Stephen Perry: New Orleans will benefit more economically from Saints playing game in London (1 Viewer)

[bop]

I don't think that 100,000+ people who can't stand American football would pay that kind of money to see the Saints and Chargers play...

Yeah, just like a stadium full of the rich and famous who are a fan of neither team and havent watched a football game all year wouldnt show up for the Super Bowl just because it was the hot place to be seen.

 

[MLU]

Link?

I know that I saw more than a few thousand Giants and Patriots fans at the Superbowl tonight, so that pretty much blows your claim out of the water.

You really believe the idea that 100,000 rich and famous people are going to get together to watch an American Football game in Wembly Stadium? It's the hot place to be seen? Do you have any idea how unbelievably mentally challenged that sounds?

 

[bop]

Link?

I know that I saw more than a few thousand Giants and Patriots fans at the Superbowl tonight, so that pretty much blows your claim out of the water.

You really believe the idea that 100,000 rich and famous people are going to get together to watch an American Football game in Wembly Stadium? It's the hot place to be seen? Do you have any idea how unbelievably mentally challenged that sounds?

The tickets are done by lottery, so real fans have little chance of getting in. "mentally challenged" is thinking the Saints will convert a nation of people who dont like football into becoming Saints fans. If they sent a couple soccer clubs over here would Americans love soccer?

"mentally challenged" is thinking we will benifit playing a game in front of people who may or may not choose to pull for the Saints over the chargers more than we would playing the game in NO where the stadium would be full of real saints fans and the nfl city that needs money more than any other would not be robbed of 1/8th of the revenue of hosting nfl games.

Tell me how many people from London are now Dolphins season ticket holders before you go throwing "mentally challenged" around. The only thing that is "mentally challenged" is the nfls insistance on playing games in london. What, are we gonna see an nfl team based in london one day? Now thats "mentally challenged." Just like thinking this will have any long term positive impact for the saints or NO what so ever.

Dont get mad and start throwing out offensive remarks just because youve got no ground to stand on in this issue.

 

[MLU]

Nope. None of what I said was mentally challenged. The NFL is making a three year commitment to explore the possibilities of future games there. NFL Europe was successful in some markets and not so successful in others. There is a lot of support in London as evidenced by a 40% increase in NFL viewing by the English since the Giants/Dolphins game.

Who said that we're going to convert a nation into Saints fans? New Orleans is a popular destination for Brits, and this promotes the city. I see nothing mentally challenged about that.

Now, if someone sends ManU over here to play in a city that has shown zero interest in soccer, than that is a bad idea. Look at MLB in Japan as a good example of what the NFL is doing. However, the comparison you're making is not a good one simply because there has been interest in American Football in England. The NFL wouldn't pay for the Saints to travel there if there were not.

What do you consider to be "real fans"? Saints fans only? Chargers fans only? Not NFL fans in general?

I would assume that people have to sign up for this lottery much like they do for the Superbowl. Of course Saints season ticket holders in American will have an opportunity to purchase tickets as well. These people I assume would be fans of the game or ticket scalpers would would be selling tickets to fans of the game. So the tickets will be going to fans of the game at face value or fans of the game at a marked up price. Either way, there are not going to be 81,000 (revised since I read how many folks that Wembley holds) people there who are not fans of the game. Sure some might not be fans, but most will. I see no reason why fanship plays a part in this. I have partaken in a few events that I was not really a fan of until after I attended.

That many people don't pay that much money to "be seen". It's mentally challenged.

It's not about creating season ticket holders. It's not about adding an NFL team there which is logistically impossible. It's about increasing television revenue, of which the Saints get a nice share.

 

[Munich Saint]

Hi

I'm a Saints Fan from Germany and for me it's a great opportunity to see the Saints live. (Bye the way - I have already seen a some Saints games in New Orleans and away games in Atlanta and New York). My problem is that the game will be sold out in London. I don't want to risk loosing in the ticket lottery. It would be great if someone of you have an idea to help me out.

I have relatives in Pensacola, Florida. They would pay the tickets for me if someone would be able to grab some tickets.

Hoping the Saints Family stands together.
And please excuse every mistake I made writing in English

My mail address: saints@online.de

 

[skymike]

Whoah, whoah, whoah, whoah, whoah!

The person that brought us such hits as Oh Sherrie and Don't Stop Believing as the lead singer of Journey is the CEO of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau?

hahahaha.....

Thanks I needed that.

This whole NFL-playing-in Europe thing is such BS, a completely dumb idea, which could potentially (I am so sorry for being so close-minded, short sighted, and for "whining.") derail our 2008 season, not to mention the small fact that N.O. business gets screwed, but they'll be glad to know they're getting "exposure"--- (sigh)...... (ONE game often makes a difference in the NFL, and jet lag could affect TWO games) ....And then having fellow fans of the same team attack each other over it, like they're on the internet or something. . .

That was freakin funny, and I needed to laugh.

