# OT: Saints to play in San Antonio?



## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2152641 



> SAN ANTONIO -- Despite their public stance that they hope to play home games in Baton Rouge, La., for the 2005 season, the strong preference of New Orleans Saints officials is to stage the contests here at the Alamodome, and it is a position that team management is expected to soon articulate to NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
> 
> "The best [scenario] for us is to play the games right here, because, well, this is where we are," coach Jim Haslett said Monday, following his team's first practice in preparation for Sunday's season opener at Carolina. "I know a lot of things have been discussed, but we would like to be here. But it's not up to us. The league will make the decision."



That would be pretty damn cool, although I would never be able to attend any of the games. I'll root for them if they play here.


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## Guth (Feb 23, 2005)

And not only that, as is mentioned later in that article, there is talk that Benson wants to move the team permanantly to SA. This is all speculation, but Benson is supposed to talk to the media at some point this week, to talk about the future.

I am not sure if it is OK for me to be happy about this, due to the circumstances that are making it happen, but I am pretty excited about the prospect of the NFL in San Antonio.


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## Camaro_870 (Mar 12, 2005)

oh wow, If i wasnt at college right now i'd love to have a football team in SA town.... only because i've never been to an NFL game


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## texan (Jul 10, 2003)

That'd be cool if they played here this season, but I wouldn't want them to permanently move here because we'd be the most hated team in all the league with the most hated owner.


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## Guth (Feb 23, 2005)

I don't think that is true, because I think the only way that they will move here permanantley is if they have to. I don't think that Benson would do it unilaterally because that would be terrible for PR.

On that note, there are reports that the Superdome might have to be destroyed, which would add all kinds of neccesity to the team moving for good.

Once again, we will see.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

I thought it was already official that they were ganna play here. Guess I heard wrong. Either way, I hope they do. Even though I don't care for the team at all, and they're not that great either, it would be pretty nice to have a football team here for a season. It might make me feel better about the Vikings not moving down here too


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## barnabas114 (Sep 8, 2005)

Camaro_870 said:


> oh wow, If i wasnt at college right now i'd love to have a football team in SA town.... only because i've never been to an NFL game


Having an NFL team in San Antonio would be great. And as far as going to one? They're fantastic. I used to go to Redskins games all the time at RFK and FedEx when I lived in Virginia and they're an event like no other. You'll love it.


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

I think the NFL is what's preventing the Saints from playing in San Antonio fearing low attendance. That's what I've heard. Since they still are the "New Orleans" Saints, the league wants them to play in Baton Rouge because they think there will be much bigger fan support there. 

Either way, I don't see San Antonio getting a permanent professional football team. If the Saints were to play here this season I think it would be temporary, unless we have huge attendance numbers.


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## DaBobZ (Sep 22, 2003)

Would be nice but won't happen I guess. Baton Rouge is still the best fit for New Orleans.
Anyways I'm not as much on football as I used to be, are the Saints still a run in offense & great backs in defense but with at least one weak link at every position ? (I remember once they had two of the best 5 CBs with loosy tackles...is it still the case?).

I have no clue about what attendences would be in SA tough.


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## hi im new (Jul 4, 2005)

The only thing I hate about the Saints playing in San Antonio is that they might not show some of the Cowboys games on TV. This was in the newspaper today, but i was so sleepy in the morning i might not have understood what it was saying completely lol. :boohoo:


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

hi im new said:


> The only thing I hate about the Saints playing in San Antonio is that they might not show some of the Cowboys games on TV. This was in the newspaper today, but i was so sleepy in the morning i might not have understood what it was saying completely lol. :boohoo:



Hmm...that would be a pretty big problem around here. I haven't read the paper so I don't know if that's right or not, but it sounds like it would be true.


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## Guth (Feb 23, 2005)

KokoTheMonkey said:


> I think the NFL is what's preventing the Saints from playing in San Antonio fearing low attendance. That's what I've heard. Since they still are the "New Orleans" Saints, the league wants them to play in Baton Rouge because they think there will be much bigger fan support there.
> 
> Either way, I don't see San Antonio getting a permanent professional football team. If the Saints were to play here this season I think it would be temporary, unless we have huge attendance numbers.



