Saints home games.

[Rain Man]

I realize that there are a lot bigger issues than football in that area now, but this question will have to be asked. Where do you think the Saints will play their home games this season?

I did a little research, and have a list of stadiums of 40,000 or more capacity within 200 miles. (I could well have missed some, too. I was just thrashing around on the Internet.)

Poll coming, with stadium, capacity, year of construction, and rough distance from N'Awlins. (Eyeball distance to nearest 50 miles.)

[Big Chief Homer]

I heard on nfl sirius sat radio this afternoon they are planning on playing their first few games at LSU.The rest is still up in the air.

[go bo]

er... who's gonna go to the home games?

there's over a million people basically homeless and unemployed...

they won't be returning to nawlins anytime soon...

so who'd buy the tickets for the home games?

this thing sucks for the saints just like it does for the casinos on the ms coast...

well, maybe not that bad...

[Phobia]

You should include the Astrodome and Alamodome in any poll.

[tommykat]

er... who's gonna go to the home games?

there's over a million people basically homeless and unemployed...

they won't be returning to nawlins anytime soon...

so who'd buy the tickets for the home games?

this thing sucks for the saints just like it does for the casinos on the ms coast...

well, maybe not that bad...

This is aweful, question.....what about season ticket holders? How do you think this will be handled? I know this is nothing compared to what is happening to REAL people there now. I was just curious as to your thoughts.

[Rain Man]

You should include the Astrodome and Alamodome in any poll.

You're welcome to add them. There are enough stadiums outside that 200-mile radius in Tennessee, Alabama, and Texas that it was going to be a pain, so I just went with the "200+ miles in Texas" option.

[Ultra Peanut]

<img src="http://www.photohome.com/pictures/texas-pictures/san-antonio/alamodome-1a.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px; border: 0" alt="" />

[Phobia]

Nah- I think your option covers it. I think the Alamodome is a very likely option with the Astrodome a close second. Though, the Astrodome may need a lot of work to be a viable venue.

[Bowser]

I voted for rotating among stadiums in the region.

Does this affect Grambling, as well?

[Rain Man]

I don't think they would do it, and it'd be bad for the Saints, but having them do a barnstorming tour in places like Portland, OR; Los Angeles; San Antonio; Birmingham; Memphis; Columbus, OH; and other non-NFL cities would actually be somewhat entertaining and possibly good for the NFL.

[Phobia]

I dunno about Grambling, but it really jacks up Tulane.

[Ultra Peanut]

Does this affect Grambling, as well?I don't believe so, no.

[Bowser]

I dunno about Grambling, but it really jacks up Tulane.

Maybe Tulane could get together with Baylor, and fill Baylor's stadium? [/classless attempt at humor]

[Ultra Peanut]

I don't think they would do it, and it'd be bad for the Saints, but having them do a barnstorming tour in places like Portland, OR; Los Angeles; San Antonio; Birmingham; Memphis; Columbus, OH; and other non-NFL cities would actually be somewhat entertaining and possibly good for the NFL.If they didn't come in pissing on the city and expecting us to like it, like the Oilers did, I'm sure Memphis would receive them very well, especially considering the circumstances.

I dunno about Grambling, but it really jacks up Tulane.Yeppers. In one tiny positive, their athletic teams have currently been taken in by SMU. Southern Miss' athletic teams have been taken in by Memphis. So, nice to hear that C-USA's coming together and helping two of their members in this horrible time, at least.

I have no idea about the damage to The Rock (M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, home to USM football), but I'm thinking maybe they could play in Jackson if it's unavailable.

As far as USM goes, for the most part the school avoided major damage. Mostly just cosmetic damage. Few windows blown out, siding ripped off, that type of thing. But the rest of Hattiesburg was not spared.

Some people on C-USA forums have suggested the NCAA give Tulane's student-athletes and teams, as a whole, a "redshirt" year, of sorts...

[Rain Man]

If they didn't come in pissing on the city and expecting us to like it, like the Oilers did, I'm sure Memphis would receive them very well, especially considering the circumstances.



Memphis would indeed be a very logical candidate. I almost put them in the poll, but they were a little outside of my arbitrary radius. Even so, I think they'd be a very strong option.

