In normal circumstances, the New Orleans Saints have one of the NFL’s best home-field atmospheres — especially when it comes to the playoffs.
But this isn’t a normal circumstance, and attending a large indoor gathering is just about the worst idea during a surging coronavirus pandemic. That didn’t stop Saints coach Sean Payton from trying, though.
The Saints host the Chicago Bears in Sunday’s Wild Card matchup at the Superdome. Due to the increase in COVID cases, the Saints are expected to have about 3,000 fans at the game (down from 6,000). Yet, Payton evidently had the Saints looking into a way to get 50,000 fans at the game.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that a large quarantine was discussed:
“I brought up the idea of testing 50,000 people and quarantining them in a hotel and having the most safest Superdome known to man, scientifically. Bus them, they’ve tested every day, and you’ve got a COVID-free facility.”
According to ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio, Payton wasn’t joking. The Saints actually explored the viability of quarantining 50,000 people in hotels. Even playing at LSU’s Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge — a city with less COVID restrictions — was a possibility.
But I assume that the Saints quickly realized that the 50,000-fan quarantine idea was ridiculous because beyond the logistical and legal challenges of a private business enforcing a quarantine on 50,000 people, have they seen how many Americans approached this pandemic?
There was no way that idea was going to work.
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