New Orleans' restrictions on gatherings have been stricter than those in the rest of LouisianaGETTY IMAGES
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city will "continue to monitor the public health data, but cannot set an artificial timeline for how and when conditions may allow for the kind of special exemption being requested" by the Saints to allow fans to attend games, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. This comes as a response to Saints officials who yesterday "began discussions with LSU officials" about having the team "play upcoming games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge," about 80 miles northwest of New Orleans. Saints VP/Communications Greg Bensel said, "Our overwhelming preference is to play our games in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with partial fan attendance, but there has been no indication from the city on when, or if, this might be approved." Currently, 15 teams have "approval to host spectators from the general public at varying percentages of stadium capacity." But Cantrell in her statement said, "While the Saints' request for a special exception to the city's Covid-19 guidelines remains under consideration, allowing 20K people in an indoor space presents significant public health concerns." New Orleans is in Phase 3.1 of its reopening, "allowing bars to reopen and restaurants to allow 75% seating capacity inside earlier this month." Thus far, the city's restrictions have been "stricter than those in the rest of the state." New Orleans has "detailed plans to possibly loosen restrictions in Phases 3.2 and 3.3 later this month" -- but fans at Saints games "would still not be allowed because they are considered 'large gatherings'" (ESPN.com, 10/13).
ALL CLEAR EXCEPT WITH MAYOR: In New Orleans, Amie Just notes the move to Tiger Stadium, which "has not yet been finalized," would allow "roughly 21,000 fans to attend" the Saints next home game against the Panthers on Oct. 25. In moving the state to Phase 3 of re-opening, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards "allowed attendance at football games, with capacity restrictions." And while Cantrell has "acquiesced to a small amount of fans attending high school football games in the city," she "hasn’t yet given approval for the Saints." The Saints have been "pushing to have the Superdome at 25% capacity since Oct. 2." The "first hurdle to returning fans to the Superdome was cleared" on Sept. 1 when Edwards "signed off on the Saints' plan to have some fans at the Week 3 game" against the Packers. But Cantrell "also needed to approve the plan, and she didn't." In addition to "fears of possible coronavirus spread," she suggested at the time that her sign-off "would likely hinge on whether the state was willing to give New Orleans more of the federal money set aside for local governments dealing with the coronavirus pandemic" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 10/14).
SEEING BOTH SIDES: In Baton Rouge, Rod Walker writes perhaps it is "just a power play to see if the mayor will budge on her stance and allow fans in the Dome" when the Saints host the Panthers. But maybe the Saints "really are willing to get on a bus and drive" to Baton Rouge and deal with the "logistics of playing a game in a stadium they haven't played in" since '05 after Hurricane Katrina. Either way, this really "doesn't have to be viewed as Saints vs. Mayor Cantrell." Both sides "can be doing what's best." Walker: "Who can blame the Saints for wanting fans?" But it is "hard to blame the mayor for the stance she's taken." For her, it is about "keeping a city that is one of the nation's biggest tourist attractions safe during a pandemic" that the country has "yet to quite get a handle on." That is "even more important than wins and losses" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 10/14). PFT’s Mike Florio said the Saints are trying to get fans in attendance “not because they’re trying to chase the dollars” because the “dollars aren’t really there." He added, "You’ve got fans, partners and sponsors who are upset the Saints aren’t doing enough to get New Orleans to let them have fans present" (“PFT,” NBCSN, 10/14).
