The New Orleans Saints didn’t make a popular decision in moving their 2024 training camp to California, with operations traveling from Metairie to Irvine for weeks of practices this summer. And a report that NFL rules may prohibit the team from inviting fans to camp wasn’t welcomed warmly.
But Saints team president Dennis Lauscha explained that onsite logistics, not NFL marketing rules, are a bigger hurdle for the team. He believes that finding room for fans at UC-Irvine’s campus is going to be challenging.
“I think that (rule) may pertain more to sponsorship,” Lauscha said during a recent press conference. “I can tell you we have a great relationship with the Rams and Chargers, and that’s not an issue for us that I’m aware of.”
Finding room for thousands of fans in addition to a hundred or so players and nearly as many coaches, trainers, and other support staff is an undertaking in itself. But the Los Angeles Rams pulled it off in recent years, which is partly why the Saints were attracted to UC-Irvine itself. The school doesn’t have a football team but its 2,500-seat soccer stadium can host a decent crowd.
Still, it’s too soon to say whether Saints fans in California will be able to see their team in person. Lauscha continued: “I think there is some plans, I don’t know if it’s going to happen based on the layout and what’s happening there. And again we’re going to try to get back to New Orleans as quickly as we can. We’re also working right now on having offsite practices like we did a couple years ago. So we’re talking to a couple venues that would have us, that would welcome us, and hopefully we can use those facilities, too.”
The Saints are exploring opportunities to move some of their upcoming organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp practices to local venues around New Orleans, so stay tuned for updates on that front. It isn’t the same as opening up training camp to local fans, but giving their strongest supporters the chance to, say, catch practice at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium or another accessible arena is a great gesture. Let’s see what the Saints have in store.
