Tag: caesars

Wil Lutz responds to boos from the Caesars Superdome crowd

Wil Lutz did not exactly receive the warmest welcome in an emotional night at the Caesars Superdome, but he isn’t convinced all that booing was directed at him:

Wil Lutz did not exactly receive the warmest welcome in a night filled with all of the pageantry and about as much embarrassment as the New Orleans Saints could have suffered in their 33-10 loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday.

And there’s good reason for that.

Lutz himself scored 12 of the Broncos’ points by his own accord with four field goals attempted and made in the victory. That is more than the Saints managed to put together as an entire team in the game.

If it were not for the garbage time touchdown made by pass-catcher Cedrick Wilson Jr. on a pass from quarterback Jake Haener in the final two minutes of the action, the Saints would have had just one field goal to show for TNF at all.

Lutz heard the boos from the New Orleans crowd and responded to a post on social media from fans pointing out that they thought the disdain being expressed was directed at him.

That’s very possible, but the responses to Lutz’s quote post of the comment seem to take a shot at the Saints themselves. After all, it was a plenty boo-worthy performance from a team that seems to lack direction and control now on a five-game skid that they will hope doesn’t turn to six games as they face the Los Angeles Chargers on the road next on the schedule.

“Ehh, I think we know who was getting booed out the building,” Lutz wrote. “All love WhoDatNation.”

Lutz had previously praised the Saints environment earlier in the week and said that he still had a lot of love for those associated with the team, so it seems he’s just having a little fun with this one.

“A lot of love for people in that building,’’ he said in an interview with 9News. “Made a lot of big kicks there. Spent more than half my career there, so excited to get back there but excited to be on the other end of things as well. I think it will be fun for a lot of guys on the team.”

It was fun for Lutz and many of the ex-Saints on Denver’s squad. As for the Saints themselves and their fans? That’s another story.

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Sean Payton doesn’t expect a warm welcome back to New Orleans

Sean Payton doesn’t expect a warm welcome back to New Orleans. He understands Saints fans won’t have ‘a lot of flowers and fuzzies for yours truly’

Sean Payton is no stranger to rivalry games. The longtime New Orleans Saints head coach endeared himself to the Who Dat Nation by embracing the pettiness and vitriol and egging on opposing fans, and sometimes running up the score. But he’s their former coach now. It’s a Denver Broncos blue and orange visor sitting on his head these days, not black and gold, after Payton decided he needed a year off from coaching and a change of scenery.

When Payton returns the Caesars Superdome on Thursday he’ll be checking into the visitors locker room for the first time. It’ll be the opposite sideline from which he’s patrolling and barking at referees, too, and he doesn’t expect many words of support to be thrown at his back from the stands.

“It will be unique,” Payton said Monday, via the Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. “Those around us know how challenging a short week is compared to a full week. Certainly, there will be emotions going back there, but that comes up quite a bit in our league with players.”

The Saints are struggling right now after slipping into a four-game losing streak, but Payton has his own problems to deal with. His Broncos missed the playoffs last year and currently sit at 3-3. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has thrown as many interceptions as touchdowns (5). Denver’s offense has the second-worst conversion rate on third downs (25%) in pro football despite trying the sixth-most attempts (80).

And the Saints are encouraging a festive, if  not hostile, atmosphere. They’re packing the house by celebrating Drew Brees’ enshrinement at the team Hall of Fame. They’ve declared a blackout and will give away rally towels. They want it to be loud and chaotic when Nix is trying to relay Payton’s long play calls and  read the field as he drops back to pass.

“I understand it,” Payton continued, “I don’t think there will be a lot of flowers and fuzzies for yours truly, and I get it.”

We’ll see if it makes a difference. There probably aren’t two opposing coaches who know each other’s playbook more thoroughly than Payton and Dennis Allen, having practiced against each other for years in New Orleans. Allen’s back is against the wall after another 2-4 start and Payton’s vision for the Broncos has come under fire after failing to meet expectations.

