Saints to play home games in San Antonio, will not refund season tickets.

[Diomedes]

Early article, complete with typo:

link

[PhillyGirl]

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. 

[Diomedes]

It's just one report.  We'll see what happens.  I have a hard time seeing them actually following through on denying refunds.

[MDS]

How can they not refund tickets?

[TexasEagle]

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.

[Diomedes]

I think they should use the money to get a professional head coach.

[General_Failure]

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?

[PhillyPhreak54]

From PFT:

BENSON 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.

[MDS]

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.

[Geowhizzer]

Holy smoke.  If true, ... I'm speechless.

[Seabiscuit36]

Benson is worse than Bramman.  I cant imagine this being legal.

[Sgt PSN]

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. 

[Rome]

Wow.  This can't be true.  If so, he'll have death threats out the ying-yang.

[Sgt PSN]

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. 

[PhillyandBCEagles]

What did the Chargers do when they had to move a home game to Arizona a few years ago??