The Saints are in the process of moving to Los Angeles, but fans were not prepared for this news. New Orleans has been home to the Saints since 1967, and many fans have spent their entire lives rooting for the team. However, with a new stadium set to open in 2020, the future of the team is uncertain.
The saints trade rumors 2021 is a troubling story for the Saints fans. The team has been in New Orleans since 1967 and they are not sure how long they will be able to stay there.
Whatever you think of the team’s postseason disappointments, New Orleans Saints supporters are a devoted lot. For years, they wore paper bags over their heads and remained to watch Drew Brees shred rival defenses every week at the Superdome.
If two catastrophic storms in 16 years wasn’t enough, Saints supporters may now have to prepare for their team’s permanent departure from Louisiana.
After her death, Gayle Benson is a model and actress., the owner of the New Orleans Saints, intends to sell the club.
Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints | Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Every NFL club has a strategy in place for ownership succession. If a majority owner passes away suddenly, they will have already chosen a successor to lead the club.
Following the death of her husband, Tom, in 2018, Gayle Benson took over the Saints and Pelicans. In a recent interview with the New Orleans Times-Picayune, the 74-year-old stated that upon her death, her estate would sell both teams and donate the proceeds to local charity.
Her succession plan has already been authorized by the NFL. Meanwhile, the Saints are trying to guarantee that whomever buys the club maintains it in New Orleans.
“Tom didn’t have a lot of money when he purchased this club. To retain the squad, he had to give up all he had. He put forth a lot of effort to get the Pelicans here. He made many sacrifices. I want to make certain that the teams remain here. I want them to remain in New Orleans for the rest of their lives.”
Gayle Benson
Saints president Dennis Lauscha, according to Benson of the Times-Picayune, would not sell the franchise to someone who plans to relocate the team.
“We may be a tiny market, but we don’t feel like we’re a second-class citizen,” Lauscha said. ‘In whatever we do, we expect to be number one.”
Saints supporters should be worried about the implications of a possible sale.
In the next years, New Orleans Saints supporters may have to say farewell to their team | Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
When it came to keeping the franchise in New Orleans, Benson and Lauscha said all the right things. The issue is that once the team is formally transferred to someone else, they will only have so much say.
Although the Saints’ current Superdome contract expires in 2025, continuing talks may extend the team’s stay until 2035. When the 2034-35 season concludes, Benson will be 88 years old.
If the opportunity arises, new owners often desire to construct a new stadium or relocate to a larger market. San Antonio has previously been connected to the Buffalo Bills, who are presently struggling with stadium and lease problems. After losing the Chargers and Rams, respectively, to Los Angeles, San Diego and St. Louis may want to put up the money required to bring a franchise home.
The Superdome is currently undergoing a $450 million restoration project that is scheduled to be completed by 2025. That, however, means nothing if the football club doesn’t have a lease in place to play there.
Those connected with the Saints clearly do not want the franchise to leave New Orleans. All it takes is the right person — or, in the case of Saints fans, the wrong person — to come in and persuade NFL owners that relocating the franchise to a bigger market in San Antonio is worthwhile.
Pelicans supporters shouldn’t have high hopes for their team’s future in New Orleans.
Even if the Saints continue to march in New Orleans, there’s no assurance the Pelicans will follow suit.
The Pelicans have been playing at Smoothie King Center since 1999, so they don’t have to worry about a new stadium or ongoing renovations. In 2014, the building was upgraded with a new glass entryway and LED lighting system, but it was just the beginning.
The Pelicans are only leased in New Orleans until 2024, according to The Athletic, and are the “most probable club” to pursue relocation. Benson’s recent remarks, on the other hand, give the appearance that she wants the brand to remain at home for as long as she owns it.
Las Vegas and Seattle, two of the biggest cities without an NBA franchise, should be regarded significant contenders for the Pelicans’ next possible home. We recommend that New Orleans residents who love watching Alvin Kamara and Zion Williamson get a satellite package or subscribe to a streaming service.
RELATED: Zion Williamson Declares Love for New Orleans, and No One Believes Him
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The saints trade alvin kamara is a recent report that has surfaced. It states that the Saints are in talks with the Cleveland Browns, and they will be trading Alvin Kamara to the team.
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