Tag: caesars superdome

Saints interim coach has one goal for the team’s home crowd

The Caesars Superdome hasn’t held the same magical homefield advantage as of late. Interim Saints head coach Darren Rizzi is on a mission to change that:

Darren Rizzi has a major goal as New Orleans Saints interim head coach that goes beyond wins and losses. He wants to restore a “domefield” advantage in New Orleans.

There was once a time where the Caesars Superdome was on the list of places opposing teams didn’t want to go. That magic had faded away. The Saints haven’t had a winning record at home since Drew Brees retired, going 2-5 at the Superdome in 2021 (not counting a “home” win in Jacksonville due to Hurricane Ida), 4-4 in 2022 (discounting their “home” loss in London), and 5-3 in 2023, with a 2-3 start to this season’s home slate. That’s a 13-15 home record altogether.

After knocking off the Atlanta Falcons, Rizzi declared, “We are going to get this dome back to where it used to be and that was just the start.” Part of restoring the aura has to do with winning games. The Saints hadn’t been doing that at home or on the road lately, so Rizzi was concerned if the fans were going to be bought in. He clearly underestimated how much the coaching change reinvigorated the fanbase.

That mistake won’t be made again. Rizzi complimented the home crowd by saying, “our fans were incredible today.” He credited the fans’ engagement for forcing the visiting Falcons into some errors, such as jumping offsides.

He knows this city wants a winner and the team wants to give them that just as badly. This is just one win, but that’s how every winning streak starts.

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Kendrick Lamar will perform the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show

Kendrick Lamar is about to pop out at the Super Bowl

Kendrick Lamar is having quite the year after a high-profile rap feud, and it just got even bigger after he announced Sunday he’ll be doing the halftime show for Super Bowl 59 in February.

Set to take place on Feb. 9, 2025, this season’s Super Bowl will happen at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. K. Dot will follow Usher as the halftime performer, though it won’t be his first halftime appearance.

Lamar was also a part of Dr. Dre’s halftime set in 2022.

Here was how Lamar announced his second halftime appearance:

If Lamar’s recent Ken and Friends show was a preview of what to expect, it’s going to be a great show. And if this line from Lamar’s announcement video — “there’s only one opportunity to win a championship. There’s no round twos” — sounded like a another petty jab at Drake, it probably was.

The victory lap continues.

How to get tickets for Saints practices at Yulman Stadium, Caesars Superdome

The New Orleans Saints announced information regarding open practices at Yulman Stadium and the Caesars Superdome, as well as how to register for tickets:

The New Orleans Saints have previously announced that they will be hosting open practices when they return to Louisiana from their training camp in Southern California, one at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium and the other at the Caesars Superdome. And now they’ve shared the times and dates for these events. Tickets are free but available on a first-come, first-served basis:

  • Yulman Stadium: Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. CT
  • Caesars Superdome: Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. CT

On Thursday the team shared information regarding how both season ticket holders and the general public can acquire tickets for each event. Ticket registration opens on Monday, July 29 for season ticket holders and Tuesday, July 30 for the general public. Tickets will for both practices will become available at 9 a.m. CT on each day.

Additional information regarding each practice, tickets, parking, and gates can be found at the following links:

The Saints and Tulane have a long history of working together and sharing facilities, as the Saints played for eight seasons at the old Tulane Stadium on the Uptown campus, and the Green Wave have used the Saints’ Metairie indoor practice facility to prepare for bowl games. It has been five years since the Saints have practiced at Tulane’s facilities, 2019 being the last time this occurred, so these will both be great opportunities for local fans to see their team in person.

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Where is the 2025 Super Bowl?

Where will next year’s Super Bowl take place?

While all of our focus is on the 2024 Super Bowl right now, it’s fair to ask where next year’s big game will be.

If you’re hoping to see your team play for a Super Bowl in 2025, they’d travel down to the Big Easy to do so.

Next year’s Super Bowl will take place on Feb. 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, home of the Saints.

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This is the eighth Super Bowl played in the Superdome over its multi-decade existence. The last Super Bowl held in New Orleans was in 2013.

As we all celebrate this year’s big game in Las Vegas, we’ll have more football, Bourbon Street, jazz and crawfish boils to look forward to next year.

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Saints are 4-point underdogs against the Lions at home in the Caesars Superdome

Saints are 4-point underdogs against the Lions at home in the Caesars Superdome

Oddsmakers are expecting a tight game from the New Orleans Saints (5-6) in Week 13; BetMGM Sportsbook has the Saints as four-point underdogs at home against the Detroit Lions (8-3), with a 47-point over/under suggesting a final line in the neighborhood of Detroit 25, New Orleans 21.

That would be the most points the Saints have scored in a game since the start of November, when they put up 24 points on the Chicago Bears in their last home game. They haven’t finished with a winning record at the Caesars Superdome in years, and they’re 2-2 right now. A win over the Lions would do a lot to rebuild the homefield advantage the Saints cultivated for more than a decade, and prove they belong in the NFC playoff picture.

So the Saints are four-point underdogs, with the spread at -110; that means a $100 wager would return $190.91 if they covered. The money line is +165 as kickoff draws closer, which would result in a $265 return on a $100 slip if the Saints pull off an upset. But that feels a little close even if the Lions look vulnerable after being knocked down by the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving.

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Where will the next 3 Super Bowls be played through 2026?

Where will the next three Super Bowls be played? We know know the locations through 2026.

We now know where the next three Super Bowls will be held.

USA Today reported on Friday that the San Francisco 49ers have won rights to host Super Bowl 60 in 2026, sending the big game out to Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium.

Before 2026’s Super Bowl 60, the big game will travel to Las Vegas and New Orleans for its next two installments.

Next year, the Las Vegas Raiders will host Super Bowl 58 at their new Allegiant Stadium. It’ll give NFL fans a chance to enjoy the casinos and Vegas shows before taking in the height of the football season.

In 2025, the big game will head down to the Big Easy and host NFL fans at the New Orleans Saints’ Caesars Superdome. Patrons can stroll down Bourbon Street, listen to some jazz music and eat some good Cajun food ahead of Super Bowl 59.

Then, in 2026, the Super Bowl will reportedly return to Santa Clara for the first time since 2016.

NOFD responds to early-morning construction fire at Caesars Superdome

The New Orleans Fire Department responded to an early-morning construction fire at the Caesars Superdome, reporting no injuries:

Thank goodness this wasn’t more serious. The New Orleans Fire Department extinguished an early-morning construction fire at the Caesars Superdome on Wednesday, reporting no injuries and no damage to any public areas within the stadium. Arena officials characterized the situation as a “minor smoke incident” to FOX 8’s Andrés Fuentes.

WDSU’s Fletcher Mackel shared a statement from Caesars Superdome officials which said two security workers were being evaluated for smoke inhalation, but that the NOFD “deemed the building safe for occupancy” and that scheduled events will continue as planned. That includes the Saints’ regular season finale with the Carolina Panthers on Jan. 8.

This is the second time in as many years that a fire has broken out at the Caesars Superdome after equipment used to clean the structure’s roof caught aflame back in Sept. 2021, with one worker needing medical attention. We’re fortunate these incidents haven’t been worse.

Extensive renovations are ongoing to modernize the Caesars Superdome’s interior and improve the guest experience, including a new system of escalators to ease traffic flow and updated concessions options, plus upgraded restroom facilities, among other changes. That work is on track to be completed in 2024, ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl to be hosted in New Orleans.

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NFL Week 4 broadcast maps: Jonathan Vilma calling Saints-Giants game

Jonathan Vilma to call Saints-Giants game; will your market carry the broadcast?

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Good news, Saints fans: Jonathan Vilma has been assigned to cover Week 4’s game between the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants for FOX Sports, putting a fan-favorite former player on the call from the booth. Kenny Albert will join Vilma in the booth with Sara Walsh reporting from the field at the Caesars Superdome.

Vilma’s done this before. Last year, he offered commentary with Albert’s play-by-play calls in the Saints’ road game with the Detroit Lions. He later lent his voice to narrate a hype video for New Orleans’ playoff push, and remains tight to the team. He should have some solid analysis to add to the broadcast.

Now the bad news. Only a couple of television markets across the country will be tuning in to the noon kickoff, as shown in blue on this map from 506sports.com:

As for the other games being shown on FOX:

  • Red: Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys (early)
  • Orange: Washington Football Team at Atlanta Falcons (early)
  • Cyan: Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears (early)
  • Green: Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (late)
  • Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams (late)

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Two-alarm fire breaks out on roof of Superdome in New Orleans

The Superdome roof was on fire Tuesday in New Orleans

The resolve of everyone in New Orleans has been tested again, this time by Hurricane Ida and its aftermath.

On Tuesday, one of the fixtures of the city, the Superdome, saw a two-alarm fire break out on the roof of the home of the New Orleans Saints.

Per FOX8live.com:

While the cause of the fire was not immediately known, several workers could be seen atop the stadium’s iconic white roof. Cleaning and renovations to the roof after its recent corporate re-branding is believed to have recently resumed after being interrupted by Hurricane Ida.

Fox 8 Saints analyst Jeff Duncan said the fire appeared to have started in the “gutter tub” on the roof, where workers were using a high-powered pressure washer, according to a text message from Doug Thornton. Thornton is the Vice President of Stadiums for ASM Global, the parent company that manages the facility.

Flames and dark black smoke could be seen along the lip of the roof for nearly 15 minutes. The smoke was visible across New Orleans and turned to a lighter shade of gray around 12:50 p.m., indicating the blaze was being brought under control and extinguished.

Due to the damage to the region by Hurricane Ida, the Saints played their home opener against the Green Bay Packers in Jacksonville, Fl.

Their next home game is currently scheduled for Oct. 3 against the New York Giants.

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on sharing AT&T Stadium with the Saints

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on sharing AT&T Stadium with the Saints

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Jerry Jones may be the face of the Dallas Cowboys, but his son Stephen Jones is a big-time decision-maker as Cowboys executive vice president. And when the New Orleans Saints came calling for help, they answered the call by welcoming the Saints to practice at AT&T Stadium for three days upon evacuating from Hurricane Ida before it struck the Louisiana coast.

The younger Jones joined “K&C Masterpiece” on KRLD-FM 105.3 “The Fan” to preview the 2021 season and discuss the Cowboys’ involvement with welcoming the displaced Saints to AT&T Stadium. Here’s what he said:

“Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis reached out to us, and asked if they could practice here in Dallas. As it turned out, we did have our stadium available and they were able to secure accommodations and just great that we’re able to help them. As you said, it’s a heartbreaking situation what’s going on to everybody there in south Louisiana and more. It’s just a very, very difficult for anybody living in that area. Our prayers go out to all the families and certainly even for the ones who ended up leaving, I’m sure they’re on pins and needles when you think about your home being in harm’s way. That’s a difficult situation.

“We certainly pray for the ones who weren’t able to get out, whatever the reason that they hopefully worked their way through it, and are able to make it through this storm and come out the backend. We want to do anything and everything we can to help the Saints organization. We obviously have great proximity to their market, and want to do anything and everything we can to help them.”

The Saints explored multiple options, including a potential flight to Indianapolis. But the Cowboys’ home stadium ended up being the best candidate. With so much uncertainty in the weeks ahead as New Orleans begins to recover from Ida’s wrath, it’s worth noting that AT&T Stadium is available for Week 1 with the Cowboys visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to kick off the season. If the Saints aren’t able host the Green Bay Packers at the Caesars Superdome, it’s possible they end up starting the 2021 season at a neutral site in Dallas instead.

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