Both sides are going to be desperate for a win in prime time, if for no other reason than to prove they don’t need each other. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m. CT on Thursday, Oct. 17. The game will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video.

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Kendrick Lamar announces he’ll perform the Super Bowl LIX halftime show

Kendrick Lamar announced he’ll perform at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show. The 17-time Grammy winner is this year’s headliner in New Orleans:

Kendrick Lamar announced he’ll perform at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, meaning the 17-time Grammy winner is this year’s headliner at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The West Coast rapper has risen to greater prominence this year amid a high-profile feud with Drake, the former teen drama actor and Canadian musician, leading to unprecedented dominance in the streaming era.

Talk about reading the room. Lamar has repeatedly shattered records on Spotify and his Amazon Music live-streamed “The Pop Out: Ken & Friends” concert at the Kia Forum in June became ubiquitous on social media. His hit single “Not Like Us” earned its place as the song of the summer. Now he’s taking an even bigger stage.

This year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans will be broadcast on FOX, with Apple Music sponsoring the halftime show. The performance is often filled with special guests and cameos by other famous musicians so keep an eye out for news on who may be joining Lamar under the bright lights.

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Saints share must-see drone tour video of renovated Caesars Superdome

The New Orleans Saints shared a must-see drone tour video of the renovated Caesars Superdome. The home of Super Bowl LIX looks sharp:

https://twitter.com/Saints/status/1831064237051199681

This is too cool. A ton of time and money have been invested in renovating the Caesars Superdome ahead of the 2024 season and Super Bowl LIX, and you can tell. The New Orleans Saints shared an impressive drone camera video highlighting all of the new changes, and it’s well worth a watch. You can find it here.

You get a good look at the upgraded concourses, improved stadium seating, and open-air atriums as well as areas that aren’t public-facing like the locker room, media conference room, and other spaces behind the scenes. Using an aerial drone to cover almost every inch of the arena was a great choice.

And this overhaul was intended to extend the longevity of the venue; time will tell if that approach works out, but it’s easy to walk away from this tour feeling impressed. The Saints have played home games at the Superdome since 1975, with New Orleans hosting ten Super Bowls — soon tying the Miami’s record with eleven. While the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills each have plans in the works for new stadiums, the Saints will trail only the Kansas City Chiefs (at Arrowhead Stadium since 1972) and Green Bay Packers (at Lambeu Field since 1957) as playing at the most-venerable homefields around the NFL in the near future.

With big events on the horizon including nine Saints home games, the Super Bowl, college football bowl games and major musician tours, we should expect the Caesars Superdome to continue to play host to high-profile events for years to come.

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Foster Moreau signs a fan’s oyster shell at open practice

Only in New Orleans. Foster Moreau signed a Saints fan’s oyster shell after Tuesday night’s open practice:

You aren’t getting these kind of interactions California. New Orleans Saints tight end Foster Moreau fulfilled an unusual request after Tuesday night’s open practice at Yulman Stadium. A Saints fan approached the local product when he was signing autographs and asked Moreau to sign his oyster shell.

“That’s sick,” Moreau laughed, happy to oblige, palming the bivalve. What message he penned is between him and the person who may or may not have shucked it.

It’s a fun moment. And it’s something that’s been badly missing since the Saints relocated their training camp from the team practice facility in Metairie to Irvine for the last month-plus. The Saints will host local fans for a second open practice at the Caesars Superdome on Friday, and free tickets are still available for the taking. Act fast and maybe Moreau will sign your oyster shell, too.

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Caesars Superdome renovations include upgraded Wi-Fi, cell service

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on renovations for the Caesars Superdome. One point of emphasis? Upgraded Wi-Fi and cellular service:

New Orleans Saints fans will soon get their first up-close look at extensive renovations to the Caesars Superdome, which has seen $560 million in work to upgrade the venue’s facilities over the last few years.

