Early article, complete with typo:
link (http://www.wdsu.com/news/4934334/detail.html)
No refunds? That'll go over real well for all of those fans who spent thousands on season tickets and could use that money to rebuild their lives. :boo
It's just one report. We'll see what happens. I have a hard time seeing them actually following through on denying refunds.
How can they not refund tickets?
If they use ALL of the money to do Saint sponsored rebuilding (building homes) or other aid type things then I doubt it would bother anyone. If they don't they need to refund the money.
I think they should use the money to get a professional head coach.
Who exactly are they going to refund the money anyway? Show your tickets at the gate? Mail it to the now gone homes of the three season ticket holders?
From PFT:
QuoteBENSON PLANNING TO STICK IT TO NEW ORLEANS
A week after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and numerous other Gulf Coast communities, we've heard from our old friend John Marie, host of the Sports Court on 990 am in the Crescent City. Over the past year or so, we've done several radio spots with John Marie, who isn't afraid to call it like he sees it when it comes to the Saints and their history of mismanagement and general ineptitude.
John Marie, who lost his home in Katrina and its aftermath, has forwarded to us a message from Fletcher Mackel of WDSU-TV containing some shocking revelations regarding the plans of Saints owner Tom Benson.
WDSU, you might recall, reported on Sunday that the Saints do not intend to give refunds to season ticket holders. The report was brief and vague, without identifying the source or disclosing any details.
Now, all of that has changed.
Mackel says that he has spoken directly with Saints executive Arnold Fielkow, who has outlined in detail owner Tom Benson's plan for profiting from the demise of New Orleans.
It was Fielkow, by the way, who recently told Louisiana state senator Mike Michot that Benson wants to move permanently to San Antonio. The "real" media, as we explained earlier on Monday, generally ignored the story.
Per Mackel through John Marie, Fielkow (who based on the following likely will soon be a former employee of the organization) says that Benson is hoping to anger the citizens and the Louisiana Legislature by refusing to issue refunds to season-ticket holders.
Writes Mackel: "[Fielkow] said Tom Benson WANTS to upset season ticket holders and the Louisiana Legislature! He wants to play this season in San Antonio, forcing the state to tell him that since he turned his back on the community in a time of need they won't make any more payments to him.
"If the state fails to make their payment next summer Louisiana is in breech [sic] of contract and Benson can move the team without making a penalty payment. He would then shop the team to the highest bidding city. San Antonio, L.A., even New Orleans with a better deal in place. He's simply going to use this tragedy get a better deal and perhaps [a] new stadium from some city."
The decision not to pay refunds, per Mackel, will be announced within the next 24-to-48 hours. Apparently, fine-print language in the tickets permits the team to deny refunds based on natural disasters.
Fielkow told Mackel that Benson simply does not care if this plan makes him the most hated man in the history of the city.
Mackel and John Marie both say that Fielkow is a good man, and that he is "passionate" and "upset" regarding Benson's intentions. Per Mackel, Fielkow has urged Benson to play this year's home games in Baton Rouge, so that the season-ticket holders may attend. Fielkow also told Mackel that insurance money for the Superdome along with possible federal finances could enable New Orleans to build a new or refurbished stadium that would also serve as a better place of evacuation when the next Category 5 storm prepares to make landfall.
Mackel says that he also has spoken with Saints running back Deuce McAllister, who said that "a bad decision" was about to be made by the organization. McAllister said he hopes the team can play in Baton Rouge and remain in New Orleans. Asked whether the Saints have played their last game in New Orleans, McAllister told Mackel: "I just don't know, nothing would surprise me."
These folks, starting with Fielkow, are getting the word out because, apparently, there's still time to change Benson's mind. John Marie and Fletcher Mackel are hoping that as many journalists, politicians, and fans as possible learn of Benson's plan and sound off in a loud, clear voice that his efforts to profit at the city's most dire time of crisis will not succeed.
We plan to do everything we can to spread the word on this. As to anyone out there who's in a position of influence of any kind, we hope that you do the same.
If this turns out to be true...what a fargin scumbag. I hope Tags steps in and smacks Benson down.
Agreed. Cities shouldn't bit at all for this team. Tags should be able to use this to actually force Benson out of ownershipof the Saints. If he is planning on doing this, he should rot in hell for using a national disaster to his own personal financial gain.
Holy smoke. If true, ... I'm speechless.
Benson is worse than Bramman. I cant imagine this being legal.
Quote from: TexasEagle on September 05, 2005, 12:39:03 PM
If they use ALL of the money to do Saint sponsored rebuilding (building homes) or other aid type things then I doubt it would bother anyone.
If I were a season ticket holder it would bother the living shtein out of me. If I spent a few thousand dollars on season tickets and found out that my money was being used to rebuild someone elses house I would be absolutely livid. It might sound selfish but the bottom line is that those people paid they're hard earned money to buy season tickets. If they can't use the tickets then the money should be refunded, in full, to the owner of said tickets.
Wow. This can't be true. If so, he'll have death threats out the ying-yang.
:-\
Quote from: Jerome99RIP on September 05, 2005, 04:06:19 PM
Wow. This can't be true. If so, he'll have death threats out the ying-yang.
