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When the New Orleans Saints kick off against the Los Angeles Chargers to cap Week 5 of the NFL regular season on “Monday Night Football,” they won’t be doing so in front of a roaring crowd. Or much of a crowd at all.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell denied the Saints’ request to open the doors of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to fans and admit up to 25% of its maximum occupancy (about 18,000 people), Nola.com’s Amie Just reported Wednesday.
The Saints explained to season ticket holders in an email that they are preparing to welcome fans at their next home game: Week 7’s matchup with the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 25. But the exact number of spectators allowed is yet to be determined.
And it’s not even clear yet where the Saints will play the Chargers on Oct. 13. With Hurricane Delta bearing down on the Louisiana coast, the Saints have been working with the NFL on “a last resort contingency” to relocate to Indianapolis for a few days, and kick off at the Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium. The Saints have gone so far as to reserve a 150-strong block of hotel rooms and charter a flight should it come to that.
If they do remain in New Orleans, though, about 750 family members of players, coaches, and staffers are expected to take their seats in the Superdome just as they did for Week 3’s game with the Green Bay Packers. These trial runs have helped the Saints refine their game-day protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic and informed the plans they’ve submitted to state and local officials in requests to host larger crowds.
But if the Saints do hit the road again soon, they’ll likely play in another quiet venue like they’ve seen in Weeks 1, 2, and 4. If that’s the case, it will mean that the Saints enter their Week 6 bye having played no games in front of even partially-filled stadiums. Such is professional sports during a public health crisis.
Stay tuned, and check back often for updates.
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