[Saulbadguy]

I don't think they would do it, and it'd be bad for the Saints, but having them do a barnstorming tour in places like Portland, OR; Los Angeles; San Antonio; Birmingham; Memphis; Columbus, OH; and other non-NFL cities would actually be somewhat entertaining and possibly good for the NFL.
Thats not a bad idea. Donate alot of the money to the relief effort from the profits.

[Miles]

Tiger stadium would be the best choice but im not sure what they would do when LSU is home. Im also not sure when power will be back on in Baton Rouge.

[Swanman]

How about Gaz's backyard?

[chefsos]

Saints are looking at San Antonio and Houston.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2147430&CMP=OTC-DT9705204233

By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com


Even as the NFL continued to assess and evaluate the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, and the possible ramifications to playing in the damaged Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans Saints officials began exploring potential alternate sites for practices and perhaps even games.

Saints director of operations James Nagaoka was in contact with officials from other cities, most notably San Antonio, about moving practices as early as next week. The team is currently practicing in San Jose, Calif., in advance of Thursday night's preseason game against the Oakland Raiders, and the preference is to return to a city in the South or the Southwest to begin preparations for the Sept. 11 regular-season opener.


Mike Abington, director of the Alamodome in San Antonio, confirmed the Saints have spoken to city officials. Nagaoka inquired about the availability of the San Antonio School District Spring Sports Complex, a site that could be under consideration for team practices. The Saints practiced at the site last September, when they were forced to leave New Orleans in advance of Hurricane Ivan. It is believed that Nagaoka also contacted officials from other cities in the southwest.

One league owner said he believed the Saints had begun "at least preliminary" talks about an alternative playing site, with the Alamodome topping the list. The owner said that he had heard Houston was a possible alternative practice site.

Reliant Park could be used for the Saints' home opener if the Louisiana Superdome isn't available, stadium president and general manager Shea Guinn said Tuesday.

Guinn offered the stadium as an option to the NFL, but hasn't heard back from the league.


"It would be a heck of a lot of work and a challenge but the circumstances are extraordinary. We would do everything we can to help," Guinn told Houston television station KRIV.


The extent of damage to the Saints' complex in Metairie, La., was not yet known. Saints officials could not be immediately reached on Tuesday night as their cell phones, all with New Orleans area codes, did not answer or did not have a signal.


"We don't know anything yet about where we're going from here," said wide receiver Michael Lewis. "But from what we've seen [on television], and what we're hearing, it's going to be hard to go back to New Orleans and practice."


It might be equally difficult, even though the Saints don't play a home contest until Sept. 18 and have only one game during the first month of the season, to play at the Superdome anytime soon. League officials suggested Tuesday there might still be time to repair the tears in the roof of the Superdome. But even if that were the case, the general conditions in New Orleans, where 80 percent of the city is under water and electricity might not be restored for a month or more, could make a home schedule untenable, at least over the early part of the season.


League vice president of public relations Greg Aiello told ESPN.com in an e-mail that the NFL was still gathering information from New Orleans and Superdome officials.


San Antonio city councilman Roger Flores told the San Antonio Express-News newspaper that he had apprised Saints officials on Tuesday that the city would attempt to accommodate the club if a move is necessary. Saints owner Tom Benson, once one of San Antonio's biggest car dealers, still has strong ties to the city's business communities.


"Mr. Benson has been an integral part of our business community," Flores said. "We also have a fan base that should provide them with some measure of success financially."


Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. To check out Len's chat archive, click here .

[Demonpenz]

what will hurricane katrina do to my fantasy football team

[Demonpenz]

what will hurricane katrina do to my fantasy football team i think duece will be picked lower now he is going to play more road games

[patteeu]

If they move to LA, I wonder if they'll be called the LA Hurricanes. I voted for Texas because I heard on the radio this morning that there's a good chance they'll play in Reliant (Houston) or Alamodome (San Antonio) as chefsos posted.

[StcChief]

LSU in Baton Rouge. The games are on Sunday.
Fan base, if they haven't left town already.

[Area 51]

I voted for rotating among stadiums in the region.

Does this affect Grambling, as well?

Let's not forget the local high schools!!!

[ct]

The LA suggestion is intruiging, but Ain'ts gonna happen (pun intended). I see LSU's Tiger Stadium as the best solution.

[Iowanian]

I assume they'd just go ahead and start playing in LA a year early...