 

[Furor]

Whoah, whoah, whoah, whoah, whoah!

The person that brought us such hits as Oh Sherrie and Don't Stop Believing as the lead singer of Journey is the CEO of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau?

Oh Sherrie was on his solo album

 

[SaintJ]

Hi

I'm a Saints Fan from Germany and for me it's a great opportunity to see the Saints live. (Bye the way - I have already seen a some Saints games in New Orleans and away games in Atlanta and New York). My problem is that the game will be sold out in London. I don't want to risk loosing in the ticket lottery. It would be great if someone of you have an idea to help me out.

I have relatives in Pensacola, Florida. They would pay the tickets for me if someone would be able to grab some tickets.

Hoping the Saints Family stands together.
And please excuse every mistake I made writing in English

My mail address: saints@online.de

Are you kidding? You're in the top 15% around here for spelling, punctuation and sentence structure.

 

[cruize]

It makes no sence to take a home game away from the Saints. End of story.

 

[TribuneUK]

Yeah we will really benifit from losing a home game to play in front of a bunch of people who cant stand American football. Bee freaking Ess.

If that bunch of people didn't care, then why would they pay for the tickets to be there? The last game saw enough ticket requests from the UK population to fill the stadium 4 times over.

Please do not apply your generalist views of the rest of the world to people from another country who happen to genuinely like & support the game. I am British and have been a Saints fan since I started watching the game 20 years ago. I have played and coached on 4 different teams in this country. The game is a big thing to a lot of us in the UK.

EDIT: I see MLU has this covered, thanks for that.

@AndyG - I take it you're registered for tickets?

 

[City Champ]

My Gawwwd are people still complaining about this London game? Do you not understand that this is not a punishment but something positive? We will garner the world stage once again and the world can re-examine Katrina. Not only that, but our team will be exposed to more fans and thus gain a better following. At worst, Let us just say the NFL just screwed us, do we not owe a little something back? I mean the NFL single handedly saved our team, the least we can do is go to London and be rewarded with even more exposure...

OUTSIDE THE BOX!!!

 

[NCSaint]

My only complaint with this is it simply should have been an away game we lost.

As far the benefit this guy is saying it will reap - yeah maybe. Looks like he is in Phoenix (maybe even a ticket to the game) being compensated (by the NFL maybe?) to put this spin on it. At a minimum he is out there at NO expense.

And for the life of me I try and defend Tom Benson at every opportunity but how in hell can he say this is good for Saints fans? I guess UK Saints fans maybe.

 

[Knocker]

With the loss of a home game, how does that impact the price of season tickets?

 

[NCSaint]

With the loss of a home game, how does that impact the price of season tickets?

From the article...


Fans who purchase season tickets will be charged for nine home games (seven regular season and two preseason). The Saints also plan to offer tickets to the London game in certain packages. The team has not announced its ticket prices for the 2008 season

 

[tenordas]

hahahaha.....

Thanks I needed that.

This whole NFL-playing-in Europe thing is such BS, a completely dumb idea, which could potentially (I am so sorry for being so close-minded, short sighted, and for "whining.") derail our 2008 season, not to mention the small fact that N.O. business gets screwed, but they'll be glad to know they're getting "exposure"--- (sigh)...... (ONE game often makes a difference in the NFL, and jet lag could affect TWO games) ....And then having fellow fans of the same team attack each other over it, like they're on the internet or something. . .

That was freakin funny, and I needed to laugh.

Mike,
I know it would be better if we were the "road" team not losing a home game, but Perry is right (even if he can't sing any more ). This is a great opportunity to increase P.R. in the UK about New Orleans as a vacation destination (and as a place to partner in business associations). If handled correctly, it will help the city bring in increased tourism revenues from individuals and, more importantly, from business conventions, which I would assume is the main target from New Orleans' standpoint. Any increased revenue from UK folks becoming Saints fans and buying Saints stuff is just an a added bonus, not the main thrust from New Orleans' point of view. The Chamber of Commerce (as well as city government) in New Orleans ought to be all over this. So, in the long term, N.O. business should get a boon from this rather than "getting screwed" - again, if they're smart enough to play their cards correctly with proper exposure before, during, and after the London game.

As for the impact on the team, a 6-7 hour flight to London really isn't any more tiring than a 6-7 hour flight to Seattle, and that trip didn't hurt us any this season (we whipped up on 'em, in fact). I've flown to Eurpoe and to the West Coast and there just isn't any difference. In fact, I would say going to Europe is easier on a person because jet-lag (in my personal experience) is much worse when going from West to East than it is going from East to West, so they'll be better off on the return trip and it will affect the following week's game less. Going, they'll have the adrenaline and excitement of the impending game to get them over it and returning, they'll have the easier direction, so I don't see that it should affect them negatively at all (the Chargers, on the other hand, with that ridiculous commute, are pretty well screwed for the following week, though it's my understanding their bye-week will follow that game).