:-\
He should haven been recieving them already for making people pay money to see the Saints play in the first place. Paying someone money to cover you in blood and drop you into a shark tank would be a more worthwhile and painless investment.
What did the Chargers do when they had to move a home game to Arizona a few years ago??
Quote from: PhillyandBCEagles on September 05, 2005, 04:53:09 PM
What did the Chargers do when they had to move a home game to Arizona a few years ago??
If I'm not mistaken, they refunded the money to everyone who had tickets (those that wanted refunds). Although many Chargers fans were at the game since Phoenix is only about a 4 or 5 hour drive from SD, if that.
Yea, and on top of that, the game was free to attend in Zona.
There's a followup story to that. On Profootballtalk.com, they've found out that there ISN'T ACTUALLY any fine print thast stipulates that. Benson has been trying to stiff the state for years, not to mention that right now, that SHOULD BE THE LAST THING ON HIS MIND.
QuoteAn exasperated Haslett, clearly operating on very little sleep, and only six days from the regular-season opener at Carolina, joked again about the possibility that the league will decide to have the Saints play all their "home" games at the sites of their opponents.
"We'll do whatever we have to do," Haslett said. "If that's what the NFL says we have to do, then we'll do it."
For the second day in a row, Haslett's cited the Saints' success on the road during his five-year tenure. New Orleans is 24-16 in road games since Haslett arrived in 2000, and just 18-22 at home in that period.
They might challenge for the division now that they're out of NO.
QuoteBENSON CAVES ON REFUNDS
Arnold Fielkow likely has saved the New Orleans Saints. At least for now.
According to a statement made by Fielkow on Monday and published by The New Orleans Times-Picayune, Saints owner Tom Benson has abandoned his plan to refuse refunds to season-ticket holders, which as we reported on Monday afternoon was intended to provide the catalyst for a permanent move.
Both Louisiana state senator Mike Michot and WDSU-TV sports reporter Fletcher Mackel had attributed to Fielkow statements regarding Benson's intentions. Fielkow told Michot that Benson wanted to move permanently to San Antonio. Fielkow told Mackel of Benson's plan to use the denial of refunds to spark the final exit.
On Monday, in response to a growing storm of questions that Mackel's account raised, Fielkow released a statement addressing the situation.
The statement, in its entirety, appears below:
-------------------------------------
"There have been several published reports regarding some statements attributed to me last week involving the Saints' move of its training base to San Antonio. I would like to clarify these statements and provide some background to them.
"These statements were made last Friday with much personal frustration following an organizational meeting held earlier that day. I participated in this meeting via conference call and left the meeting concerned that some wrong decisions may be made. The last week has been a trying time for our community, including everyone within the Saints organization, as we watched the terrible catastrophe which had befallen a city which my family and I love very much. I know how much the New Orleans Saints mean to our great city, state and region and it was important that right decisions be made in this time of crisis.
"During our meeting, I expressed a strong opinion that Saints home games, following the Giants game, should if logistically possible be played in Baton Rouge. This position was based upon the fact that it would be an uplifting item for our fan base, similar in many ways to how the New York Yankees became a sense of pride for our whole country after 9/11. We are working with the league and hope to announce shortly the location of our 2005 home games beginning in October. We are reviewing all options in conjunction with the league and are hopeful of playing several games in Baton Rouge this season. Further announcements on this subject will be forthcoming.
"It is the collective hope of our organization that Saints football will return to New Orleans as soon as possible and, as expressed by GM Mickey Loomis yesterday, that the Saints, both this year and in the future, can play a leading role in the rebuilding and revitalization of our community. This hope is shared by everyone within the Saints organization, including ownership, players, coaches and staff.
"I was further concerned during our meeting that a question existed as to whether refunds would be provided to season ticket holders unable to attend games this season. This matter has since been clarified and we will announce shortly our club's refund policy which will unequivocally provide our fans the ability to receive refunds if unable to attend games.
"The Saints will be playing this season for our great fans in New Orleans, the state of Louisiana and the entire Gulf South region. We hope the club's success will spread some joy to a fan base which has been devastated over the past week.
"These were the reference points for my statements last week. We all look forward to the start of a successful season this Sunday as we have much work to do over the next several months. We look forward to making 2005 a special season for all of our great fans."
-------------------------------------
In the statement, Fielkow at no point denies the statements attributed to him. Instead, he implicitly acknowledges that he said what others say he said.
But the best part of the statement is that, as explained in the third paragraph from the bottom, Fielkow's concerns regarding the availability of refunds apparently have been resolved in favor of paying the money back to the folks who now need that money far more than does Benson or the team.
Though we won't rule out further irrationality when it comes to Benson, we respect Fielkow for risking his own status with the organization in order to keep it in New Orleans. If Benson should try to force Fielkow out in the wake of his successful end run around Benson's "yes" men, the media and the fans need to be ready to protect Fielkow.
And if Fielkow ultimately leaves the organization, we suggest that the other 31 teams out there consider hiring him, on the spot. If more people in more front offices cared as much about the community and the fans that the team serves as does Fielkow, the NFL would be more popular and beloved than every other sport or diversion combined.
Update: 4 games in San Antonio, 3 in Baton Rouge (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2156277)