While this work has touched all aspects at the stadium from new field-level suites to improved concessions offerings, more-spacious atriums and concourses and smoother crowd movement, today we’re getting a look at the infrastructure behind cell service and Wi-Fi Internet access. Anyone who futilely tried to call their ride while navigating the crowded, sloping concrete ramps that mazed through the Superdome before knows that struggle.

“The usage of technology by our fans as part of their gameday experience and their demands will continue to increase,” Team president Dennis Lauscha told the Saints website. “It is important to provide the strongest and most reliable connectivity for our fans as possible with the Caesars Superdome transformation project. With these upgrades, we will offer a guest experience that features the most effective wireless technology available.”

An array of 16 new MatSing MS-48H180 antennas has been bolted to the Superdome roof and painted black to avoid standing out to the naked eye; each weighs about 600 pounds and is rated for hurricane-force winds. A matching set was installed to the building’s interior, complimenting the 200 extant antennas, creating a mesh that is expected to improve cellular service as the Saints’ season continues. The setup is designed for “high-density environments” and can be tweaked by engineers as they gather data on how and where the heaviest usage occurs.

Improving cell phone service is just part of the project. Making wireless Internet access more convenient is part of their ambitions, too. The Superdome has added 2,500 new Wi-Fi access points all throughout the venue to creative more comprehensive coverage for fans, media, and the teams themselves. Keeping people connected with reliable service is a major boon.

So these are big steps in the right direction — towards a goal of keeping the Caesars Superdome in its place as a world-class venue for sports and entertainment. The goal is to continue hosting Super Bowls (including this year’s championship game), ambitious tours by superstar musicians like Beyonce and Taylor Swift, and major events like Wrestlemania, Monster Jam, and the NCAA basketball tournament, just to name a few. These upgrades help ensure greater longevity for the Superdome and avoid a costly new stadium construction. Hopefully the Saints and the Superdome officials can get a deal pushed across the finish line to keep the team playing there for the decades ahead.

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Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour stop won’t conflict with Saints’ 2024 schedule

Taylor Swift’s tour won’t conflict with the Saints, but the Superdome will be busy. New Orleans will have 9 home games for the first time since the season expanded:

You won’t find many acts more anticipated than Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour,” but the NFL schedule release might come close. And the good news for the New Orleans Saints is that Swift’s three-day stop at the Caesars Superdome in October won’t conflict with the Saints’ gameday operations.

But the Caesars Superdome staff are going to be busy. The Saints will play against Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos on Oct. 17, a Thursday night game, before preparing for their next matchup — a road contest with the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 27. So there will be about a week before the Superdome must get converted for use in Swift’s three-night concert.

Swift will perform at the Caesars Superdome on Oct. 25-27 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), and her fans just might break the venue’s attendance record. Her shows have sold out worldwide and at many other NFL stadiums. So it’s a good thing the Saints will be out of town and unconcerned with any possible conflicts.

Still, it’s shaping up to be a big year for the Caesars Superdome. A yearslong series of renovations has tallied up $500 million in expenses, and they’re eager to show off those improvements at landmark events like Swift’s world tour, WrestleMania, NCAA tournaments and bowl games, and of course the Saints’ upcoming season — not to mention Super Bowl LIX in February.

If all goes as planned, this will be the first year the Saints have enjoyed hosting nine home games since the NFL expanded the regular season schedule to 18 weeks back in 2021. That year’s season-opener was moved to Jacksonville in the wake of Hurricane Ida (meaning they had just seven home games), and the Saints were nominal hosts when playing the Minnesota Vikings in London in 2022, limiting them to eight home games (before going on the road for their 17th game again in 2023). Whether it’s Taylor Swift or Alvin Kamara running out of the tunnel, they’re hoping for a full house at the Caesars Superdome.