As far as the attendance numbers go, the City of San Antonio, in making their bid to the Saints, promised sell outs in all of the home games as an incentive for them to come to SA. I don't know how that works, but that issue has been discussed and doesn't seem to be a problem.


And don't be so certain that they are going to play in Baton Rouge, just because the teams public stance is that they want to play there. I have read in several articles that say that the team really would rather play in SA because that is where they are training, but obviously, they say they want to play in Baton Rouge for their fans. On top of that, it might not be logistically possible for them to play in Baton Rouge because of the shape that the city and Tiger Stadium are in.


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

Well, San Antonio and Baton Rouge are apparently the only two options at this point, so I guess we'll find out soon. 


As for San Antonio promissing sell outs, I'm assuming that means that the remaining tickets will be bought by business and given away. That's the only thing that would make any sense.


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

Looks like we might get 4 Saints games.....http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2156277




> SAN ANTONIO -- A deal is close that would move four of the New Orleans Saints' home games to the Alamodome, according to a published report.
> 
> The San Antonio Express-News, citing unidentified sources close to the negotiations, said Friday that city and Saints officials have nearly completed a deal to bring four games to the city.



As a city, we better fill up those damn seats if we ever want a NFL franchise.


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## Camaro_870 (Mar 12, 2005)

i know i'd drive the 2 1/2 hous back to san antonio to see one of them


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## manu20 (Jun 24, 2005)

cool maybe they'll win the championship like the spurs


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## TiMVP2 (Jun 19, 2003)

i hope they move here.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

They won't


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## manu20 (Jun 24, 2005)

thy will


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## TheRoc5 (Mar 1, 2005)

the san antonio saints sound great, but i would still go for my texans over the saints :biggrin: im not sure how i feel about if the saints where to move there permantly, i dont want them to take away from the spurs but yet it would be good to get another major sports team to represent SA


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

San Antonio gets three games, headlined by Michael Vick. 


Week 4 (Oct. 2): Buffalo at San Antonio
Week 6 (Oct. 16): Atlanta at San Antonio
Week 16 (Dec. 24): Detroit at San Antonio

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2159595 


Out of those, I will probably only be able to go to that one on December 24th, so that would be a prime chance to attend my first professional/NFL football game.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

TheRoc5 said:


> the san antonio saints sound great, but i would still go for my texans over the saints :biggrin: im not sure how i feel about if the saints where to move there permantly, i dont want them to take away from the spurs but yet it would be good to get another major sports team to represent SA


The Texans?...oh you mean that team who got destroyed by Buffalo? Why would anyone wanna root for them? Now them Cowboys... :biggrin:


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## Camaro_870 (Mar 12, 2005)

out of those games i'd want to go see the falcons play.... but it prolly wont happen, i still think its awsome to have an nfl game in san antonio tho..... btw Go Cowboys!


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

I'm a Cowboys fan as well, but I'm not so into them that I would still root for them over a football team of our own. For now, the Saints will be by secondary team to root for, but if there ever was a NFL team to come here permanently, I don't think I'd have a problem pushing the Cowboys to the side.


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## FreeMason Jr. (Jul 12, 2004)

It's amazing how many of you jump on thier bandwagon just because they're playing 3 games here. I'll definitely watch the games, as I do almost every game they show here, but they're definitely not going to be a team I root for this year. I'm not saying ya'll shouldn't root for them. It's just that when I root for a sports team it's because it has some sorta meaning to me, not because they're playing a handful of games here.


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

ezealen said:


> It's amazing how many of you jump on thier bandwagon just because they're playing 3 games here. I'll definitely watch the games, as I do almost every game they show here, but they're definitely not going to be a team I root for this year. I'm not saying ya'll shouldn't root for them. It's just that when I root for a sports team it's because it has some sorta meaning to me, not because they're playing a handful of games here.



Well, the whole deal is that this might be San Antonio's lone chance at getting a professional football team, so if the city doesn't get behind the Saints then the hopes of getting a NFL team are officially shot. Plus, they are from New Orleans. I think the whole nation will be rooting for them on the side, so it's no different here.


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