Saints, Hornets Proving To Be Stronger Teams Post-Katrina

Saints Thriving Since Returning To New Orleans After Hurricane Katrina

By “any appreciable measure,” both the Saints and Hornets are “better off than they were before” Hurricane Katrina, according to a front-page piece by Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. Lake Forest College economics professor and Int’l Association of Sports Economists President Rob Baade has researched the post-Katrina New Orleans sports market, and last June, he wrote, “It is not reasonable to expect that the [Saints] will make the financial sacrifices that are necessary as New Orleans attempts to rebuild.” But he “failed to forecast the ‘remarkable confluence of circumstances’ that occurred in the post-Katrina New Orleans.” Among them: the city became a “national marketplace;” the Saints and Hornets received “unprecedented league support;” the teams were “forced to restructure their business operations and retailor their plans specifically for the post-Katrina market;” stadiums were upgraded; and local support was renewed. Saints Exec VP Rita Benson LeBlanc said, “We became more self-aware and really focused on attention to detail and expanding our relationships with groups and businesses.” NBA Commissioner David Stern said of the Hornets’ full-time return to the city next season, “We think from a sponsorship basis that they’ve made a very good start. ... The Hornets have started their season-ticket renewal campaign, and I’d say early results are promising.”

Hornets Open To Training Facility Being Connected To New Orleans Arena

STILL WORK TO DO: But Duncan writes, “Skepticism remains. Experts caution that the post-Katrina boom can last only so long. Eventually, they say, the local economy will have to stand on its own.” Baade said, “I just don’t see how the numbers are going to improve enough to create a situation that will allow [Saints Owner Tom] Benson to feel like he is financially competitive” (TIMES-PICAYUNE, 4/24).

TRAINING CENTER: Hornets COO Hugh Weber said that the team is “not opposed to the construction of a training center connected to the New Orleans Arena” after discussing the idea with Owner George Shinn. The Louisiana Stadium & Exposition District (LSED) last week approved up to $50,000 for a feasibility study on the project. Shinn has pushed since ’04 to build the training center “on state-owned land across the street from the Arena that now is used as a parking lot.” But LSED Chair Tim Coulon said that the land is “too valuable to be used for a training center because of potential future projects” (TIMES-PICAYUNE, 4/24).