STL should welcome an NBA refugee
Within a few days of Hurricane Katrina slamming into New Orleans, the St. Louis Visitors and Convention Commission held a press conference offering to take in future conventioneers who will be unable to frolic in the French Quarter. While this might seem a bit predatory, the fact remains that some cities will reap financial benefit from the catastrophic storm that blasted Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama – and St. Louis does not want to be left out.
While the first words from the Savvis Center and Paige Entertainment have been that there is no interest in bringing the New Orleans Hornets NBA franchise to St. Louis, the SportsEye has a feeling that some behind-the-scenes talks are going on. At least, they should be taking place. In fact, if Mayor Francis Slay, the St. Louis Sports Commission and CVC are not trying to at least get the Hornets for the 2005-06 season, they are not being honest with themselves or New Orleans.
New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson is apparently opting for permanent residence of his franchise in San Antonio. Sports fans – even those in New Orleans – can’t blame him. The city should not spend a dime on The Superdome, security for a NFL game or anything else that has to do with the financial betterment of the Saints. Benson knows this, and he should not be asked to sacrifice his business investment for the beleaguered city. If the Saints stay in New Orleans, the team would be bankrupt in two years.
Thus, the Hornets have to be looking elsewhere. They should look to St. Louis. More than 10,000 New Orleans-area residents might end up here before winter hits, which would create a small, but needed, fan base. They might not be able to afford games, but they would watch on TV or listen on radio.
Yes, it seems very cruel to be speaking of trivial matters such as pro sports franchises while hundreds of thousands of lives are in the balance. However, the Hornets will most likely have a new home in the near future. Thus, the future is now for St. Louis.
