Today, the Saints’ owner Gayle Benson and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made the official announcement that the team would move from New Orleans, which they had previously called home, to Baton Rouge, the state’s capital.
The choice was made after the city’s mayor turned down the team’s request to let spectators fill about 25% of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for their upcoming matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Despite nightly throngs of masked revelers on the city’s renowned Bourbon Street and in the French Quarter, Mayor Latoya Cantrell put a stop to social gatherings that would cheer up the inhabitants.
After receiving a negative response to their request, the Saints started corresponding with representatives of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge regarding the possibility of holding future home games at Tiger Stadium on campus.
Baton Rouge doesn’t have nearly the same amount of stringent measures aimed at protecting its inhabitants against the coronavirus pandemic as New Orleans does, despite having a considerably lower population and virtually no opportunity for anyone to ever visit.
After several rounds of discussions, full-fledged relocation negotiations were concluded yesterday afternoon.
The Saints were the target of a vigorous rhetorical campaign by San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger.
Other leaders, such as Texas Governor Rick Perry, had said they would also be in favor of moving the team to San Antonio, including utilizing the money to renovate the Alamodome or perhaps even build a brand-new stadium.