned Hartford...I'm sure the Patriots wouldn't want another team cutting into their fanbase.

[Cujo]

What?! No Albuquerque??

If I recall, "The A-B-Q" was one of three places Benson was considering a move to if they didn't get their stadium. The other two being Los Angeles and San Antonio.

[tp49]

Sacramento-no stadium

We have Hornet Stadium for CSUS

You're kidding, right? They'd have a better shot at Hughes Stadium at Sac City. MLB has a better shot at coming to Sacramento then the NFL does.

[lopernv]

Maybe they'll come to Canada.

Its worth a try.

[gashouser27]

The Vikings almost moved to San Antonio

LA doesn't have a stadium ready yet.

New Orleans was a small market before this and Benson already wanted to leave

[HatCityEnforcer]

My heart says the Saints should stay in N'Awlins...

My brain is telling me though that they're gonna end up in either San Antone or LA.

And, for the person that brought Hartford into the equation...no chance...not after Bobby Kraft played the state of Connecticut for patsies (no pun intended) with the whole Patriots stadium in Adriaen's Landing boondoggle....nope, didn't use Hartford as leverage with the Mass. State Assembly to get Gillette Stadium built...NOT AT ALL *sarcastic smile*

[Aero3001]

The Saint's will stay in NO. Benson will either get a renovated Superdome, completely gutted and redone, or they will tear it down and build a new one. San Antonio won't get the Saints, Jerry Jones and Bob McNair won't let that happen. It would be a PR nightmare for the NFL to move the team out of the area after Katrina. Benson has already stated that he is going to help rebuild the city and the Saints are going to be a part of it.

[NJTank]

That could be a public stance but I think he wants out and has wanted out since last year when he even demanded that the city builds a Hall of Fame for the team.

You coudl but a dang HOF for the Saints in a broom closet.

[TFoA]

You coudl but a dang HOF for the Saints in a broom closet.

Here's my thoughts on this...from a year ago I added some stuff in the bold.

SAINTS HALL OF FAME!!!

Archie Manning

Ricky Williams {Strictly in the wedding dress}

Mike Ditka {Strictly in the dreadlocks}

Jim "Diddly Poo" Mora Sr.

A Paper Bag

Joe Horn's Cellphone

And that's about it

[Brian in Boston]

Frankly, I'm of the opinion that the Saints are on the move to a new home city.

Everyone who calls for the team to make a long-term commitment to New Orleans in an effort to help the city heal seems to be missing the big picture. Namely, the rebuilding of New Orleans is not going to take weeks or months... it is going to take years. There are far greater priorities during that rebuilding process than either the renovation of the Superdome or construction of a new NFL-calibre stadium. Perhaps most telling is that experts are saying that some sections of the city will not be rebuilt. This development, combined with the fact that many former residents of New Orleans will opt to settle permanently in the areas to which they were evacuated, means that the New Orleans of the future will house a population significantly smaller than the 500,000-some-odd residents who called "the Big Easy" home before Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the municipality. Some authorities are saying that the city's population may only well be in the 250,000 to 300,000 range.

Bottom line? The New Orleans that results from the rebuilding process may no longer strike the powers-that-be in the world of professional sports as being suitably "major league" enough to warrant a franchise.

[NJTank]

Frankly, I'm of the opinion that the Saints are on the move to a new home city.

Everyone who calls for the team to make a long-term commitment to New Orleans in an effort to help the city heal seems to be missing the big picture. Namely, the rebuilding of New Orleans is not going to take weeks or months... it is going to take years. There are far greater priorities during that rebuilding process than either the renovation of the Superdome or construction of a new NFL-calibre stadium. Perhaps most telling is that experts are saying that some sections of the city will not be rebuilt. This development, combined with the fact that many former residents of New Orleans will opt to settle permanently in the areas to which they were evacuated, means that the New Orleans of the future will house a population significantly smaller than the 500,000-some-odd residents who called "the Big Easy" home before Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the municipality. Some authorities are saying that the city's population may only well be in the 250,000 to 300,000 range.

Bottom line? The New Orleans that results from the rebuilding process may no longer strike the powers-that-be in the world of professional sports as being suitably "major league" enough to warrant a franchise.

I think in the end this is going to be the case. May not be fair may not be right but I think its reallity.

[quantum]

Frankly, I'm of the opinion that the Saints are on the move to a new home city.

Everyone who calls for the team to make a long-term commitment to New Orleans in an effort to help the city heal seems to be missing the big picture. Namely, the rebuilding of New Orleans is not going to take weeks or months... it is going to take years. There are far greater priorities during that rebuilding process than either the renovation of the Superdome or construction of a new NFL-calibre stadium. Perhaps most telling is that experts are saying that some sections of the city will not be rebuilt. This development, combined with the fact that many former residents of New Orleans will opt to settle permanently in the areas to which they were evacuated, means that the New Orleans of the future will house a population significantly smaller than the 500,000-some-odd residents who called "the Big Easy" home before Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the municipality. Some authorities are saying that the city's population may only well be in the 250,000 to 300,000 range.

Bottom line? The New Orleans that results from the rebuilding process may no longer strike the powers-that-be in the world of professional sports as being suitably "major league" enough to warrant a franchise.

Agreed.