Football, and its many traditions within,
is one of America's favorite past times. Football is even America's favorite
sport to watch, with more popularity than basketball, baseball, and soccer
combined. In fact, 62% of Americans consider themselves a fan or "somewhat" of
a fan of professional football, and 54% say the same for college football. The
NFL has the highest average attendance of any professional sports league in the
world. It's rare to find a passive fan, most are invested in their teams and
you will find them cheering after a touchdown or crying out in disappointment
following a fumble. This emotional investment, plus the cultural aspects such
as tailgating and watch parties that go along with football, make it something
that millions invest themselves in.
In a recent study from WalletHub
of 2022's best and worst cities for football fans, New Orleans was ranked at
number eight out of 240 U.S cities. The study was based upon 21 metrics, with
75 points out of 100 going to the pro football category and the rest going to
college football. In the pro football category, the metrics included average
ticket price for an NFL game, NFL fan engagement, attendance, number of coaches
in the past 10 seasons, and performance level among more. In the category of
"Most Engaged NFL Fans," New Orleans ranked number 4, and ranked number 3in the
category of "Best Performing NFL Team."
While this may have been a rocky season
for The Saints, overall, the team serves as a source of happiness and unity for
citizens across the city. Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in
2005, Sean Payton came on as head coach and helped secure The Saints' first
Super Bowl title in 2010. He recently announced his plans to retire after 16
years and certainly helped establish the team as a force to be reckoned with.
Also joining the team following Katrina was quarterback Drew Brees, who retired
following the 2020 season. Brees helped the team achieve many great wins and
holds the second highest NFL career pass completion percentage, along with
second place in career touchdown passes. Many other great players past and
present have helped create a unique culture around The Saints that fans look
forward to cheering on again the second the season is over.
Football serves as a fun outlet and
hobby, and its traditions, such as tailgating and watch parties, create even
more excitement. It gives people something to look forward to, as well as a
temporary escape from reality. Recently, however, COVID-19 has meant a
difficult time for football lovers. Whether it was canceled games due to
infected players or playing to empty stadiums, it has certainly presented its
challenges. The rollout of vaccines meant that towards the end of 2021, fans
were able to return to stadiums. Caesars Superdome requiring vaccination cards
at the beginning of the season, and later masks, meant that fans could cheer on
The Saints like in times past.
In their study, WalletHub asked a panel
of experts questions, including, "Is having a professional team an economic
drain or benefit for cities?" Lee H. Igel, Clinical Professor of the Tisch
Institute for Global Sport at New York University, said, "Having a professional
football team is a benefit to a city. That is especially the case when the team
really acts in partnership with the city and the communities of residents,
visitors, business owners, and fans. A decade of research from an ongoing
NYU-U.S. Conference of Mayors initiative on sports in cities shows that, when
the focus is really on the partnership, what pro teams do can provide
meaningful economic, infrastructure, social, and identity benefits to the city
that makes a positive impact on the people living, working, and visiting it."
The big development recently was Caesars
taking on ownership of The Superdome and bringing exciting changes, including
five levels of exciting food, drinks, and local delicacies such as the Cajun
Corner with jambalaya and alligator sausage. Located right downtown, the
stadium makes it accessible for fans to come cheer on The Saints, as well as
attend other events that are hosted there such as the Men's NCAA Final Four
this year. The iconic building is part of the New Orleans skyline, and 2020
marked the beginning of a multi-phase, multi-year renovation project that will
continue to build on the building's previous improvements and lay the
foundation for the future.
New Orleans is certainly a city to be
contended with when it comes to being a great city for football. Between great
eats, drinks, and team paraphernalia, you've got a challenge, but what sets
these fans apart are their spirit and belief in great things to continue to
happen. The Saints' team colors are a representation that among the losses,
there is also greatness.