Published reports indicate that the Saints will host a home game in London next year, and that their opponent will be the Chargers. But as one league source opined to us over the weekend, What happened to the leagues commitment to New Orleans? In 2005, the area was devastated by a hurricane. That season, the entire slate of home games was played in places like San Antonio and Baton Rouge, and even New Jersey. At a time when there was mounting speculation that owner Tom Benson might use the devastation as an excuse for moving the team, the league recognized that the abandonment of New Orleans was not an option. Bensons tune quickly changed. In 2006, the Saints returned to New Orleans with a rousing and memorable Monday night win over the Falcons, and they emerged over the balance of the season as a contending team. Years of struggles to sell tickets at the Superdome evaporated, and folks living in a region that is still ravaged in many areas by the aftermath of the ensuing flood had reason for hope. So why take one of eight regular-season home games away from New Orleans now? And why take one of the highest-profile contests on the slate a once-in-eight-years visit from the San Diego Chargers? We realize, and we support, the leagues desire to expand the reach and the influence of pro football in other countries. But the sacrifice this time around seems to be too great. The Buccaneers stand ready and willing to give up a home game, and the folks in Tampa nearly failed to sell out Raymond James Stadium for a playoff game. Though Benson surely will be handsomely compensated for his decision to give up a home game in the name of the leagues broader effort to become an international phenomenon, there will be no compensation for the revenue lost by the various businesses that rely upon those eight weekends from September to December in which an NFL game is hosted there. Eventually, the league will likely expand the regular season to 17 games, which means that every city will keep its eight home games and play once per season at a neutral site. In our view, the Saints should have gotten a pass on playing a home game overseas until that seventeenth game is added. Source: Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk.com
Saints fans should be upset but the anger should not be directed at the league but at Benson. Also when they do go to the 17th game where are these neutral site games going to be held? Are they all out of country or will they pick a city who doesn't have a franchise and wants one such as Los Angeles, San Antonio or Portland, OR.
Worse thing out of all this is it will take 8 years for the real rematch in New Orleans.:icon_eek: Exhbitions won't count even if the NFL scheduled one for SD and NO at Louisiana, and I don't know if SD would want to go Midwest in exhibition with emphasis on injury factor.
Who cares? They're gonna be playing in England, that's awesome It doesn't mean that the Saints are gonna move or anything
:rollinglaugh: Rep! Believe me, I feel the same way around my team and pray why this happens to me every year.:icon_sad: :icon_cry:
