History of Pro Football in New Orleans

series continued-

part 4
part 5

... the second game didn’t end until 12:05 a.m. Sunday morning. According to Buddy Diliberto’s sports column, it was the first time in the history of Tulane Stadium that football was played on a Sunday.

And yet, many questions were asked by Bob Roesler in the following day’s column including:

“Can College and pro football live harmoniously in Tulane Stadium?”

“Are there enough entertainment dollars in this area for both to survive?”

“Would a pro team in N.O. affect the LSU cash register?”

“Would area colleges lose patrons to the pros?”

“Would the average guy have enough loot to see five or six of his favorite collegiate home games and still have enough to spend on the pros?”

The final gate tally for the double header was 51,218, somewhat disappointing as the promoters were hoping for around 75,000. The Times-Picayune felt some of the factors leading to the resultant crowd included concerns with Tulane Stadium being integrated for the first time (though no racial issues were reported) and likely the biggest drawback was five dollar end zone tickets. To which Roesler wrote, “That’s a rather stiff tariff for the privilege of viewing the action from behind the uprights.”

Most of us have no memory of pro football in NO before 2006. Call it PFAS--Professional Football Abuse Syndrome.

quote:

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Anyone else having that problem?

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Yes.

Thanks for posting this series. I'm loving this stuff. My uncles used to sell concessions at Tulane Stadium back in the day, and my grand parents sold parking on their lawn on Zimple St on gameday.

part 7
about AFL boycott of all star game

part 8
1965 NFL preseason game-

The fans would equally help Dave Dixon rally from the AFL All-Star Game fallout by producing a crowd of 75,229 for the Colts-Cardinals match-up. It was the largest crowd to watch a pro sports event in the south at the time.

The tickets prices of some $2.00 to $6.00 grossed some $229,000. The crowd was so huge that Tulane Stadium vendors ran out of soft drinks at halftime. The crowd size more than impressed visiting NFL dignitaries, but Dave Dixon’s work was not over yet.

Mecom was such a freaking clown.

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Mecom admitted to reporters he had discussions with Oakland Raiders head coach and part-owner Al Davis to sell his interests in Oakland and become a stock holder with Mecom in New Orleans. Davs would then serve as the club’s head coach and/or general manager.

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holy frick that's a scary thought

part 10
Sanders’ plan included a form of community ownership where he would own 52% of the team while the remaining 48% would consist of 30,000 shares that would be offered to the public for $10 each. “This football team should belong to the people of Louisiana,” Sanders explained.
The shareholders would also have priority on season tickets as well.

part 11
One day later, Congressman Celler called the manuevering “a shameful thing.”

One interesting footnote from this famous “end-around” by Long & Boggs. Just prior to votes on this measure, Rozelle was in the hallways of Congress waiting for the bill to be approved when Boggs approached him and stated in question form whther New Orleans would get the next franchise if the bill passed. Rozelle replied that he would definitely consider it. Boggs became so angry that he was going back into the House chambers to cancel the vote when Rozelle grabbed him by the shoulder and told him simply, “You got it.”

part 13
By early December 1966, members of the press core started to chime in on what the new club’s nickname should be. Some of the suggestions included the Deltas, Crescents, Kings (for King Cotton), Tigers, Generals, Moccasins, Ramparts, Creoles, Dixie Landers, Jazz Kings and Cajuns.

National media were even suggesting head coaching candidates for the new team including Baltimore assistant coach Chuck Noll, Cardinals assistant Red Miller, Packers assistant Phil Bengtson and Howard Brinker of the Browns.