As Florio mentioned this morning, the fact that Toronto is looking at the Saints as a team to possibly relocate to Canada is “borderline ridiculous.”
The Saints wanted to make sure their fans knew it was ridiculous too before the story ruined anyone’s Jazz Fest on Thursday.
“Reports about the Saints as a potential team moving to Toronto are completely false. The New Orleans Saints are committed to the city of New Orleans,” said Greg Bensel, Saints Vice President of Communications.
As Jeff Duncan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune pointed out, the Saints are locked in to New Orleans. They recently signed a 20-year deal with Louisiana.
It wasn’t so long ago things were different. Duncan’s excellent book, From Bags to Riches, explains in great detail the open flirtations of owner Tom Benson with the city of San Antonio following Hurricane Katrina. (The flirtations started before the storm.)
There was a time when Benson callously played with the emotions of Saints fans. It’s a time that has largely been forgotten because of the incredible support and success the Saints have experienced in the last five years, although it should still be deeply embarrassing for Benson in retrospect.
Thankfully for Saints fans, that time has past.