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Caesars Superdome renovations on track to be completed before Super Bowl LIX

New Orleans officials announced that Caesars Superdome renovations are on schedule to be completed before Super Bowl LIX:

Ongoing renovations to the Caesars Superdome are progressing well and on track for completion before Super Bowl LIX, city officials shared this week. The home of the New Orleans Saints will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year after hosting the NFL’s championship game, and construction crews have been hard at work executing more than $500 million in upgrades to improve the visitor experience and the arena’s longevity.

Work on this extensive remodeling began back in 2019 and is expected to be completed in June. That will pave the way for the Saints to host their preseason and regular season home games at home leading up to Super Bowl LIX.

Enhanced food service options, a new entry system of escalators and widened concourses, field-level seating and standing room-only platforms, as well as modern interior lighting and more amenities are all aimed to ensuring the Caesars Superdome remains a first-class venue for decades ahead. Initially priced at $450 million, costs for these renovations have climbed to $535 million as the project moves into its final phase.

So what could be next? The next leg of Taylor Swift’s global “The Eras Tour” will make a stop in New Orleans during the middle of the Saints’ 2024 season, but it’s just one of many high-profile events planned for the Caesars Superdome.

Super Bowl host committee president and Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation CEO Jay Cicero shared a list of big-ticket targets: “We’re talking to the NCAA; we’re talking a WrestleMania, and we’re talking to other groups about bringing their big events back to New Orleans. This renovation is certainly going to be a feather in our cap.”

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WATCH: Saints release video highlighting upgrades to Caesars Superdome

The New Orleans Saints released a video highlighting upgrades to the Caesars Superdome, many of which fans can expect for the 2023 season:

New Orleans Saints fans can expect some exciting changes and upgrades when they step into the Caesars Superdome this year. With the first Saints preseason game just three weeks away, the team released a video highlighting the work done at their home stadium this summer.

Fans should look out for a new 40-yard-long cocktail bar on the 100 level as well as spacious atriums at Gates B and H. There is a new array of concessions options as well, including grab-and-go sections and new dishes. And it’s all tied together with a system of escalators and wider concourses to ease traffic flow as fans make their way to their seats.

It isn’t finished yet — construction will continue into the 2024 offseason as the facility is modernized to endure another half-century of memories at Saints games and historic Super Bowl matchups. Stay tuned for more details.

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FanDuel app to stream live MLB games in 2023 as part of new co-exclusive partnership

FanDuel’s MLB offering is just the latest in a trend of sportsbooks streaming live games.

FanDuel was named a co-exclusive official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball on Thursday, giving the sportsbook the right to use official MLB branding across its portfolio of gaming products.

As part of the deal, FanDuel will also begin streaming MLB.TV’s free game of the day through both the FanDuel Sportsbook app and its OTT platform FanDuel+.

The move represents the latest “Bet & Watch” offering in what’s been a growing trend for U.S. sportsbooks as micro-betting increases in popularity. During the 2022 MLB season, pitch-by-pitch bets accounted for 40% of the handle received by the sportsbook clients of micro-betting leader Simplebet. That number was up even more in the playoffs.

Integrating live streams directly into sportsbook apps only makes it easier for people to bet on the action as its taking place.

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“Our team is eager to showcase FanDuel in nationally broadcast MLB games and help enhance game narratives and bring America’s Pastime directly into our mobile app and OTT platform for fans to watch and wager,” FanDuel president Christian Genetski said. “We’re also very excited about the opportunity to work together with MLB on new betting product innovations that will give customers the opportunity to enhance their experience on every pitch from March until October.”

FanDuel’s deal with MLB is similar to the one DraftKings announced in 2021 as a co-exclusive official sports betting partner, which also included a streaming integration into its own sportsbook app. In December, Caesars became the first sportsbook app to stream an NFL game. Simplebet reported a 150% betting increase year-over-year for the NFL playoffs, and an 84% increase in Super Bowl micro-betting over the rest of the postseason.

With those type of numbers, it seems to be just a matter of time until live streaming within sportsbook apps is the norm. Micro-betting is a major driver of that demand.

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