As NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to ponder the potential penalties to be imposed on the players involved in the bounty scandal, either by funding the pool or earning pieces of it, some think that Goodell may go easy in order to avoid a full-blown revolt of Saints fans. Others wonder whether the league held the decisions on punishment beyond the March 16 deadline for renewing season tickets, in order to ensure that the fans wouldn’t scatter.
Either way, we’re told that a full 98 percent of the season-ticket holders have renewed. That’s the highest renewal percentage the Saints ever have experienced. And the waiting list continues to expand by roughly 50 callers per day. Also, all suites have been sold out for 2012.
And so, while Saints fans understandably aren’t happy with the situation, they’re not turning their backs on the team.
It’s also believed they won’t turn their backs on the Super Bowl, which New Orleans will be hosting. Even if Saints fans are mad at the league, they’ll rally around the Super Bowl, since it’s a New Orleans event.
On the topic of discipline to be imposed on Saints players, Peter King of Sports Illustrated and NBC’s Football Night in America joined PFT Live to discuss the subject, about which he recently wrote for SI.com.